Jesse Herrera has been selected as the new principal of Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions.

Herrera is a proud, native Houstonian with more than 30 years of experience in public education. Many of those years have been in HISD. Herrera began his career as a bilingual teacher at the elementary level. He then served as assistant principal at both Crespo Elementary School and Park Place Elementary School.

In 2004, Herrera became principal of Sanchez Elementary School and was the founding principal of Baylor College of Medicine Biotech Academy at Rusk. This partnership with Baylor College of Medicine would create one of the only middle schools in Texas with a focus on biotechnology and health sciences. During his six years at BCMBAR, the school won multiple international, national, and district-wide awards.