Raymond Rodriguez

Raymond Rodriguez was born in La Habra, California (near Disneyland) and when he was seven years old moved with his family to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.  His parents worked for the Arabian American Oil Company (now Saudi ARAMCO),  his father as a mechanical and chemical engineer, and his mother as an executive secretary.

Mr. Rodriguez attended school in Dhahran and Ras Tanura through the ninth grade before attending the Pine Crest School, a private boarding school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he was active on the swim team, theater and Scribbler, the school newsletter.

Mr. Rodriguez attended Texas A&M University in College Station after graduating from high school, majoring in Environmental Design (architecture), until 1991, when he transferred to the University of North Texas in Denton to pursue a degree in Fine Arts, with a focus on drawing and painting, a lifelong passion.

After graduation from UNT in 1993, Mr. Rodriguez moved to Houston, where he accepted mural commissions in the Montrose, the Fourth Ward and River Oaks.  He also supplemented his income with work in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Mr. Rodriguez campaigned for the Office of Mayor of the City of Houston in 2003.

He joined the CVHS faculty in 2006 at its old Sunnyside location and has proudly served gifted and talented students of HISD until the present day.