Meet John

Dr. John Biggan is a dedicated community member, researcher, and educator who is passionate about using data and research to improve public education. He is running for the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (HEB ISD) Board of Trustees to ensure every student has access to the highest quality education.

A Legacy of Education and Service

John was born in San Antonio, Texas, and is a proud sixth-generation Texan. His family has a long history of service in healthcare, education, and the military. His mother was a women’s health nurse practitioner and later a professor at Texas State University. His father was a perfusionist, working in operating rooms during open-heart surgeries.

His maternal grandparents were both educators—his grandfather, an immigrant from Scotland and an Air Force veteran, taught high school and college biology, while his grandmother was a nurse and later the director of a nursing school. His paternal grandparents were hardworking middle-class Texans; his grandfather, a WWII veteran, drove the first diesel train across Texas, and his grandmother was a nurse.

Growing Up and Early Leadership

John’s family moved frequently due to his father’s job, settling in El Paso, TX when he was seven. There, he became deeply involved in the Boy Scouts of America, earning the rank of Eagle Scout and serving in leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels in the Order of the Arrow, the BSA’s national honor society. His dedication earned him multiple prestigious awards, including the Vigil Honor, Founder’s Award, and James E. West Award.

During high school, John pursued a variety of interests. He played trumpet and French horn, participated in theatre productions, lettered in science, and was on the varsity swim team.

Higher Education and Community Involvement

At age 18, John moved to Arlington, Texas, to attend the University of Texas at Arlington, where he double-majored in Theatre and Psychology. His passion for theatre led him to perform in community and professional productions around the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It was during one of these performances in Euless that he met his wife, Lauren.

John moved to Bedford in 2006, where he pursued graduate studies in Experimental Psychology with a focus on Cognitive Neuroscience. While completing his degrees, he taught at UTA and Tarrant County College (TCC) and conducted research to develop interventions for:

  • Children with dyslexia

  • Risk reduction in adolescent decision-making

  • Cognitive development in children

  • Slowing cognitive decline in older adults

After earning his Master’s and Ph.D., John worked as a postdoctoral fellow at UTA and later at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also taught at Parkland College while in Illinois.

Advancing Child Welfare Through Data Science

Seeking to apply his research skills to real-world problems, John transitioned to the nonprofit sector. For the past six years, he has worked as a data scientist at ACH Child and Family Services, using data and analytics to improve the child welfare system at the local, state, and national levels. His work has been recognized as some of the most advanced analytics in child welfare, with Dr. Eugene Wang of Texas Tech University praising it in testimony before the Texas State Senate.

Being a lifelong learner and wanting to further strengthen his expertise, John pursued a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which he completed in 2024. He also teaches part-time at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Commitment to HEB ISD and Public Education

John has lived in HEB ISD since 2006 and has been an active member of the community ever since. His wife, Lauren, has been a dedicated public school educator for 16 years, with 11 of those in HEB ISD. She is deeply committed to her students' success, which further fuels John's passion for strengthening public education.

His deep involvement in the HEB ISD community includes:

  • HEB ISD Board Ambassadors Program

  • HEB ISD Facilities and Planning Task Force

  • Board of Directors, HEB ISD Education Foundation

  • Graduate of Hurst Citizens Police Academy, Firefighters Academy, and Hurst 101

  • Former President, Chateau Valee HOA, Bedford, TX

Why John is Running for the School Board

John believes that a high-quality public education is the closest thing we have to a ‘silver bullet’ to empower children. His expertise in data, education, and research makes him uniquely equipped to enhance decision-making, transparency, and student outcomes in HEB ISD.

He is ready to put his skills to work for the students, teachers, and families of HEB ISD—because every child deserves the best education possible.