BMIA Board

Alison King, Chairman

Alison King is the Director of Operations for the Warren Charitable Foundation and has worked in the Midland non-profit sector for 20 years. In addition to advocating for public education through her career, Mrs. King has served the community through various volunteer roles with MISD Values Project, Midland County Excellence in Education Awards, Educate Midland, Midland Students First, Midland Reporter-Telegram Editorial Board, Midland ISD Campus PTAs, Midland Council of PTAs, and the Midland Memorial Hospital District Board of Representatives.

She and her husband, Jonathan, met at Texas Tech University where they both graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising. They moved to Midland in 2002. Their daughter, Clare attended MISD schools from kindergarten through graduation and is currently attending Texas Tech University. Their son, Wyatt, has also attended MISD schools from kindergarten on. He is currently at Midland High School. Mrs. King credits talented and caring MISD staff for her children’s current and continuing success.

Perla Abrego, Board Member

Perla Ábrego is an associate professor at the University of Texas Permian Basin. She coordinates the Spanish undergraduate and graduate programs and has taught Hispanic literature and culture, Spanish linguistics, and Spanish as first and second language for more than 20 years in Mexico and the United States. Perla has researched and published articles about the Spanish dialectal variations in West Texas, advocating for bilingual spaces and education. 

Karmen Bryant, Treasurer

Karmen Hendrix Bryant, a native Midlander, is a community volunteer who has dedicated her life to positive social change through action. Volunteering from an early age, Karmen continues to serve countless nonprofit organizations with enthusiasm and vision in numerous roles. Her true passion not only lies in board governance but also in fund development, having helped raise millions of dollars for local nonprofit organizations. She holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Arkansas, is the Managing Member of KHB Energy, LLC and President of the Bryant Family Foundation.

Megan Buck, Board Member

Megan Buck is a native Midlander. She has been in the nonprofit field for six years, working at the Museum of the Southwest and Midland County Public Library before joining the Scharbauer Foundation as a program officer. A former journalist, Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Southwestern University.
Megan has served on the Midland County Public Library Advisory Board, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Board, and the Vestry at St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church.
Megan has two children currently attending Midland ISD schools: Kaitlyn, a sixth-grader at Young Women’s Leadership Academy, and Zay, a second-grader at Greathouse Elementary School.

Jacob Holloman, Board Member

Jacob Holloman was born and raised in Hobbs, New Mexico.  He is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas and New Mexico.  He graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma Christian University.  He has a Masters degree in Bioengineering from Rice University.  He is a project manager at Dunaway.  Jacob has lived in Midland since 2012.  He is married with two children.  The oldest is a student at Milam.  He is a Deacon at Fairmont Park Church of Christ where he regularly leads bible classes.  He is also an Eagle Scout.

Dr. Amin Davoodi, Board Member

Dr. Amin Davoodi is an Assistant Professor of Bilingual and ESL Education in the department of Language, Literacy and Special Populations at University of Texas Permian Basin. He is ethnically Kurdish from Kermanshah, Iran, and he came to the US to do his PhD in 2016. He received his PhD in ESL, Technology and Teacher Education (curriculum and instruction) from Texas A&M University in 2021. His areas of research interest are educational equity for English language learners and home-bound students, TESOL, robot-assisted learning, and bilingual education. He became a teacher in 2007 and ever since has been teaching and conducting multiple research studies in the field of second language learning. Dr. Davoodi has received numerous awards, grants and scholarships including Texas Education Public Grant, CEHD Strategic Research Fellowship, CEHD Dean’s Award, and CEHD Research Grant from Texas A&M University, Professional Development Scholarship Award from TESOL International Association in 2019, and Educational Technology Interest Section Award from MidTESOL2017. In 2021, he became the first student from the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University to win the Three-Minute Thesis (Dissertation) competition. He received the judges’ award and the people choice award and later represented Texas A&M University in the Regional 3MT competition at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools where he won the Heat 3 People Choice Award. His presentation focused on how robots can be used to improve educational equity and access for homebound students. In 2019, he was selected as the recipient of the Community of Scholars Unsung Hero Award which recognizes graduate and professional students with exceptional stories of selfless service in local communities and beyond. Dr. Davoodi is an internationally certified teacher trainer and was the first TESOL Certificate Coordinator and the lead teacher trainer at the Center for Research & Development in Dual Language & Literacy Acquisition at Texas A&M University. In this program, he trained ESL and EFL teachers from more than 25 countries. Dr. Davoodi’s work on robot assisted learning has been covered by numerous media outlets and news agencies like KBTX, Eagle, Daily Collegian, and so on.

Marissa Salgado, Secretary

Marissa Salgado is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones.  She was born and raised in west Texas and is very involved in the community. Marissa has lived in Midland since 2012. She has her business in Odessa, which is her hometown, and is therefore connected to both communities. She serves on the board for the Midland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, also serves on the board for UTPB's Falcon Alumni Network, among other roles with organizations in the Permian Basin. She has a passion for education and in her own career has experienced the value of being bilingual and the value of children learning in a dual language environment.