Charles R. Martinez, Jr. is the 12th dean of the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Martinez’s scholarly work focuses on identifying factors that hinder or promote the success of children and families from vulnerable and underserved populations. He is particularly interested in how immigrant Latino families adjust to life in the U.S. and how to better harness culturally specific protective factors to ensure their success in navigating the many challenges associated with immigration. Martinez has led numerous national and international research projects designed to examine risk and protective factors involved in linking social and cultural factors to education and behavioral health disparities for Latino children and families, and to develop and test culturally specific interventions for at-risk families in the U.S. and in Latin America. Prior to joining Texas, Martinez was the Philip H. Knight Professor in the Department of Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership at the University of Oregon, where he also served as founding director of the Center for Equity Promotion. He is a nationally recognized scholar on organizational equity, cross-cultural research, and community engagement. A first-generation college graduate, Martinez received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pitzer College, and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Martinez holds the Lee Hage Jamail Regents Chair in Education and the Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair. He is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and founding director of the Texas Center for Equity Promotion.

Dr. Darryl J. Henson, a native of Houston, currently serves as the Superintendent of Schools for the Marlin Independent School District, a rural district southeast of Waco. Within his fi rst two years leading the district, Marlin ISD experienced unprecedented gains on state assessment results. During the 2021-2022 school year, the district earned an academic rating of an 86 (B), eradicating ten consecutive years of failed or ‘F’ ratings from the Texas Education Agency. These turnaround efforts led to Marlin ISD having the highest student achievement growth in the state, a fi fteen percent increase in student enrollment, the regaining of its full accreditation, and a reinvigorated sense of school spirit and community pride. Marlin ISD is not only recognized locally, but across the state and nation as a leader in school improvement. Most notably, Marlin Elementary School has been named a National Demonstration School and Marlin ISD a State Demonstration District by the National Alliance of Black School Educators. Most notably, Dr. Henson has been named the 2024 Region 12 Superintendent of the Year and is also a Top 5 Finalist for Texas Superintendent of the Year. In the early years of his career, Dr. Henson served as a fourth-grade teacher in the Austin Independent School District, followed by teaching middle and high school mathematics and special education in the Pfl ugerville and Houston ISDs. His fi rst leadership position came when he was promoted to an instructional specialist at John H. Reagan High School in the Houston Independent School District. Prior to joining Marlin ISD, Dr. Henson served as the Assistant Superintendent of School Leadership in Cedar Hill ISD. In this role, he supervised, supported, and coached all the district’s campuses and principals, as well as the curriculum and instruction department. Prior to his appointment in Cedar Hill ISD, Dr. Henson served as the principal of North Forest High School in the Houston Independent School District, principal of Parkland High School in the Ysleta Independent School District, and with other experiences as a classroom teacher, coach, and principal in the Austin, Houston, and El Paso regions. During his tenures at North Forest and Parkland high schools, both campuses experienced unparalleled gains on state assessments. Parkland High School was one of the 1.9% of Texas schools to earn all seven Distinction Designations from the Texas Education Agency. Under his leadership, Dr. Henson led the efforts of guiding North Forest High School in earning the highest student progress measure of all Achieve 180 high school campuses in the Houston Independent School District in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Throughout the years, Dr. Henson has been regarded for his passion and vibrant personality as he has built lasting relationships with students and communities across Texas. Dr. Henson fi rmly believes that culture, curriculum, and community are the pillars of establishing and maintaining a thriving school system. Dr. Henson earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from The University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Houston. Dr. Henson has professional affi liations with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Texas Alliance of Black School Educators, Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, and Texas Association of School Administrators. 

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