President
Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez, APR, CPC
Hello TSPRANs,
Welcome to the 2025 Texas School Public Relations Association’s Annual Conference in the beautiful city of San Antonio!
It is exciting to see such a brilliant group of professionals come together, ready to learn from one another to create an even greater impact within our public schools and the communities we serve.
This week’s goal is for you to re-energize, celebrate and grow. Viva (long-live) TSPRA is all about celebrating YOU and the MAGIC YOU create every day!
Like a Talavera tile, each of us brings a different technique to the work we produce. We accomplish complex strategies that require specialized knowledge and skills that when fused together at high extreme temperatures — talk about convocation, back to school, daily crises and not to mention end of year events — create beautiful unique pieces of art.
Our field has seen it all. It sometimes feels like every year it gets more and more challenging to do our job, but then you see the reason you get up and drive to work every day. You see our “why”, our future reflected within each student that walks through the hallways of every Texas school.
I know it is a hard job. I know work-life balance is always in question. I know it is hard to prioritize yourself when the phone doesn’t stop ringing, when emails, texts, Teams and DMs keep on pinging, but you are here now. You are among the group of friends who actually get you and experience everything you do. Who just like you needs to find the center again, re-energize, and connect.
The next couple of days you have an easier task to do….make connections, meet the best friends you didn’t even know you had, and find your “why” again.
Enjoy the conference!
#VivaTSPRA
First General Session
Jon Tai
Jon Tai is a celebrated magician and storyteller, whose mission is to foster connections between people through shared moments of astonishment. He performs magic across the country and around the world, in person and virtually, and has called the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Liberty Magic Theater his home base since its grand opening in early 2019.
He is best known for having co-created and starred in “Missed Connections” Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theaters in New York City, following its premiere at Chicago’s MacArthur Award-winning A Red Orchid Theatre. A graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Psychology, he lives in the Troy Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh where he can often be found drinking coffee at Scratch & Co., his favorite neighborhood cafe.
Second General Session
Dr. Walter Jackson
Each year, the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) honors an outstanding leader in public school communications with its prestigious Key Communicator Award. This year’s recipient, Dr. Walter Jackson, Superintendent of La Porte ISD, is recognized for his unwavering dedication to equitable education, student success, and professional development for educators. The award is sponsored by our partners at CESO, The Center for Effective School Operations.
A visionary leader, Dr. Jackson has influenced public education statewide through his service on the UIL Legislative Council, TASA Executive Committee, and AASA Governing Board. His advocacy for educational equity and effective communication has shaped policies that enhance student opportunities. Under his leadership, La Porte ISD launched Project Launch, a pioneering STEM initiative with the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and successfully passed a $235 million bond, securing critical resources for future generations.
Described as a “cultural strategist” and “equity warrior,” Dr. Jackson’s passion for public education extends to mentoring aspiring superintendents and fostering strong community engagement. TSPRA is proud to celebrate his achievements at the 2025 Annual Conference’s 2nd General Session.
