Our Mission
The Abilene Education Foundation is a non-profit community organization created to enhance and inspire excellence in education for the students and teachers of the Abilene Independent School District.
2024-2025
Board of Directors
President
Dayton Borger
Vice President
Keathley Roan
Secretary
Debbie Langford
Treasurer
Jennifer Eller
Immediate Past President
Callie Harris
Members
Sean Aleman
Emerald Cassidy
Patrick Clancy
Ann Hall
Leah Hymel
Jennifer Martinez
Amy McAdams
Michael Newton
Amanda Pittman
Sandi Rainwater
Jose Valenzuela
Marcus Wiley
Peter Zeller
2024-2025
AEF Advisory Board
Carolyn Beckham
Kevin Campbell
Jason Darby
Mike Dudley
Mike Dunnahoo
Laura Dyer
Ryan Gipson
Ashley Hall
Kay Hartgraves
Melody Hunt
Tiffany Lamb
Mike McAuliffe
Jessica Melson
Phil Morehead
Susan Mouser
Buddy Napier
Roland Orr
Kaye Price-Hawkins
Reggie Quince
Nita Slaton
Mike Thomesen
Angie Wiley
Daryl Zeller
Emeritus Board Member
Dr. David Polnick – Retired Superintendent of Schools
Staff
AEF Executive Director
Adam Samuels
325-677-1444
adam.samuels@abileneisd.org
Contact the executive director to discuss donations, memorials, planned giving, speaking opportunities, fundraising, and operations.
Paige Sproles
Office and Events Manager
325-677-1444 x2616
paige.sproles@abileneisd.org
AEF College Advisors
Amanda Wiskow
COOL Program Coordinator325-6444 x1736
amanda.wiskow@abileneisd.org
Gerald Wilkerson
College Advisor
Cooper High School
gerald.wilkerson@abileneisd.org
Victoria Ovando
College Advisor
ATEMS/Woodson Center for Excellence
victori.ovando@abileneisd.org
Tamika Braye
Abilene High School
College Advisor
Room 1316325-677-1731 x4944
tamika.braye@abileneisd.org
Contact a COOL College Advisor for one-on-one college advising and mentoring including college selection, admissions, SAT/ACT registration, financial aid and scholarships. For classroom or community educational programs, please contact LaQuiera Gantt.
Our Goals
The goals of the Abilene Education Foundation are to provide for the Abilene Independent School District by:
- encouraging academic excellence through generation and distribution of funds unavailable through local, state, and federal tax revenue.
- supporting innovative and creative programs that provide enriched educational experiences.
- mobilizing community support and encouraging involvement.
- building public awareness and promoting the School District’s strengths.
- recognizing student accomplishments and exemplary teaching.
2019-2020 Annual Report
Browse through our latest annual report to understand what we have accomplished this year for the students and teachers of Abilene Independent School District
History
In recent decades communities throughout the nation, both large and small, have established education foundations to help their local public schools. Over 250 such organizations now exist in the state of Texas. While they vary in size and approach, all seek to improve the quality of public education at the local level. Education foundations provide a conduit for charitable contributions from individuals, area businesses, and foundations. They offer citizens and the corporate community an opportunity to become more closely involved in their schools in a variety of creative ways.
As a result of the extraordinary efforts of six dedicated founders, the Abilene Education Foundation was created in the year 2000. It has blossomed from a grass-roots beginning to an endowed, 501 (c) (3) organization that supports the Abilene Independent School District’s students, teachers, staff, and parents.
In 2006 AEF hired its first Executive Director, Jean McMillon. Mrs. McMillon retired in 2015 and Christine Curtis-Carr assumed the role of Executive Director. The organization now employs an Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, Office Intern, and four College Advisors.