Beverly Barrett is running for Harris County Central Appraisal District Board Place 1 in the Nov. 3 general election. The nonpartisan race also includes Kathy Blueford-Daniels.

Asked why she is seeking office, Barrett said in our candidate questionnaire: "Public service is a calling to serve the community with integrity. In this regard, I want to apply my experience in business and policy to serve all resident and commercial property owners in Harris County, Texas."

Candidate information

Party affiliation: Barrett said in our questionnaire: "Traditionally, I am affiliated with the Republican-party, having served in the President George W. Bush White House, Office of Cabinet Affairs. As bridge builder, I like to reach across to all parties to support the best ideas and policies to serve the people."

According to Off the Kuff, Barrett is a Republican who was originally going to be a candidate for the Harris County Department of Education board before filing for the HCAD Place 1 seat.

Family: Barrett said in our questionnaire: "As the eldest in a family of four children, I grew up in Houston, Texas - attending The Kinkaid School for thirteen years - before graduating Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. On my mother's side, I am sixth generation Houstonian."

Education: Dr. Beverly Barrett earned her doctorate (Ph.D.). in International Studies at the University of Miami in Florida while serving in a fellowship with the European Union Center of Excellence. Proficient in Spanish, Italian, and French, she studied at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain while at Vanderbilt University (B.S. cum laude) majoring in Human and Organizational Development. In the M.A. program at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Bologna, Italy and Washington, DC, she specialized in International Economics and Foreign Policy.

Experience and public service

Barrett said in our questionnaire: "Beverly Barrett, Ph.D. is a researcher and educator in organizations, public policy, and higher education. … She is faculty with the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business where she teaches Global Human Resources Management (GHRM) and is assistant director of the Human-Centered AI Institute."

She added: "Dr. Barrett's background includes service in public affairs with the U.S. House of Representatives, the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs, the U.S. Department of State in Finland and Jamaica, and the Federal Reserve Bank. She contributed as Visiting Faculty in International Business at Universidad de las Americas Puebla (UDLAP), a U.S.-accredited university in Mexico."

On the issues

What distinguishes your candidacy: Barrett said in our questionnaire: "A clear focus on modernization and serving all resident and commercial property owners in Harris County distinguishes my candidacy for the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) Director 1 position. Recommending a review of the HCAD processes, in order to ensure best practices in appraisals and in the appeals process, to serve all candidates with fair and transparent valuations is a motion that I will bring forward."

Evidence you can handle this job: Barrett said in our questionnaire: "Beverly Barrett has the business education and experience to provide a fiscally conservative voice for the HCAD 1 board position. Relevant business experience includes prior work in Public Affairs and Research with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Houston Branch. Dr. Barrett continues to serve as faculty in Business Management with the University of Houston's Bauer College of Business. At UH Bauer, she is the Assistant Director of the Human-Centered AI Institute."

Best advice ever shared with you: Barrett said in our questionnaire: "A quotation from former president Ronald Reagan (40th president of the United States of America): 'There is no limit to what a person can do, or where s/he can go, if s/he does not mind who gets the credit.'"