McKinney, Texas — The McKinney ISD Board of Trustees officially welcomed newly appointed trustee Jennifer Gray to the board on Monday, Sept. 14, and bid a heartfelt farewell to long-time trustee Stephanie O'Dell, who announced her resignation from the board in August.
The September board meeting began with the administration of the oath of office, and then Gray took her seat at Place 6. The board approved Gray’s appointment during a special meeting on Aug. 17, and she will serve through the remainder of O'Dell's term.
McKinney ISD Trustee Corey Homer (left) and newly sworn in Trustee Jennifer Gray
“Jennifer has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to McKinney ISD and to public education through years of service to our schools and community,” said Board President Amy Dankel about Gray's appointment in August. “Her experience as an MISD parent, volunteer, committee member and employee gives her a valuable perspective on the work of the district. We appreciate her willingness to serve McKinney ISD in this important role.”
Gray and Brian, her husband of 32 years, have called McKinney home since 1995. Gray brings decades of involvement with McKinney ISD. The parent of two MISD graduates, she has served in leadership and volunteer roles across the district, including as a Walker Elementary PTA board member and president; a McGowen Elementary PTA board member; a McKinney Boyd High School PTO board member; and a McKinney Boyd Orchestra Booster Club board member and president. In 2015, she was named a Volunteer of the Year by both McKinney Boyd High School and the McKinney Boyd High School Orchestra Booster Club.
Her district service also includes membership on the McKinney ISD District Site-Based Decision Making Committee and campus site-based decision-making committees at McKinney Boyd High School, McGowen Elementary, and Malvern Elementary. Gray has also participated in several district bond and facilities initiatives, serving on the 2015 MISD Bond Committee and as a PAC co-chair, the 2021 MISD Bond Committee and PAC, the 2025 MISD Facility Alignment Committee, and the 2025 MISD Bond Committee.
Gray’s connection to McKinney ISD extends to her professional experience. She served the district as a substitute teacher from 2020–2021, a library aide at McGowen Elementary from 2021–2024, and campus secretary at Malvern Elementary from 2024 until her retirement in June 2026 to become the daytime caregiver for her first grandchild.
Beyond MISD, Gray has been active in the broader McKinney and Collin County community. Her service includes membership in McKinney Community Action Network and service on the board of Public Schools First McKinney. She was a founding co-lead chapter leader for the North Dallas Chapter of the Travis Manion Foundation from 2023–2025, participated in the Raise Your Hand Texas Community Leader Fellowship, and currently volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), supporting foster children in Collin County.
Gray earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from East Texas State University, now East Texas A&M University. Before joining McKinney ISD, she worked as a paralegal from 1994–2020, spending nearly 20 years working in McKinney and specializing primarily in family law.
Public education has also been a longstanding part of Gray’s family. Her parents served as public school teachers and administrators for a combined 74 years, and her grandfather served as a school board trustee in Dalby Springs, Texas. One of Gray’s two children is now a special education teacher at McKinney Boyd High School. Her other child is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran pursuing a biology degree with plans to attend medical school.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the students, staff, families and community of McKinney ISD as a member of the Board of Trustees,” Gray said.