Rachel DeRusse Newman is Vice President of Administration and a corporate officer at Southwestern Petroleum Corporation, where she has been employed for over 20 years. Never attending college, Mrs. Newman worked 10 to 20 hour workdays to achieve success while those around her who were educated achieved success working 10 hour days. Her experiences taught her the effect and importance of being educated and its impact in achieving gender and ethnic equity in the workplace. 

Though her business and family demands are formidable, Mrs. Newman’s sincere dedication to education led her to be appointed initially in January 1995 and later elected in May 1996 as a Board Trustee (District 8) for the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD.) As a trustee, she made many positive changes and contributions that impact FWISD children 

Among these are: restructuring the FWISD Bilingual Program to achieve continuity and faster integration of ESL/LEP students into the regular classrooms. She was instrumental in establishing the first annual Hispanic Scholarship Campaign Drive in FWISD. She was instrumental in establishing the first annual Hispanic Educators Conference in Fort Worth. Through Mrs. Newman’s efforts and with community help, FWISD in conjunction with S.E.R., will soon have a school in south Fort Worth to help at risk children obtain a high school diploma or GED. Mrs. Newman has also been active in elevating, broadening, and implementing a multi-cultural curriculum to help students understand, accept, and learn to live with diversity. These are just a few of the important contributions Rachel Newman made while advocating for children attending FWISD schools. Mrs. Newman is an individual committed to helping the children of Fort Worth attain the best education possible.

Mrs. Newman is also active in many organizations whose mission it is to help children, women and families with different needs and problems in our community. These organizations include: the Hispanic Women’s Network Educational Mentor Program, the Hispanic Women’s Network Community Health Annual Drive, Our City, Our Children Steering Committee, the YWCA Diversity Task Force. The TIF (Tax Increment Finance) Board. In November of 1996, Rachel Newman was awarded the Hispanic of the 90’s Award for community service and involvment in the area of Education, for Promoting Hispanics to Higher Achievement and Excellence and for promoting Hispanic Culture and Awareness. Mrs. Newman is married to Ronnie Newman and is the mother of three children.