Skip to main content

Hudson Independent School District

Home of the Hornets

School Board

HUDSON ISD SCHOOL BOARD

  • Katie Baker has been a member of the board since 2018. She is a 2001 graduate of Lufkin High School and holds degrees in Accounting and Finance from Texas A&M University, as well as being a Certified Public Accountant. Her role as a mom and love for children, led her away from accounting and into children's ministry during this season of life, and she is currently serving as Minister to Preschool and Children at First Baptist Church Lufkin. Katie and her husband have three school aged daughters that attend Hudson ISD, so she is also actively involved as a parent in our district.

  • Mr. Penn has served on the Hudson ISD Board of Trustees since 2018. He is a Hudson native and a 1989 graduate of Hudson High School. Shawn earned Bachelor of Science degrees from Texas A&M in Agricultural Economics and Veterinary Science in 1993 and 1997 respectively. He also earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. Prior to vet school, Shawn served as an intern for Congressman Charlie Wilson.
    After leaving Texas A&M, he worked a short time in Missouri and Illinois before he moved his family back to Lufkin to work at Southwood Drive Animal Clinic. He is now the owner of Southwood Drive Animal Clinic in Lufkin. He and his wife Stephanie have two sons who attended Hudson from kindergarten until graduation. He and his family work and worship with the Timberland Drive church of Christ.

  • Mr. Pitts was born and raised in Hudson. Mr. Pitts and his wife Ashley have been married for 18 years and have two daughters and one son that currently attend Hudson ISD. Mr. Pitts has been in law enforcement for over 18 years and is currently employed as a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper stationed in Angelina County. Mr. Pitts and his family attend Shawnee Prairie Missionary Baptist Church where he serves as a Deacon.

  • Aimee Slusher has served on the HISD Board of Trustees since 2020. Mrs. Slusher is an attorney and founding member of the law firm of Skelton Slusher Barnhill Watkins Wells PLLC.

    She practices in the areas of estate planning, probate, real estate and business law and is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

    Mrs. Slusher graduated from Lufkin High School in 1988 and continued her education at the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and in 1994 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. She practiced at a law firm in Round Rock, Texas for several years before moving back home to Lufkin in 2001 and joining the Zeleskey Law Firm.

    Mrs. Slusher is married to Scott, also a Lufkin native, and they have two amazing daughters, Lauren and Hannah, who both attended Hudson schools beginning in kindergarten until their graduation from Hudson High School.

  • Chris Smith has been a member of the Hudson Independent School District School Board since 2022. He is a 1995 graduate of Lufkin High School and received an Associates Degree in Respiratory Therapy from Angelina College in 1997 where he worked at various hospitals in East Texas. In 2004, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Stephen F. Austin State University and has since held numerous jobs in Technology and worked with large companies across the US in various roles. He is currently a business owner who resides in Hudson with his kids attending Hudson ISD. Mr. Smith and his wife, Chrissy, have two sons and one daughter, Shepard, Noah and Selah. The Smith Family loves to travel, being with friends, and serving the community through their Church.

  • Mr. Matt Taylor has over 25 years of experience in wildlife and land management. He holds a B.S., Forest Wildlife Management, from Stephen F. Austin University. He is a member of The Wildlife Society, Texas Forestry Association, National Wild Turkey Federation and Texas Wildlife Association. In addition, he is a TX Wetland Delineator, Certified Texas Big Game Scorer, a Texas Forestry Association Accredited Forester and board member, and a Certified Wildlife Biologist.

    He is a 1996 graduate of Lufkin High School. He began his career working for Temple Inland at Boggy Slough Wildlife Management Area in 1996 while he attended SFA. Upon graduation, he moved to The Woodlands, Texas and worked for the Parks and Recreation Department as their Natural Resources Supervisor and Urban Forester from 2002-2004. In 2004, he was promoted to Parks Superintendent and held that position from 2004-2008. In late 2008, Matt accepted a Wildlife Biologist position with American Forest Management in Lufkin. He was in that role until early 2022 when he was promoted to Texas Region Manager for American Forest Management covering Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

    Matt and his wife Kristian have two daughters, Peyton and Ella Taylor and have lived in Hudson since 2009. Mr. Taylor and his family are members of St. Cyprians Episcopal Church in Lufkin. Outside of family and work, his personal hobbies include hunting, particularly spring turkey, fishing, and camping.

  • Reagan McClenny was born in Lufkin and raised primarily in Afton, Texas (a small community near Lubbock) where his parents were both educators in the local school system. Reagan has lived in Hudson and preached at the Timberland Drive church of Christ for the last 13 years. He earned his B.A. in Biblical Studies from Florida College, followed by an M.Ed in Educational Leadership from UTTyler. Though ministry has been his calling and "first love," Reagan also has experience in the public school classroom where he has taught High School Public Speaking and Jr. High History. This love for education (and educators) is what motivated him to serve on the Hudson ISD school board. Reagan and his wife Stephanie have two daughters who have been Hudson ISD students since kindergarten.

Schedule of Board Meetings

August   , 2025

September  

The school board is dedicated to fostering an environment where every student can achieve academic excellence and personal growth in a safe and supportive setting.

As elected representatives of the community, the board members are committed to making informed decisions that shape the future of our schools. School board responsibilities include:

  • Policy Development: Crafting and implementing policies that promote high educational standards and equity.
  • Budget Oversight: Ensuring that financial resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to support student learning and well-being.
  • Superintendent Supervision: Collaborating with and providing oversight for the Superintendent to ensure the district's strategic goals are met.
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Evaluating and approving curricula that meet the diverse needs of our students and prepare them for future success.
  • Facilities Management: Overseeing the maintenance and improvement of school facilities to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
  • Community Engagement: Encouraging active participation from parents, students, teachers, and community members to foster a collaborative educational community.