Chris M. Dillon, President - Place 5

"Bastrop ISD helped shape the course of my life, and today I have the privilege of helping shape its future. As a graduate, parent, attorney, and President of the Bastrop ISD Board of Trustees, I believe leadership begins with listening, requires thoughtful planning, and demands an unwavering commitment to students. Public education remains one of the most important investments a community can make, and I am committed to ensuring every decision we make keeps students at the center, strengthens opportunities for families, and prepares the next generation to succeed."

Chris M. Dillon is a seventh-generation Texan and proud Bastrop native whose family roots run deep in Texas history. His great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Gordon C. Jennings, gave his life defending the Alamo, and that legacy of service continues to influence Chris's commitment to his community today.

A 1990 graduate of Bastrop High School, Chris has devoted much of his life to serving the people and institutions that helped shape him. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Baylor University in 1994 and a Master of Business Administration from Texas State University in 1996. While completing his education, Chris worked 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 Internal Revenue Service.

In 1997, Chris entered St. Mary's University School of Law, fulfilling a dream he first articulated as a twelve-year-old boy. He graduated a semester early in 1999, earning his Juris Doctor and completing the Program of Studies on Global Legal Issues at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. The prestigious program was taught jointly by St. Mary's faculty and then-Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court William H. Rehnquist.

Following admission to the State Bar of Texas in 2000, Chris served as an appellate briefing attorney for the Seventh Court of Appeals under Justice Don H. Reavis after previously clerking for Chief Justice John T. Boyd. Rather than pursuing opportunities elsewhere, Chris returned home to Bastrop and opened his own law practice, where for more than twenty-five years he has represented individuals and families across Texas. His practice focuses on criminal defense, DWI defense, probate, estate planning, and guardianship matters.

Known for a practical, common-sense approach rooted in integrity and hard work, Chris has built his reputation one client at a time. He remains an active member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National College for DUI Defense, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Bastrop County Bar Association.

Beyond the courtroom, Chris has devoted significant time and energy to public education. Since first being elected to the Bastrop ISD Board of Trustees in 2018, he has served in multiple leadership roles and currently serves as President of the Board. During his tenure, Bastrop ISD has experienced extraordinary growth, increasing enrollment by approximately fifty percent while maintaining strong fiscal stewardship and voter confidence. The district has successfully passed more than $500 million in voter-approved bond programs, expanded and modernized campuses, achieved graduation rates approaching 99 percent, strengthened College, Career, and Military Readiness opportunities, and continued lowering the overall tax rate for local taxpayers.

Chris believes strong public schools are essential to strong communities. His leadership philosophy emphasizes transparency, accountability, strategic planning, and maintaining a relentless focus on student achievement. He is particularly proud of the district's commitment to ensuring every student graduates with a pathway to success, whether through higher education, military service, technical training, or entering the workforce.

Chris and his wife, Kristina, have been married for more than twenty-four years and are proud parents of two sons. Their oldest son, Connor, is a Bastrop High School graduate and Baylor University student, while their youngest son, Logan, attends Bastrop High School. Together, the Dillon family remains actively involved in community service, youth activities, school organizations, and charitable causes throughout Bastrop County.

Whether serving clients, supporting students, or helping guide one of the fastest-growing school districts in Texas, Chris remains committed to the values that have always defined him: faith, family, service, and an enduring belief that the best investment we can make is in the next generation.