Sue Dimenn Deigaard was first elected to the HISD Board of Education in November 2017. She grew up in northern Illinois and moved to Houston in 1987 to attend Rice University. The daughter of a high-school dropout, when she received her two degrees from Rice she was the first in her family to graduate from college, and she understands firsthand the importance of a quality public education. She has two children, both of whom are HISD graduates.

After graduating from Rice, Deigaard worked as assistant director of Alumni Affairs and University Events at her alma mater. In that position she produced events such as the President’s Lecture Series, organized the commencement ceremony, and supported alumni programs such as the Young Alumni Committee. Her favorite program by far was the Student Alumni Liaison Committee and mentoring program in which she could directly facilitate impact on students through their interaction with Rice alumni. She left her position at Rice when her first child was born in 2000.

Her unwavering belief that education is a cornerstone of our society, economy, and democracy has fueled her passion to be an advocate for public education for many years. She has been an active and informed voice at the state and local levels advocating for effective policies and funding for HISD students. Deigaard has held numerous leadership roles, including HISD board president in 2020. Prior to serving on the HISD board, she served as a Houston City Council appointee to the Houston Center for Literacy board, was a parent representative on the HISD District Advisory Committee, and chaired the Communications Committee for Arts Access Initiative. She remains an active volunteer in her child’s HISD school. She has also been a guest speaker, panelist, and moderator for education forums hosted by the University of Houston, Rice University, the United Way, and Children at Risk.

Deigaard is also a fellow with the American Leadership Forum Class XLIII on Community Education and was a 2015 New Leaders Council fellow. She has served on the board of the New Leaders Council – Houston, served as president of the Woodside Civic Club Board, and was a founding board member of the Braeswood Super Neighborhood Council.

Deigaard believes that all children are capable of success regardless of the zip code in which they were born or the abilities and challenges with which they come to school. She states that in order to achieve equity of outcomes for students, HISD needs to begin with an equity of expectation and provide equity of opportunity.