Embry grew up in Sugar Land and is an honors graduate of Southwestern University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication.

Jason Embry

He is also active in youth athletics as a longtime youth basketball coach and Vice President of the Leander Youth Basketball Advisory Board. Jason and his wife, Amanda, have lived in Cedar Park or Leander since 2010. Their twin sons are freshmen at Leander High School.

Leander ISD Board Elections

Jason Embry grew up in Sugar Land. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and communication from Southwestern University. He and his wife, Amanda, have lived in Cedar Park or Leander since 2010 and have twin sons.

Jason Embry - LBJ Library

Board: Elections - Leander ISD

LBJ Presidential LibraryJason EmbryBoard MemberJason Embry is co-founder of New West Communications, an Austin-based strategic communications firm. The firm helps clients use a variety of communications tools to achieve their goals. Previously, Embry was communications director for Joe Straus, the former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

Jason Embry is co-founder of New West Communications, an Austin-based strategic communications firm. The firm helps clients use a variety of communications tools to achieve their goals. Previously, Embry was communications director for Joe Straus, the former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. In his role with Speaker Straus, Embry oversaw all aspects of messaging, including media relations, social media, speechwriting, and constituent correspondence.

Before he went to work for Speaker Straus, Embry spent 14 years as a newspaper journalist. He was the Texas Capitol Bureau Chief for the Austin American-Statesman and also served as the Statesman's Washington Correspondent. He founded the "First Reading" political blog in 2009.

Jason Embry is co-founder of New West Communications, an Austin-based strategic communications firm. He previously worked as communications director for Joe Straus and as a newspaper journalist, including as the Texas Capitol bureau chief and Washington correspondent for the Austin American-Statesman.

Jason is co-founder of New West Communications, an Austin-based strategic communications firm. He previously worked as communications director for Joe Straus and as a newspaper journalist, including as the Texas Capitol bureau chief and Washington correspondent for the Austin American-Statesman.

2026 Texas General Election

2026 Texas General Runoff

Nonpartisan

If elected, what will be your top priorities to address district challenges?  
We must reverse the decline in our student enrollment so that we can maintain academic programs. We must also scrutinize the use of laptops and other devices to ensure that they support learning, rather than distracting from it. Parents must also have greater input in district decisions.

Q&A: Meet the candidates for Leander ISD Place 7

### Take a Balanced Approach to Tech

Students should be ready to thrive in a tech-driven world. Technology plays an important role in education. However, Jason understands parents' concerns about excessive screen time and believes we should re-examine LISD's heavy use of laptops.

Jason Embry for LISD

### Rebuild Public Trust

Jason will listen to all perspectives, make it easier for parents to understand what's happening in their children's classrooms, and demand transparency from administrators in every decision they make.

Wants to re-examine heavy laptop use to limit excessive screen time and ensure devices support learning.

Plans to make classroom activities easier for parents to understand and demand transparency from district administrators.

- Wants to re-examine heavy laptop use to limit excessive screen time and ensure devices support learning.
- Plans to make classroom activities easier for parents to understand and demand transparency from district administrators.

School Curriculum

### Engage the Business Community

As LISD faces real funding shortages, Jason will rally local businesses to become active school partners — creating pathways for students, connecting campus resources, and addressing fiscal challenges head-on.

### Advocate for LISD Students

Jason has spent more than two decades around the Texas Legislature. He'll work with legislators from both parties to secure more funding for LISD and ensure new legislation is evaluated for its unique impact on our district.

Plans to enlist local businesses as school partners to create student pathways, connect campus resources, and address district fiscal challenges.

Plans to work with legislators from both parties to secure more funding for Leander Independent School District.

- Plans to enlist local businesses as school partners to create student pathways, connect campus resources, and address district fiscal challenges.
- Plans to work with legislators from both parties to secure more funding for Leander Independent School District.

School Facilities & Resources

As of September 21, 2026, Jason Embry’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Student Wellbeing

### Allow Teachers to Focus on Teaching

Jason understands the teaching profession is highly demanding. He also knows teacher retention is critical to student success. He wants to protect teachers from excessive extra duties so that they can focus fully on quality instruction and student needs.

Wants to protect teachers from excessive extra duties so they can focus on instruction and student needs.

- Wants to protect teachers from excessive extra duties so they can focus on instruction and student needs.

Teachers

Jason has long worked at the intersection of education policy and the legislative process. He is the Co-Founder of New West Communications, a strategic communications firm focused on helping clients tell their story to the Texas Legislature and other targeted audiences. Through this work, he has been on the front lines of advocating for additional school funding and opposing private-school vouchers. He is a former journalist at the Austin American-Statesman and served as Communications Director for then-Speaker of the House Joe Straus.

If elected, what new district projects or policies would you like to see implemented?  
I will explore creating programs at some existing campuses to increase choice within LISD. We can innovate through magnet programs, for example. We have a great school district, but even great districts must continue to improve.

### Expand Academic Opportunities

LISD enrollment is projected to drop by 600 students next year. Jason wants to give families more choices within LISD so every student can find the learning model that works best for them — and keep kids in our schools.

Advocates for additional school funding and opposes private-school vouchers.

Plans to explore magnet programs at existing campuses to expand school choice within Leander Independent School District.

- Advocates for additional school funding and opposes private-school vouchers.
- Plans to explore magnet programs at existing campuses to expand school choice within Leander Independent School District.

Access to Education

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- Plans to work with legislators from both parties to secure more funding for Leander Independent School District.

- Plans to explore magnet programs at existing campuses to expand school choice within Leander Independent School District.

Mauricio Mendez

Alejandra Gracias

Paul Gauthier

- A trustee is an elected member of a local school board who helps govern a public school district.

- Trustees represent community interests and are responsible for setting policies that guide how the school district operates.

- The board of trustees hires and evaluates the superintendent, who manages the day-to-day operations of the district.

- Trustees approve the district’s budget, monitor spending, and may set the local tax rate or call for bond elections to fund schools.

- The board also oversees educational programs, district goals, and overall performance.

- In Texas, trustees are elected to four-year terms, often on a rotating basis, so not all seats are elected at the same time.

- Trustees serve without financial compensation.

An official who sets policy for a local school district. 