Gonzalo Salazar to Join TASA Executive Superintendent Team

TASA is pleased to announce that Gonzalo Salazar, who recently retired as superintendent of Los Fresnos CISD, will serve TASA members in Regions 1 and 19 as a TASA executive superintendent starting November 1.

TASA's team of executive superintendents includes 10 highly regarded former superintendents with extensive experience in public school leadership. Serving as an extension of the TASA staff, they provide guidance and support to members, with an emphasis on helping new superintendents navigate the role. They offer a listening ear, practical advice, and perspective drawn from their own experiences leading school districts.

Salazar brings nearly 40 years of experience in public education, including service as a teacher, elementary principal, and superintendent. He spent most of his career in Los Fresnos CISD, leading the district as superintendent for 20 years before retiring in summer 2026. In 2024, he was named Region 1 Superintendent of the Year and one of five state finalists for TASB's Texas Superintendent of the Year award.

A TASA member since 2006, Salazar has contributed to the association through numerous committee and leadership roles. He represented Region 1 on the TASA Executive Committee before serving as an officer and as TASA president in 2022-23. His service has also included serving on or chairing several TASA committees, the TASA Commissioner's Cabinet of Superintendents, and the Texas Leadership Center Board. He continues to support aspiring, new, and experienced superintendents as a TASA executive coach.

"Dr. Salazar was a distinguished superintendent in Los Fresnos ISD for two decades, and throughout that time, he was a leader at TASA as well," says Kevin Brown, TASA executive director. "He has been an active and engaged member in nearly every TASA offering, and his wisdom and insights have helped our organization thrive. A model of integrity, humility, and servant leadership, Gonzalo has so much to offer TASA members in this new role. I have great admiration for him and couldn't be happier that he will be serving Regions 1 and 19."

Beyond TASA, Salazar has served on the UIL Legislative Council, was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Fellowship for Public Education Leadership at the Broad Center at Yale School of Management, and has been recognized as a TED-Ed Innovative Educator.

Salazar holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Texas at Brownsville and earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2018 while serving as superintendent.