Barbara Denson

Barbara Denson studied at Grove City College and earned her bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1980. Denson's career experience includes working as an engineer, business owner, business development director, and author.[1] She has also served as a precinct chair, election judge, senate district secretary, member of the Harris County Republican Party (HCRP) Local Government Committee, and executive director of the Girl Scouts in Egypt. Denson was a founding member of both Republicans Abroad and Girl Scouting in Bolivia.[2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Barbara is an accomplished engineer, entrepreneur, and environmental consultant with a diverse career spanning petroleum engineering, technical sales, and marketing. She began her career as a Petroleum Engineer with Amoco Production Company before transitioning into roles in technical sales and marketing, eventually working with oil and gas companies on their environmental challenges. With over a decade of experience as an entrepreneur, she successfully founded and grew two companies. Most recently, she held a corporate position at Weston Solutions, an environmental consulting firm. She is now retired.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Barbara has demonstrated a deep commitment to volunteerism, particularly through her long-standing involvement with the Girl Scouts of America. Recognized as "Volunteer of the Year" by Girl Scouts International in 1998, she played a leadership role in expanding scouting initiatives abroad. During the 1990s, she served as Chairwoman of Girl Scouting while living in Egypt and Bolivia, guiding programs that empowered young girls in both regions. She now resides in Houston with her husband, a retired executive in the oil and gas industry.

Barbara has been involved in local politics as a Precinct Chair (she recruited 22 block captains to work her precinct), Presiding Judge, and member of the Local Government Committee. She speaks at City Council and Commissioners Court meetings on a regular basis.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Texas continues to rank too low in educational outcomes. The Legislature has taken important steps - such as ending whole‑language instruction and returning to phonics - but improvement hasn’t followed. This is because although the law says teachers must teach this way, many were never trained in these fundamentals. We can't exactly send them back to school, however, what we can do is hire teacher‑coaches who can retrain them in phonics, cursive, and foundational numeracy. We must then follow up with ongoing support. Passing laws is only the beginning; implementation is where success happens.It's just common sense.All subjects in Texas get updated every eight years. However, science is evolving at the speed of light. Eight years is an eternity in a field where new discoveries and technologies are constantly emerging. It is simply not acceptable. If we want our students to be scientifically literate and competitive, we must update our materials far more frequently to reflect the world in which our students actually live. To prepare students for a world shaped by technology, engineering, and scientific advancement, we must update materials as frequently as possible.Business-friendly Texas has done a great job attracting advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology companies. Unfortunately, too many employers struggle to find a workforce trained for the jobs they bring. That is a failure of alignment - not ability. We need to communicate with industry and with colleges so students have clear pathways from high school to meaningful careers. Some schools are already doing this well; we need to do this statewide.

It is just common sense.

Texas is growing, innovating, and leading - and our students deserve an education system that keeps pace.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

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Curriculum Mandates: State-level decisions regarding what subjects and topics must be taught.

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Teacher Certification: Requirements for professional development and licensing.

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Teaching of Reading: Teachers need to understand the pedagogy of teaching phonics and the process of teaching literacy.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Mattress Mack

The Houston Regional Business Coalition (HRBC)

The C Club

The Republican Voters of Texas PAC

The Young Republicans of Texas

The Menudo Club

Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey

State Rep. Mano DeAyala

SBOE Member Will Hickman

Alice Linahan

Hon. Mark Lewandowski, President of Tomball ISD

Hon. ISD Trustees:

o

Bridget Wade (Houston)

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Courtney Anderson (Spring Branch)

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David Slattery (Spring Branch)

o

Lizzy Ivey (Montgomery)

Dorothy Woodall

Houston City Council Members:

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Mary Nan Huffman

o

Julian Ramirez

o

Fred Flickinger

o

Twila Carter

SREC Committeewoman Brenda Estis

Past Officeholders:

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SBOE Chair Chase Untermeyer

o

TFRW President Carolyn Hodges

o

Houston City Council Member Mike Knox

o

Hon. Dianne Johnson, HISD Trustee

Campaign websiteDenson's campaign website stated the following:Teach Facts, Not Political Agendas Barbara is stepping into public life for the first time with a mission centered on educational integrity and opportunity. Her platform emphasizes:High‑quality educational options for every studentA renewed focus on critical thinking and factual instructionPreparing students for the rapidly changing job landscapeStrengthening pathways into technical, vocational, and STEM careersTexas is attracting a surge of advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology companies—and students must be ready for the opportunities these industries bring. Barbara is committed to ensuring that classrooms equip young Texans with the skills, reasoning abilities, and academic foundation needed to thrive in this new economy.She also pledges to review and revise textbook content to remove ideological bias—including embedded DEI and CRT frameworks—that undermine academic neutrality. Because a strong, fact‑based education isn’t just a policy position; it’s the foundation of Texas’ future workforce.— Barbara Denson's campaign website (January 20, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.