The Texas Tribune, Tom Luce & Margaret Spellings Strategic Framework Conversation

On June 18, the Texas Tribune joined Tom Luce, Texas 2036’s founder and chair, and Margaret Spellings, the organization’s president and CEO,  for a conversation moderated by Tribune CEO Evan Smith.

Luce and Spellings answered questions about their organization’s latest research and data analysis on what the state needs to do between now and its bicentennial year to be the best place to live and work for the next generation of Texans. Texas 2036 is a public policy nonprofit that conducts research for policymakers to make informed decisions about the state’s future ahead of the year 2036 — Texas’ bicentennial — when the state is expected to have 10 million more people.

The impact of the coronavirus outbreak heightens the stakes for state leaders to grow the economy, prepare our workforce, improve education outcomes, increase health care access and invest in infrastructure.

Luce founded Texas 2036 in 2016. He was recently appointed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s Strike Force to Reopen Texas. Previously, he served as assistant secretary of education under former President George W. Bush and as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court pro tempore. Luce is also founder of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.

Spellings is the president and CEO of Texas 2036. Previously, she served as U.S. secretary of education under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009, and most recently she served as president of the University of North Carolina System. Spellings also served as senior adviser to Bush during his tenure as governor of Texas.