Missy Bender

Missy Bender joined Raise Your Hand Texas as the regional advocacy director for Collin and Denton counties in fall 2019. She was named Trustee in Residence in 2021. Missy previously served as a trustee on the Plano ISD Board of Trustees for 13 years, including three years as the board president. During her elected service she promoted future-focused strategic planning efforts, the transformation of instructional and learning strategies, and the addition of a full-day early childhood program in Plano ISD.

With an interest in statewide legislative advocacy over six legislative sessions, Missy led school finance advocacy efforts and convened educational, nonprofit, and business organizations to find common legislative ground. Missy currently serves on the Chairmans Council for Texas Health Resources Plano, Southern Methodist University’s Simmons School of Education New Teacher Preparation and Counselor Preparation Advisory Councils, and Junior League of Collin County’s Public Policy Task Force. She also serves as President-Elect for the board of directors for the Plano ISD Education Foundation and the Endowment Campaign Chair for the Plano ISD Robbie and Lynore Fine Arts Center.

Missy received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Texas Association of School Boards, was recognized as a Girl Boss by Plano Magazine, received the Distinguished Leadership Award by Leadership Plano, and was named Citizen of the Year by the Plano Chamber of Commerce.

Before her extensive investment in civic engagement and service on several nonprofit boards, Missy was a management consultant at IBM specializing in developing strategic planning and technology solutions with manufacturing clients and earned the Golden Circle designation.

Missy was the first in her family to graduate from college; her mother was the second. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing from Southern Methodist University and married her college sweetheart, Doug. Their daughter, Madison, graduated from Southern Methodist University and is pursuing her graduate degree.