About NSPRA
The Superintendents to Watch award recognizes school district leaders who have fewer than five years of experience as a superintendent and who demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core.
Dr. Toni Lopez has led Pasadena Independent School District with a systems-based approach to leadership that connects communication, data, and community engagement to student success. Since becoming superintendent, she has emphasized visibility, transparency and two-way communication as the foundation for both academic improvement and public trust.
“Dr. Lopez exemplifies the modern communicator: transparent, visible, and deeply connected to her community.” — Kenny Fernandez, President, Pasadena ISD Board of Trustees
"Dr. Lopez’s excellence as a leader is measured not only in data but in impact. She leads with clarity, empathy, and purpose—cultivating systems that foster excellence at every level. Whether through academic innovation, communication transparency, or community partnership, Dr. Lopez has proven that visionary leadership isn’t about managing results—it’s about redesigning the system to make success inevitable." — Arturo Del Barrio, Director of Communication, Pasadena ISD
Using Communication to Drive Academic Results
Lopez’s communication leadership is closely tied to the district’s dramatic improvement in College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR), which increased from 54 percent in 2019 to 92 percent in 2024 under her systems-based approach to data transparency and shared accountability. Under her direction as Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, she led the development of a districtwide CCMR communication framework that connects classrooms, counselors, campuses and families through shared data and consistent messaging, creating a unified language of progress. Today as superintendent, she continues to refine and expand that same communication framework to drive ongoing academic and postsecondary gains.
Key elements of the system include:
A Superintendent Who Leads in the Open
Visibility and accessibility are hallmarks of her leadership. Dr. Lopez maintains a robust public calendar—attending district events, parent nights, student performances and civic meetings. She connects personally with stakeholders through Administrative Council discussions, District Education Council (DEC) collaborations, and community presentations that keep staff informed and inspired.
“From her first days in the position, Dr. Lopez reached out to local media, inviting genuine dialogue and transparency. She welcomes interviews, answers questions directly, and ensures the public hears not only about district successes but also about challenges and solutions. Her willingness to engage with the press reflects a strong belief that informed communities make stronger schools.” — David Flickinger, Editor-in-Chief, South Belt-Ellington Leader
Communication Embedded in District Strategy
Dr. Lopez’s leadership also shines through her ability to build and empower a strong communication team. She understands that excellence must be seen, heard and felt. Under her guidance, Pasadena ISD’s communication strategy has evolved into a model of engagement—leveraging social media, multimedia storytelling and community outreach that consistently outperforms the engagement rates of fully paid influencers. Her commitment to openness extends beyond posts and press releases; she appears regularly on live talk shows, invites local news media onto campuses, and welcomes interviews that reflect a culture of transparency and trust.
Lopez has placed communication at the center of Pasadena ISD’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, which is organized around three priorities: Excellence, Opportunity and Experience. Communication is built into each priority through family partnerships, community outreach, and structures that ensure student and community voices shape district decisions.
This includes:
A Trusted, Community-Focused Communicator
Her leadership extends far beyond district boundaries. Dr. Lopez continues to strengthen community partnerships through active collaboration with the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and San Jacinto College; bridges that expand opportunities for students and strengthen the local workforce pipeline. These partnerships reflect her belief that education doesn’t stop at the schoolhouse door— it’s a shared investment in the community’s future.
Lopez’s leadership has strengthened Pasadena ISD’s public profile and community confidence, particularly in one of the nation’s largest media markets. Her open, approachable style has made her a trusted voice for students, families and the broader public.
“Dr. Lopez has brought a new level of openness and accessibility to the office of superintendent.” — David Flickinger, South Belt-Ellington Leader
“Her leadership has unified our staff, inspired families, and positioned Pasadena ISD as a model for transparent, relationship-driven governance.” — Kenny Fernandez, President, Pasadena ISD Board of Trustees
Under Dr. Lopez’s leadership, Pasadena ISD has earned a second consecutive CTE Distinction, been named one of the nation’s “Best Communities for Music Education” for the 19th consecutive year, received 39 Counselors Reinforcing Excellence in The State of Texas (CREST) awards across the district and raised more than $500,000 in teacher mini-grants through the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation.
Through every message and moment, Dr. Toni Lopez demonstrates that communication is more than information; it is connection, trust and leadership in action.
B.A. - Mississippi State University; MPA - University of Georgia
I believe school PR/communications is what I was born to do! One of the biggest decisions a parent can make is where to send their child to school, and it’s an honor to share with our parents the engaging work that their children are doing under the guidance of world-class teachers and leaders. On any given day, in any given school, there are many stories to be told and I take that charge seriously. As school communicators played a key role in COVID-19 communications, storytelling was more important than ever – not only did I share information with parents about our protocols, but I also made over 80 visits to schools last year and told a variety of stories about how students were thriving with both in-person and distance learning options. I also worked with principals to determine best mitigation practices and helped make those pervasive, because positive action must be the foundation of what we are ultimately communicating. School public relations is incredibly complex and I love that each day brings a new challenge.
My greatest school PR success was completing 11 nationally-innovative school communication audits using a process of research, planning, implementation, and evaluation. I am now in phase two of this project and am attending school council meetings to garner feedback from parents about school-level communication and how I can better support the work of their schools. One of the most significant findings is that as students take more ownership of their learning, they also take more ownership in parent communication. Therefore, next steps are to better prepare parents for this transition and to also determine best practices from exemplar teachers and coaches at the secondary level so we can strike the right balance with parents feeling informed and fostering student independence.
My greatest school PR challenge is overcoming rigidity. Like many PR professionals, I am detail-oriented and a self-described perfectionist. It’s a blessing and a curse to see when something is one pixel off, but the greatest challenge I have faced in my 13 years in this field is to learn to be more flexible. I might have an aversion to Comic Sans or Curlz, but it’s not the end of the world if those are a font favorite elsewhere. What’s more important is the bigger picture – staff and parents feeling well-informed and students growing and learning in positive school cultures. Instead of telling someone their website isn’t formatted properly, I now make a 2-3 minute screencast if I think there’s a quick tutorial I can offer to provide ongoing professional learning. By being much more flexible, I have deepened relationships and become better at supporting the most important job that occurs in our school system: teaching.
My favorite part of my job is the relationships. I often say that there is no substitute for showing up, and that’s why I make so many school visits each year. From getting to hold a gorgeous monarch butterfly to watching a vibrant student musical to seeing 3-D printing in action from engineering students, I have witnessed countless unique opportunities, and these experiences are just a small piece of what our students get to take part in each and every day. If I didn’t take the time to form relationships, I wouldn’t know that what students value is knowing that the photos I take may show up in their yearbooks. I wouldn’t know the myriad of annual activities that teachers do across our schools because I wouldn’t have witnessed them firsthand. I wouldn’t know about the families of our principals or what they believe makes their school unique. All of that is invaluable because at the end of the day and at the end of this career, relationships are what will remain – both professionally and personally.
The communication tool I use the most is Canva! I would be a brand ambassador if they asked! I am not very mathematically-minded and it can be challenging for someone with an eye for good design – but not an eye for rulers and gridlines – to be a graphic designer. However, Canva has made it possible and I am able to create aesthetically-pleasing graphics with short turn-around times. I have trained communication ambassadors at our schools how to use it as well. Right after Canva, the tool I most use is iMovie. I am completely self-taught in videography and using iMovie and Canva together has made me someone who can add “videographer” to their list of expertise.