A native of Dallas, Texas, Brent attended Baylor University, earning a Bachelor's in Religion and Philosophy. He went on to earn a Master of Divinity in Theology from Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, graduating Magna cum Laude, as well as earning a Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He served as the Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth for seven years.

In 2016, Brent began working with several foundations in Fort Worth to achieve the goal that all children have access to a high-quality public education; this work led to the founding of FWEP in 2019.

Brent completed the Public Leadership Credential from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 2024. He was also named to Fort Worth Inc.’s The 400: Fort Worth’s Most Influential People.

Brent and his wife, Jamie, a Fort Worth native and professor at Tarrant County College, live in Fort Worth's Fairmount neighborhood. Their family consists of five children and a dog named Jayber.

Leila Santillán came to Fort Worth nearly a decade ago to teach third-grade dual language in Fort Worth ISD in the Diamond Hill neighborhood. Since then, she has served in various education-focused roles such as retaining educators, conducting education research, and consulting senior leaders on talent needs.

In 2020, Leila joined Fort Worth Education Partnership and its goal of increasing access to high-quality public education options for all families in Fort Worth. She manages school partner grants, data, talent programs, and organizational operations.

Leila received her undergraduate degrees in Public Health and Political Science from Saint Louis University her certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University, and is a Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) - Senior Certified Professional.

Leila and her husband, Juan, a public school teacher, reside in Fort Worth with their three sons, Amir, Karim, and Keivan.

Regina was raised in Central Texas and has over 20 years of experience in Public Relations, Media Relations, and Corporate Communication. Regina enlisted in the Navy and served honorably for 10 years as a military photographer and mass communication specialist. After the Navy, Regina worked as a Technical Writer for a government contractor and then at State Farm Insurance Company, where she was responsible for media relations, philanthropy, and community relations catastrophe response for six states, including Texas.

Regina is a first-generation college graduate who earned her Bachelor's in Marketing from Thomas Edison State University during her enlistment in the Navy. Committed to her education, she later earned a Master's degree in Communication from Arizona State University.

Regina and her husband, Michael, live in Fort Worth. She is the proud mother of one son, Andrew, who is currently enlisted in the United States Air Force.

Natalie has over 12 years of experience in non-profit organizations spanning mental health, child and family services, and education. Natalie has dedicated her career to developing solutions and promoting upward mobility for at-risk and marginalized populations.

Previously, Natalie was the Director of Postsecondary Pathways at the Tarrant To and Through Partnership, where she doubled pledge enrollment at partner colleges and universities for two consecutive years and played an integral role in designing, implementing, and evaluating their programs. She also served as Catholic Charities Fort Worth’s Network Manager for the Stay the Course® program.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon with a double major in psychology and sociology.

Natalie and her husband, Eric, live in North Richland Hills. They are the proud parents of two smart, strong, and beautiful daughters. In her spare time, Natalie enjoys reading, hiking, camping, watching college football (Go Ducks), and attempting to garden.