Board of Trustees

Virginia Suarez

Secretary

District 1 | May 2022-2025

Virginia Suarez was elected to serve on the TISD Board of Trustees in May 1989. In 2024, she celebrated her 35th year on the Board. During her tenure, Ms. Suarez has served as the President, Vice President and currently serves as Secretary.

She is a graduate of Temple High School and attended Temple Junior College. Virginia worked with the Bell County Human Services Department as the County Indigent Health Care Coordinator, working in sales and insurance. She has also worked with McLane Company and the United Way of Central Texas and currently works for City of Temple.

Ms. Suarez attends Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and served on the Board of the Bell County Tax Appraisal District. She has participated or is currently a member of the following organizations: Hispanic Leadership Council, TEJAS Council, Camp Fire Boys and Girls and served with the American GI Forum. She was awarded the TrailBlazer in Education by the Temple Area LULAC in the summer of 2024. Her interests or hobbies include reading and attending Temple ISD events.

Linell Davis

District 2 | 2023 - 2026

Linell Davis was elected to serve on the TISD Board of Trustees in April 2014 and re-elected in 2017, 2020 and 2023. She is a graduate of Huston-Tillotson College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music with a minor in Education. Linell also worked summer stock with Casa Manana Theater in Fort Worth the summer following her junior year of college.

She is married to John, and they have two children, Andrew, and Monica, and four grandchildren. Linell also lived and worked in New York City after graduating from college. After returning to Temple, she was an administrative assistant for the Central Texas Regional Advisory Council, worked in Hospital Patient Relations at Scott and White, and was a certified clinical research associate at Baylor Scott and White with the Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA). She also worked at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center as a Trauma Injury Prevention Education Outreach Coordinator. Linell retired from Temple ISD after serving as a secretary at Temple High School and Meridith-Dunbar Elementary School.

She is a licensed associate minister at the Corinth Missionary Baptist Church and serves as pastor’s secretary and finance secretary at the church. She is a member of the Ambassador Choir and was selected as a Christian Woman of Distinction for 2014 by the members of the church. Her interests include concert music, opera, jazz, gospel, needlepoint, reading and Tai Chi.

Dan Posey

President

District 3 | 2024-2027

Dan Posey joined the Temple ISD Board of Trustees in November 2011. He was re-elected in 2024. Dan served as Vice President for five years and currently serves as President.

Dan attended Temple High School and is a 1982 graduate. He graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts – Journalism/Political Science degree. He received his Master of Public Administration from Texas State University. He is married to Maria, and they have one son, Andrew. Dan serves as Director of Government Affairs at Baylor Scott and White Health.

He currently serves on the Cultural Activities Center Board, the Temple Children’s Museum Board, and the Bell County Museum Board. He previously served on the Temple Education Foundation Board, Temple Chamber of Commerce Board, Ronald McDonald House Board, Board of Governors of the Association of the United States Army, and the Temple Planning and Zoning Commission. He is also a member of the NAACP. Dan has a strong interest in history and enjoys attending Temple ISD events.

Ronnie Gaines

Vice President

District 4 | 2024-2027

Ronnie Gaines was appointed to the Temple ISD Board of Trustees in August 2014. The appointment was to complete the term ending May 2015. He was elected to retain his position in 2015 and re-elected in 2018, 2021, and 2024. Mr. Gaines currently serves as Vice President.

Ronnie and his late wife, Lydia, have three children, Ronnie II, Tristan, and LyRondra and eight grandchildren. Mr. Gaines graduated from Moody High School and attended Temple College. He worked for Wilsonart for 23 years and opened his Insurance Agency in 2002 with Farmers Insurance.

He attends and is a Lay Minister and Prayer Ministry Leader at St. James United Methodist Church. His hobbies including hunting, fishing, sports and spending time with his grandchildren.

Dawn Cook

District 5 | 2024-2027

Dawn Cook was appointed to the TISD Board of Trustees in September of 2022. The appointment was to complete the term in May 2023. Mrs. Cook was elected to the position in 2023 and was reelected in 2024.

Mrs. Cook is married to Kirk and has two children, Blair, and Abby. Dawn attended Temple High School and graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a minor in English. Dawn spent the early years of her career in advertising and printing and transitioned into the world of title insurance. She has worked for CentraLand Title Company since 2005.

She is a member of Temple Bible Church and has served on Thornton Elementary PTO, Bonham PTO, Temple Education Foundation, Student Health Advisory Committee, Wildcat Mentors, Contemporaries of the CAC, Temple Junior Cotillion and Wildflower Guild President. Dawn enjoys reading and cooking.

Shannon Gowan

District 6 | 2022-2025

Shannon Gowan was appointed to serve on the TISD Board of Trustees in April 2014. The appointment was to complete the term ending May 2015. She was elected to retain her position in 2015 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022.

After graduation from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in public relations and journalism, she moved to Nashville for a decade to work in the country music industry. She worked in radio promotion, concert promotion and production, and artist management. She moved to Temple in the year 2000 where she was a classroom teacher in TISD and then spent 13 years as the Director of Communications & Media Relations for the City of Temple. Shannon joined Ronald McDonald House Charities of Temple, Texas, in November 2020 as Executive Director. In this role, she works to forward the mission of the House by bringing those in the community together to support families throughout their child’s healthcare journey.

In addition to serving as a trustee, she also serves as Vice Chair of the Temple Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is a past president of the Temple Founder Lions Club (TFLC) and serves as the current President of the TFLC Parks & Charities Board. She also sits on the Bell County Sheriff’s Department Training Advisory Board.

She has two Children; Clayton 24, a graduate of Texas A & M University; and Tarin, 20, who is attending Temple College. She is engaged to be married to Bill Dean – a 28-year veteran of the Temple Fire Department.

Shannon Myers

District 7 | 2023-2026

Shannon Myers has lived in Temple since 2001 and has come to love this community where her husband, Jack, was raised. She has witnessed incredible growth and change in our town over the last 20 years and is honored to have a part in serving our school district.

Shannon holds a degree in Biology and Chemistry and has spent time as a lab researcher and teacher’s aide. Here in Temple, she has volunteered as a Wildcat Mentor and has served on numerous boards including PTO’s, Temple Education Foundation, Bell County Medical Alliance, and the Neighborhood Revitalization Board. She is a member of First Methodist Temple. Shannon and Jack have three children who have all greatly benefited from their education at TISD. Seeing the dedication of the staff, along with the amazing accomplishments of Temple students, cemented her faith in public education and compelled her to run for a Trustee position.

She has served District 7 since 2017 and is incredibly grateful to be a part of the wonderful things that happen every day in our schools thanks to our loving and talented staff. She is happy to be part of a place where students come first and they are supported, celebrated, and given the chance to thrive.