Robin Deferrari is running for Conroe ISD School Board Position 2 in the Nov. 3 election.

The race is nonpartisan. Deferrari, a retired oil and gas executive and Woodlands resident, faces Destinee Milton and Rodney Hammer. Asked why she is running, Deferrari said in our questionnaire: "My three children have attended CISD schools since kindergarten, and I am running for the Conroe ISD School Board to keep this district great for every student." She cited "declining student performance, experienced teachers leaving, mounting financial pressure, Board decisions made without transparency, and too much attention pulled away from educating students."

"Decisions about our children's education belong here, with the parents and educators who live and work in CISD, and should be made openly, in front of the community, not behind closed doors," she said.

Candidate information

Party affiliation: Republican

Education: "A southwest Houston native, I attended Westbury and Lamar High Schools in HISD and spent a year as an exchange student in Italy before earning a BA in Sociology and an MBA in finance and marketing from Rice University. I also completed the Directorship Certification Program from the National Association of Corporate Directors."

Family: "My husband and I live in the Woodlands with our three children who are all enrolled in CISD."

Previous elected or appointed office: "None outside of university settings."

Experience and public service

Asked about her occupation and work history, Deferrari said in our questionnaire: "I am a retired oil and gas executive and active CISD parent volunteer." She said she "spent more than 20 years in crude oil marketing, trading, logistics, and strategic analysis with ConocoPhillips, Newfield Exploration, and Silverado Oil & Gas, advancing from market analyst to refinery scheduler, crude oil trader, and ultimately Vice President of Marketing."

She also said she "retired to focus on my children and their schools, serving as PTO President at Coulson Tough Elementary and PTO Treasurer at The Woodlands High School."

On the issues

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

"My career has been built on finding waste, scrutinizing contracts, and making sound decisions with large sums of money, which are exactly the skills a trustee needs," Deferrari said. She cited her work at ConocoPhillips, where her "team's audit of the internal costing system uncovered more than $70 million a year in unrecovered costs, and I led efforts that recovered over $4 million in disputed funds."

She added: "At Newfield Exploration, my strategies improved oil margins by $50 million annually. As Vice President of Marketing at Silverado, I evaluated contracts for more than 115 acquisition targets."

What are the critical differences between you and other candidates seeking this post?

"I am the only candidate who brings both executive-level financial experience and current, hands-on involvement inside our schools," Deferrari said.

She added: "I am not beholden to any PAC or outside interests. I answer only to CISD families and the community."

Best advice ever shared with you:

"Listen. Watch the room. Take notes," Deferrari said, crediting a mentor who advised her early in her career. She said the habit shaped her approach: "Listening means hearing people out before forming an opinion. Watching the room means noticing who isn't speaking, where the tension is, and what people aren't saying."

"On the Board, it's how I'll make sure teachers, parents, and the community are actually heard, not just given a chance to speak," she said.

Candidate responses were collected through The Woodlands Record's questionnaire. Answers are presented in the candidate's own words.