Phone: 361-694-9202
Welcome to our Board Members page, where you’ll find detailed biographies of the dedicated individuals who guide our district with their expertise, passion, and vision. Our board members play a pivotal role in shaping the educational experience for our students, making strategic decisions that drive excellence and innovation. Here, you can learn about their professional backgrounds, personal accomplishments, and the unique perspectives they bring to our community. Dive in to get to know the leaders committed to fostering an environment of growth and success for every student.
Place 4
Term Expires: November 2026
Shirley Thornton was elected to serve on the Board in May 2011 and re-elected in November 2014, 2018, and 2022. She is a retired teacher who taught English for twenty-eight years at Flour Bluff Junior High then served as a K-12 new-teacher mentor for two years in Flour Bluff ISD. She has called Flour Bluff her home since 1969 and has been happily married to Robert Thornton, a retired masonry contractor, since 1976. They, their three children, and two of their five grandchildren are all proud graduates of Flour Bluff High School. They look forward to seeing their other grandchildren become FBISD graduates, as well. Mrs. Thornton enjoys spending time with her family and friends and serving her church, school, and community. She loves collecting and sharing the stories of the people of Flour Bluff both past and present in order to preserve the community’s rich heritage.
Place 1
Term Expires: November 2028
Mr. Hooper was appointed to the Board in September 2018. He is a deep rooted Flour Bluff Hornet, Class of 1986. Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University at College Station and a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi. He has worked in a variety of industries as an engineer, manager and director, and he is now self-employed as a consultant primarily focused in property tax consulting and appraising. Jerry and his wife, Jeanie, have one daughter who is also a graduate of Flour Bluff.
Place 6
Term Expires: November 2028
Jennifer Welp was elected to the board in November 2016. She is a 1992 graduate of Flour Bluff and has a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Southwest Texas State University and a MBA from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Jennifer and her husband Rick were high school sweethearts and have two sons and a daughter all who attend FBISD. Jennifer is President of a local earth moving business with a fleet of dump trucks. Jennifer is very active in the Flour Bluff community and serves on many community and civic boards. Jennifer Welp was elected to the board in November 2016.
Place 3
Term Expires: November 2028
David Gerlach was elected to the Board in November 2022. He is a graduate of Flour Bluff and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. David and his wife Nicole, also a Flour Bluff Graduate, have third generation Hornets attending school in the district. David is a small business owner and general contractor who served in the United States Army from 1999 to 2007. David enjoys spending time outdoors and watching his children play multiple sports for Flour Bluff. He is member of several Flour Bluff and Padre Island organizations.
Place 7
Term Expires: November 2028
Dr. Steven McClure was elected to the school board in November 2024. He graduated from Flour Bluff in 1998. After high school he attended Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and graduated with a B.S. in Biology. Dr. McClure then went on to pharmacy school at the University of Houston, graduating in 2007. After pharmacy school, Dr. McClure completed a two-year residency at the University of Kansas Medical and graduated with a Master of Science in Pharmacy Administration in 2009. Dr. McClure works in the pharmaceutical industry as a Medical Science Liaison. Dr. McClure and his wife Ashley moved back to Flour Bluff in 2019 and have three sons Grayson, Gabriel, and Gavin.
Place 2
Term Expires: November 2026
Dr. Jim Needham was elected to serve on the Board in May 20, 2011 and re-elected in November 2014 and 2018. He is a retired Dean of Community Outreach from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Construction and a Ph.D. in Architecture from Texas A&M University. He has two sons and a daughter who graduated from Flour Bluff. He and his wife, Dr. Alicia Needham, reside on Padre Island.
Place 5
Term Expires: November 2026
Jeanie Paluseo was elected to the school board in November 2022. She is a long-time Padre Island and Flour Bluff resident/business owner, and a proud Flour Bluff Hornet Class of 1986. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Texas A&M University at College Station, she joined the U.S. Navy to serve and pursue a profession in aviation. She flew the P-3 Orion out of Barber’s Point, Hawaii, and the T-34 Mentor where she served as a flight instructor for ten years in her hometown of Corpus Christi. In 2001, Jeanie began a career as a federal law enforcement officer and P-3 pilot with the Department of Homeland Security. She retired from Customs and Border Protection in 2022 to spend more time with her family. She and her husband, Jeff, have three Hustlin’ Hornets attending Flour Bluff.