On Monday, April 28, Birdville ISD Superintendent Dr. Gayle Stinson announced the appointments of A. Elizabeth “Liz” Peña as principal at North Richland Middle. Peña is replacing Sherri Gamble, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

Peña has been principal at Griggs High School (formerly Shannon High School) since 2023. Prior to Griggs High, she was an academic dean at Haltom High for the 2022–23 school year, assistant principal at Haltom High from 2013–22, and District secondary summer school director from 2016–22. Peña also served as the Haltom Middle School English department chair from 2012–13, Special Education department chair from 2008–12, and Pre-AP/Inclusion and English/ELAR teacher from 2006–12. Before that Peña was a Content Mastery Center teacher at Arnold Middle School in Grand Prairie ISD from 1999–2006; and a behavior interventionist from 1998–99 at Jefferson High School in El Paso ISD.

Peña earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Dallas Baptist University.