Our Mission
The Abilene Education Foundation is a non-profit community organization created to enhance and inspire excellence in education for the students and teachers of the Abilene Independent School District.
Board of Directors
(Click on a board member’s name to see his or her bio.)
President
Jessica Melson – Community Volunteer
Vice President
Callie Harris – Community Volunteer
Secretary
Jennifer Eller
Treasurer
Mike Newton – Retired AISD Principal
Immediate Past President
Ryan Gibson – Condley & Company, LLC.
Members
Emerald Cassidy – Director of Public Relations ACU
Patrick Clancy – Civilian Employee at Dyess
Dee Dalton
Leah Hymel
Amy McAdams – Community Volunteer
Mike McAuliffe – Retired AISD SRO
Amanda Pittman – Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy, ACU
Sandi Rainwater
Keathley Roan
Jose Valenzuela – Unique Solutions
2022-2023 AEF Advisory Board
(Click on an advisory board member to see his or her bio.)
Carolyn Beckham – Community Volunteer
Mike Breckenridge – Budget Blinds
Terry Bull – Retired Principal/Teacher
Kevin Campbell – Abilene Christian University Chief Enrollment Officer
Jason Darby – Nationwide Products
Mike Dunnahoo – Star Dodge Hyundai
Laura Dyer – Community Volunteer
Jennifer Harper – Community Volunteer
Kay Hartgraves – Baird Advisors
Melody Hunt – Hunt Direct Marketing, Inc.
Tiffany Lamb (Past President) – Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy, ACU
Phil Morehead – Attorney/CPA
Susan Mouser – Community Volunteer
Buddy Napier – HGN Operating/Napier Engineering
Roland Orr – Retired Corporate Executive/CPA
Kaye Price-Hawkins – Priceless Literacy
Nita Slaton – Community Volunteer
Amy Smith – Community Volunteer
Mike Thomesen – McMurry University Department of Education Professor
Lori Van Houten
Liz Wagstaff – Community Volunteer
Angie Wiley – AISD Board Trustee
Daryl Zeller – Johnson and Johnson/AISD Board Trustee
Emeritus Board Member
Dr. David Polnick – Retired Superintendent of SchoolsCallie
Staff
AEF Executive Director
Adam Samuels
325-677-1444
adam.samuels@abileneisd.org
Contact the executive director to discuss donations, memorials, planned giving, speaking opportunities, fundraising, and operations.
Paige Sproles
Office Manager
325-677-1444 x2616
paige.sproles@abileneisd.org
AEF College Advisors
Amanda Wiskow
COOL Program Coordinator325-6444 x1736
amanda.wiskow@abileneisd.org
Gerald Wilkerson
College Advisor
Cooper High School
gerald.wilkerson@abileneisd.org
Kate Ashby
College Advisor
ATEMS/Woodson Center for Excellence
kate.ashby@abileneisd.org
Tamika Braye
Abilene High School
College Advisor
Room 1316325-677-1731 x4944
tamika.braye@abileneisd.org
Contact a COOL College Advisor for one-on-one college advising and mentoring including college selection, admissions, SAT/ACT registration, financial aid and scholarships. For classroom or community educational programs, please contact LaQuiera Gantt.
Our Goals
The goals of the Abilene Education Foundation are to provide for the Abilene Independent School District by:
- encouraging academic excellence through generation and distribution of funds unavailable through local, state, and federal tax revenue.
- supporting innovative and creative programs that provide enriched educational experiences.
- mobilizing community support and encouraging involvement.
- building public awareness and promoting the School District’s strengths.
- recognizing student accomplishments and exemplary teaching.
2019-2020 Annual Report
Browse through our latest annual report to understand what we have accomplished this year for the students and teachers of Abilene Independent School District
History
In recent decades communities throughout the nation, both large and small, have established education foundations to help their local public schools. Over 250 such organizations now exist in the state of Texas. While they vary in size and approach, all seek to improve the quality of public education at the local level. Education foundations provide a conduit for charitable contributions from individuals, area businesses, and foundations. They offer citizens and the corporate community an opportunity to become more closely involved in their schools in a variety of creative ways.
As a result of the extraordinary efforts of six dedicated founders, the Abilene Education Foundation was created in the year 2000. It has blossomed from a grass-roots beginning to an endowed, 501 (c) (3) organization that supports the Abilene Independent School District’s students, teachers, staff, and parents.
In 2006 AEF hired its first Executive Director, Jean McMillon. Mrs. McMillon retired in 2015 and Christine Curtis-Carr assumed the role of Executive Director. The organization now employs an Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, Office Intern, and four College Advisors.