Bio

I am a native Texan who grew up in Waxahachie where my mother was a veteran teacher for almost 40 years until her retirement in 2015. I benefitted greatly from the investment of my teachers who encouraged me to excel musically and academically. I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to inspirational teachers who helped me achieve my dream of becoming an electrical engineer, which began in third grade.

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After graduating from Waxahachie High School in 1997, I attended Texas A&M (class of 2001) and obtained my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Following graduation, I had a short term stint as a substitute teacher in Waxahachie working primarily with special education students until I landed a job as an Electrical Engineer at Lockheed Martin, where I have worked for the past 23 years. During the first years of working at LM, I continued my pursuit in higher education and gained my master’s degree in systems engineering from Southern Methodist University.

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My beautiful wife, LaDonna, and I have been married since 2003. Shortly after she graduated with her degree in education she, by the hand of Providence, began teaching third grade at the same school as my mother. With the coaxing and encouragement of fellow teachers, we went on our first date. Soon there were two Mrs. Stokers at their school. We have been blessed with three amazing children Joel (class of 2026), Lilly (class of 2028), and Gabe (class of 2033).

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We made our home in Fort Worth from the beginning of our marriage until 2016 when we moved to Connecticut until 2020. A planned interview for a move back to Texas was scheduled in February 2020 to take place on March 18, 2020. Unbeknownst to us Covid would be taking place during that time. As a family, we embarked in a walk of faith to press forward to move back to Texas in the midst of an international pandemic. Unable to physically look at a home, we told our realtor in Texas our top priorities were a 30 minute commute for me, a school district that could help the needs of our children, and a home within a budget. The only home available for us was in Aledo. While there were difficult moments in the move and transition in the midst of an uncertain time, we are certain that we we’ve been placed in the right spot at the right time.

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Throughout my life it has been a blessing to work with children in many different capacities, and at different levels of learning abilities. Both my wife and I have volunteered in children’s ministry at any church we have attended along with participating with our own children as sponsors, chaperones, executive booster members or working concessions stands at football games.

In our life we have chosen to embrace beloved theologian and author, C.S. Lewis’ quote: 
“Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.”

This has been a life moto for us, not only as parents, but believers in the greater good- ALL children.