ggutierrez@smithvilleisd.org

Grant Gutierrez was first elected to the Smithville ISD Board of Trustees on May 10,  2014.  Mr. Gutierrez served as the Secretary of the Board from 2016-2018, President from 2018-2023, vice president from 2023-2025, and was elected to serve as president again by his fellow trustees in May of 2025. He is a long-time resident of Bastrop County graduating from Bastrop High School in 1999.  Mr. Gutierrez’s education includes a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Master’s in Accounting from Texas A&M University.  His wife, Krystel, is a certified Texas Public School Teacher and Librarian and their daughters, Arabella, Emeline, and Penelope attend Smithville ISD schools.

Mr. Gutierrez is the Chief Financial Officer of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.  He is an active member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

The Gutierrez family is passionate about the benefits of public education and the role it serves in our rural communities.  His family taught him about the responsibility of giving back to your community through service for the greater good of all.  Mr. Gutierrez is proud to serve Smithville ISD and looks forward to many great things ahead.

cvinklarek2@smithvilleisd.org

Chelsa Vinklarek was elected to the Smithville ISD Board of Trustees on May 4, 2024.  Mrs. Vinklarek is a 2000 graduate of Smithville High School and attended St. Edward's University, majoring in Criminal Justice.  As a graduate of SISD and involved community member, Mrs. Vinklarek is committed to the idea that the public school system is an invaluable part of a thriving community, and she remains focused on ensuring that SISD provides the proper tools to ensure each child is successful, both during their time with the school and after. 

Mrs. Vinklarek works for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts as a Portfolio Project Manager, overseeing the Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel System (CAPPS), the State of Texas Enterprise Resource Planning system.  She holds a number of professional certifications, including ITIL Master and PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner.  Mrs. Vinklarek believes that having an eye on technology, State of Texas government accounting, HR related rulings, and best practices for policies and procedures allow her a unique perspective on issues and opportunities for SISD.  Mrs. Vinklarek is also an active member of the Smithville Livestock Show, was the founding President of the Smithville FFA Supporters, is a member of the Smithville Athletic Booster Club, and was the former Secretary of the Smithville Little League. 

Mrs. Vinklarek and her husband Joey have one son, Josh, who attends Smithville ISD, entering the 8th grade for the 2025-2026 school year.  Having a child who not only attends the district, but who is also active in athletics, FFA, and UIL (to name a few) allows her a wonderful opportunity to interact with a number of different parent groups and community leaders to ensure she's being a community voice in her role on the Board.

jmagden@smithvilleisd.org

Josh Magden was elected to the Smithville ISD Board of Trustees at the May 7, 2022 election. He was elected by his fellow board members to serve as Secretary at the May 2023 meeting, and still holds this position for the 25-26 school year. He and his family moved to Smithville in 2017 specifically because of their view of the school district’s strength and the opportunity to raise their kids in the country. All three of their children (entering 12th, 9th, and 4th grades) attend Smithville schools.

Mr. Magden attended Grinnell College (Grinnell, Iowa) where he was a double major in Economics & Spanish, and where, most providentially, he met his wife Elizabeth. He later earned a master's degree at Thunderbird School of Global Management (Glendale, Arizona) with a focus on International Development & Policy. Mr. Magden and his wife are strong advocates for education, from primary schools to vocational and terminal degrees.

Today Mr. Magden manages several small insurance companies, but for nearly a decade while his wife was in veterinary school and residency, he was a public finance banker in Colorado working with rural school districts and helping school boards develop community-vetted plans around significant capital projects and financial objectives.

Mr. Magden believes that public schools are the public commons, and that as a community we are responsible to ensure we cultivate this space to challenge and grow our kids into resilient, capable and civic-minded citizens.