CEN Rural Empowerment Conference - Collegiate Edu-Nation

Dr. Susan Holley received her EdD in Educational Administration from Baylor University in 1991. For 34 years, Dr. Holley served in public schools in the roles of teacher, counselor, principal, central office administrator, and superintendent. She received the Texas Council of Women School Executives State Leadership Award and served on the state board for both the Texas Rural Education Association and the Texas Association of Rural Schools. Dr. Holley was Associate Executive Director for School Transformation and Leadership Services at the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) for nine years before joining the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resources (EAHR) at Texas A&M University in 2017 as Clinical Associate Professor. Dr. Holley teaches courses in principalship, superintendency, and organizational change, and supervises the principal practicum experience.

At Texas A&M University, Dr. Holley is the director of the John R. Hoyle Memorial Administrative Leadership Institute (ALI) and serves on the Council for Educator Preparation Programs and the department’s Executive Committee.

Alton Frailey, a native of Nacogdoches, Texas, is a veteran professional educator of more than 35 years.

Frailey retired in 2016 after serving as superintendent of the nearly 74,000-student Katy Independent School District near Houston, Texas for nine years. He has served as superintendent of the DeSoto Independent School District near Dallas, Texas and as Superintendent of Schools for Cincinnati Public Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio. From March 2018 through March 2020 he served as Interim Superintendent for the Nacogdoches Independent School District.

Frailey has held numerous professional elected leadership positions including President of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), President of the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), President of the Urban Superintendents Association of America (USAA), President of the Texas Association of Suburban/Mid-Urban Schools (TAS-MUS), and Chairman of the University Interscholastic League Legislative Council.

Frailey has also served on various civic boards. In 1999, he was elected to the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Board of Trustees, which was selected as the 2002 Texas Honor Board. In 2015, Texas Governor Gregg Abbott appointed Frailey to the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents for a six-year term. He currently serves as Chair of the board. He works with the Flip Flippen Group as one of three members of the LeadWorthy Board and is Chair of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts Foundation Board. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Battelle for Kids. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors for the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, Katy Area Economic Development Council, Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, West Houston Association, and The Bible Seminary.

He is currently President of Alton L. Frailey & Associates, LLC, specializing in leadership development, community engagement, school board team building, and executive coaching.

He and his wife, Anissa, have been married thirty years and live in Fulshear, Texas.

Dr. Susan Holley received her EdD in Educational Administration from Baylor University in 1991. For 34 years, Dr. Holley served in public schools in the roles of teacher, counselor, principal, central office administrator, and superintendent. She received the Texas Council of Women School Executives State Leadership Award and served on the state board for both the Texas Rural Education Association and the Texas Association of Rural Schools. Dr. Holley was Associate Executive Director for School Transformation and Leadership Services at the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) for nine years before joining the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resources (EAHR) at Texas A&M University in 2017 as Clinical Associate Professor. Dr. Holley teaches courses in principalship, superintendency, and organizational change, and supervises the principal practicum experience.

At Texas A&M University, Dr. Holley is the director of the John R. Hoyle Memorial Administrative Leadership Institute (ALI) and serves on the Council for Educator Preparation Programs and the department’s Executive Committee.

June 3-5, 2026

Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center

Real conversations. Bold ideas. Real impact.

This is the convening for anyone committed to shaping the future of rural Texas—you don’t want to miss it.

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