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PORT NECHES — Dr. Brenda Duhon is no stranger to the education field or to Port Neches-Groves Independent School District.

For the newly elected PNGISD board trustee, the timing was right to run for the Place 6 seat.

“After I retired, I had two years to rest, travel and enjoy life and I came to a point where I was ready to make a change and serve my district,” Duhon said, adding this seemed like the perfect time to pursue this service.

Duhon tossed her hat into the ring and beat out opponent Melanie Miller Plaia for the Place 6 seat during the election earlier this month.

Duhon grew up in Groves and graduated from Port Neches-Groves High School in 1976. She went on to earn a BBA from Lamar University in office administration in 1979, master of education in supervision in 1985 and Ed.D in educational leadership in 2010.

Duhon retired from the district in 2021 as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction/technology, a position she held for 10 years, she said.

During her years in the district she worked with the school board and always thought of being on the board during her retirement.

As for goals, she doesn’t have any set at this time. She’s ready to be part of the board and learn more about the issues.

“This is all new,” she said. “The main goal … I will always put our students, our teachers and our staff first and make decisions with them in mind. I am looking forward to being part of the PNG facility again.”

Duhon said she has an understanding of various viewpoints, as she has been a student, parent, teacher, administrator and grandparent in the district.

Duhon is part of numerous organizations, some of which include the Sabine Neches Community Action Panel, Port Neches Community Action Panel, Mid-Jefferson County Retired Teachers Association, PNG High School Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee and First Baptist Church, Groves.

She has two adult children and five grandchildren. Her husband Robert is a retired pharmacist who has two adult children and four grandchildren.