ERS Team

Director of Texas Strategic School System Support

Email Sharla

As Director of Texas Strategic School System Support, Sharla serves as project director for the Texas Strategic Resource Use Network. Her work includes planning statewide network convenings and supporting team members on their deliverables. She also works to build and deepen relationships with mission-aligned organizations and new district partners across the state of Texas.  

Sharla is a product of and deeply committed to PK-16 public education in Texas. She graduated from Texas public schools and worked in Texas schools for nearly 20 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Sharla earned a Bachelor of Social Work from University of North Texas, a Master of Education from Lamar University, and a Doctor of Education from Texas A&M University (Gig ‘em!).  

Prior to joining ERS, Sharla served as Senior Director at The Commit Partnership, a Dallas-County education non-profit working through education to ensure living wage attainment for Dallas County residents. Her major areas of work at Commit included high-impact tutoring policy, policy and practice recommendations for closing the achievement gap in Texas, and high-quality math pathways legislation and implementation. Most recently, she launched a new workstream focused on improving middle grades outcomes and increasing access to quality seats for middle school students across Dallas County’s 15 school districts.  

When she’s not working, Sharla enjoys concerts and sports - especially women’s basketball and college football! She also loves to try new restaurants, travel to new places, and visit museums. Sharla has three adult children: Madi (currently playing professional basketball in Turkey), Evan (currently living and working in Texas), and Macy (currently a freshman at Hampton University in Virginia).