Desmond Spencer

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Desmond Spencer

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

The Ohio State University

Graduate

Harvard University

Graduate

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Personal

Birthplace

Houston, TX

Profession

Policy advisor

Contact

Campaign website

Desmond Spencer ran for election to the Houston Community College Board of Trustees to represent District II in Texas. He lost in the general election on November 4, 2025.

Spencer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Desmond Spencer was born in Houston, Texas. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University, a graduate degree from Harvard University, and a graduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His career experience includes working as a policy advisor and adjunct professor.

Elections

2025

See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2025)

General runoff election

General runoff election for Houston Community College Board of Trustees District II

Incumbent Renee Jefferson Patterson and Kathleen Lynch-Gunter are running in the general runoff election for Houston Community College Board of Trustees District II on December 13, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Renee Jefferson Patterson (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Kathleen Lynch-Gunter (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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General election

General election for Houston Community College Board of Trustees District II

Incumbent Renee Jefferson Patterson and Kathleen Lynch-Gunter advanced to a runoff. They defeated Desmond Spencer in the general election for Houston Community College Board of Trustees District II on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Renee Jefferson Patterson (Nonpartisan)	49.2	7,907
✔	Submit photo	Kathleen Lynch-Gunter (Nonpartisan)	32.8	5,280
		Desmond Spencer (Nonpartisan)	18.0	2,895

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 16,082
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

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Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Desmond Spencer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Spencer's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born in Houston, Texas, Desmond Spencer is a proud first-generation college graduate, veteran, and educator running to represent District 2 on the Houston Community College Board of Trustees. A former Air Force Captain and program manager, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from The Ohio State University, an MBA from UNC–Chapel Hill, and a master’s in public administration from Harvard University. He founded GetIn2Grad School, a consulting firm helping underserved applicants access top graduate programs, teaches Texas Government at HCC, and mentors students nationwide. Desmond is running to strengthen our communities by ensuring higher education in Houston is affordable, accessible, and relentlessly focused on excellence.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Student Success by expanding childcare, transportation, and advising so students can stay enrolled and graduate
• Workforce Readiness by strengthening apprenticeships, internships, and industry partnerships to ensure HCC programs lead to good jobs and economic growth in our community.
• Attract and continue to retain top talent, both faculty and students, while rebuilding HCC's reputation with our institutions and community.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education and Economic Development. These policy areas are the fundamental backbone of our society that will determine how resilient and prosperous our community will be for decades to come.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity and transparency. As a veteran, I live by the values of integrity, service, and excellence. If elected, I’ll bring these principles into office—always acting openly, honestly, and in the best interest of our community.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was as a concessions attendant at a movie theater, where I worked throughout my sophomore and junior years of high school. That experience taught me the value of hard work, responsibility, and showing up for others—lessons that have stayed with me ever since.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2025 Elections

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Government

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Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

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Candidate

Houston Community College Board of Trustees District II

Website