Cherokee County Republican Women Speaker: Keven Ellis State Board of Education

Speaker: Keven Ellis, a Republican from Lufkin, was elected to the State Board of Education (SBOE) in 2016, 2020, and 2022. He was appointed as chair of the SBOE for a two-year term by Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 16, 2019. He was confirmed by the Texas Senate on March 31, 2021.  For a second term, he was appointed in 2021 to this leadership role by Gov. Abbott and was confirmed by the Texas Senate in April 2023 by a unanimous vote of 31-0. The chair is selected from the 15 elected members of the board. 

Ellis is a member of the board's Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund, which oversees agenda items on topics such as Permanent School Fund management oversight, including audit responsibility, investment objectives, and investment decisions; state and federal funding issues; financial budgeting, reporting, and regulation; contract and grant approval; instructional materials financing operations; community education funding; oversight of the Bond Guarantee Program; and review of nominations for gubernatorial appointments: Teacher Retirement System and School Land Board.

Ellis served as vice chair of the Texas Commission on Public School Finance, which laid the ground work for a sweeping new school finance law. 

Ellis is a chiropractor and has operated Ellis Chiropractic since 1998. That same year, Ellis began his public service career. He is actively involved in the community, serving with local boards, including the Lufkin Host Lions Club, where he served as president for 2012-13, member of the Lufkin Independent School District Tri-Ethnic Board, president of Angelina County Benefit Rodeo, chairman of Small Business Council for Angelina County Chamber of Commerce, president of the Z&OO Railroad, chairman of Eastview United Pentecostal Church’s building committee and assistant scoutmaster for Troop 136.  

In 2012, he was elected to the Lufkin ISD Board of Trustees and served as board president in 2015-2016, resigning from that post in November 2016 after winning the seat on the state board. 

Ellis attended Western Washington University and obtained his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Texas Chiropractic College.

Ellis and his wife, Shelli Cox Ellis, have three children, Katherine, Jacob, and John. 

As the District 9 board member, Ellis represents citizens in the following counties: Angelina, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Kaufman, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rains, Rockwall, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, Wood, and part of Dallas county.