by Martha Salazar-Zamora
This article originally appeared in the summer 2024 issue of TASA INSIGHT. Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora is serving as TASA president for the 2024-25 year. Tomball ISD welcomed Salazar-Zamora as superintendent in 2017. In 2023, she was named Texas Superintendent of the Year and an AASA Superintendent of the Year finalist. She has also served on the AASA Executive Committee. In 2024, she was named the Houston Area Educator of the Year, a Top 40 Women of Distinction in Houston and was recently listed by District Administration nationally as one of the 100 Most Influential Educators.
Serving in a leadership capacity and advocating for all public schoolchildren in the state of Texas as your 2024-25 TASA president is an absolute honor. I thank you for entrusting me as your president of this prestigious organization, and I look forward to growing together as leaders.
It was 20 years ago when I initially became involved with TASA as a young superintendent. As my educational leadership journey continued, I was grateful to be appointed to the Executive Committee. From there, I developed a lifelong friendship with outgoing President Dr. LaTonya Goffney. Over the years, we encouraged and challenged one another to run for leadership positions that would rewrite history.
As we embark on TASA’s centennial year in 2025, I am immensely proud to serve not only as the 85th president but as the first Hispanic female president of TASA. Although I may be the first, I vow to not be the last.
I extend my gratitude to Dr. Kevin Brown and the entire staff at TASA for all they do to support the leaders in Texas public education. I am equally grateful for the leaders who inspire a belief in the organization and exhibit a relentless commitment to learning, leading and growing. We continue to show our love for the students we serve.
I am a lifelong learner. I believe that my leadership journey and my love for public education stem from my childhood experiences. Growing up in a rural community in South Texas since birth, I suffered from a severe, profound hearing loss. I was enrolled in both special education and gifted and talented programs as a young learner, and it wasn’t until the age of 17 that my hearing loss greatly improved after receiving a necessary ossicular chain implant. Despite my challenges, I was surrounded by adults who cared deeply about my success and who encouraged me with their whole hearts. In fact, my mother taught me to live by a mantra that I share often: Never, ever let any disability become an inability.
Because I was deeply impacted by my childhood experiences, I began my journey as a speech-language pathologist. As soon as I began working with the students in Alice ISD, I knew education was where I belonged. I went on to serve other Texas school districts in leadership roles from director of special education to assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. I never realized at the time that each of these diverse roles would lead me to superintendency.
I eventually found my way home and became the first female superintendent of Kingsville ISD. I spent a few years there before I followed leadership opportunities to larger districts in the Houston and Austin areas. In 2014, I became the chief academic officer in Tomball ISD. Fast-forward three years later to 2017, when I was proud to make history once again as the first woman to be named superintendent of schools and first the Hispanic person to lead Tomball ISD. Tomball is a fast-growing and high-performing district that focuses on student achievement through innovative practices.
Seven years later, I am proud to lead our Destination District with more than 23,000 students and 83 languages spoken and proud to work and live in a community that truly understands the importance of public education. As your 2023 Texas Superintendent of the Year and AASA Superintendent of the Year finalist, I believe in the power of education. I believe in all children. I believe that any child can beat the odds as long as they are afforded the opportunity and supported along the way. That is our job as educators.
Sharing my experiences with you is critical in knowing why I stand before you today. As a daughter, as a wife of 35 years to my husband Emilio, as a mother of two beautiful girls, Milan and Matisse, as a grandmother to my sweet granddaughters, Arya Rose (4) and Aurelia Rose (1), and as a Hispanic leader in education, I am so grateful to have spent the last 38 years of my life serving in a capacity that fulfills me.
As I begin this new chapter in my leadership journey as your TASA president, I am committed to continuing our work as advocates for public education. I look forward to collaborating with our members and finding innovative ways to drive productive change and celebrate success together as we reinforce commitment to this organization’s mission of promoting, providing and developing leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students. We envision innovative, future-focused leaders for every public school student.
As we begin this new year, my one ask of you all is to find what fulfills you. Reflect on that and know that together, we can continue making a positive difference in the lives of children. Your job matters. You matter. I challenge you to engage in meaningful dialogue with your peers, don’t be afraid to celebrate the greatness happening in your districts, encourage those around you to have a voice, and lastly, believe that leadership is not just a title, but a belief that public education is a remarkable gift that we are able to collectively share each and every day.
Your voice matters more today than ever before. We know that Texas public education remains challenging without the necessary support and adequate funding. Despite that, I firmly believe that collectively we can and will make a difference.
I look forward to a great year as your TASA president. Here’s to 100 years in 2025!
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