“Bastrop ISD shaped who I am, and now I have the honor of helping shape its future. As a trustee, a parent, and a proud graduate, I believe strong leadership means listening, planning with purpose, and always putting students first. Our kids deserve bold vision and steady hands—and that’s the work I’m committed to every single day.”

Chris M. Dillon is a seventh-generation Texan and proud Bastrop native whose deep family roots trace back to Gordon C. Jennings, his great-great-great-great-great grandfather who died defending the Alamo. A 1990 graduate of Bastrop High School, Chris has spent his life giving back to the community that shaped him—both in the courtroom and in the classroom.

Chris earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Baylor University in 1994, where his enduring Bear pride took root. He then completed his Master of Business Administration at Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State University) in 1996—all while working full-time as a substitute teacher in Bastrop ISD, an analyst with the Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund, and later as a tax examiner for the IRS.

In 1997, Chris fulfilled a dream he first voiced at age 12 when he entered St. Mary’s University School of Law, graduating a semester early in 1999 with a J.D. and a Certificate of Completion from the Program of Studies on Global Legal Issues at the University of Innsbruck, Austria—an intensive legal seminar co-taught by St. Mary’s faculty and then-Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, William H. Rehnquist.

After passing the Texas Bar in May 2000, Chris served as an appellate briefing attorney for the Seventh Court of Appeals of Texas under Justice Don H. Reavis. He had also clerked for Chief Justice John T. Boyd of the same court during law school.

In true country-lawyer fashion, Chris returned home to Bastrop and opened his private practice, where for over twenty-five years he has defended civil liberties and protected legal rights across Texas—representing the people, one individual at a time.  Chris remains deeply committed to civic life and the service of others.

Chris is an active member of several professional organizations, including:

• The College of the State Bar of Texas
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• National College for DUI Defense
• Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• Bastrop County Bar Association

Beyond the courtroom, Chris has dedicated his time and energy to Bastrop ISD, where he has proudly served as a trustee on the school board since 2018—currently as Vice President. During his tenure, the district has seen a 50% increase in enrollment, passed over $500 million in voter-approved bonds, built and improved campuses, and achieved a 99% graduation rate, all while lowering the overall tax rate. He’s especially proud of the district’s growing College, Career & Military Readiness (CCMR) success and its commitment to serving “every child, every day.”

Chris and his wife Kristina, his partner of over 24 years, are raising two sons—Connor, a 2023 BHS graduate and current Baylor University Dean’s List student, and Logan, a junior at Bastrop High. Whether coaching youth sports, supporting local fundraisers like the Bastrop Education Foundation Sportsmen’s Banquet, or volunteering with school booster clubs, Chris and his family believe in hands-on service and in building a better Bastrop for the next generation.