2026 Chamber Board Candidates

My name is Haley Barnes. I grew up in Tyler, Texas and later met my husband, Cory. We moved back to his hometown of DeKalb and for the past 12 years we’ve built our lives here. We have 3 amazing children (ages 10, 5 and 2) and a lot of cows, 2 dogs and now even a cat! They all keep us very busy from ball fields to hay fields and the in between! I used to work at Texas Farm Bureau and about 6 months ago I was blessed with the opportunity to come work at State Bank as a Loan Assistant. It is great to be able to work in our little community and work with some of the best people around! Over the years I’ve fallen in love with the rural lifestyle and genuine kindness of people in DeKalb, I truly believe it is the best place to live in Texas. Now I am looking for ways to pour back into our community and be more involved with the great town of DeKalb!

I am Carrie Fannin, I am 32 years old and live in DeKalb, TX. I am married to Micah Fannin, and together we have two children; Audrey (5) and Knox (1). I am a third grade math teacher at DeKalb Elementary School. I would like to be on the Chamber of Commerce Board because my family owns and operates two small businesses here in DeKalb; DeKalb Oil Change Center and DeKalb Automotive. We absolutely love this community and like to give back in any way we can. I believe being on the Chamber Board would allow me to be more involved in the activities and decisions being made for our community.

Thank you for your consideration,

Carrie Fannin

Kayla Gray is an Agricultural Science teacher and FFA advisor for DeKalb ISD who is passionate about growing students into confident leaders through hands-on experiences. She is married to her husband, Kody, and is a proud mom to Katie and Kooper, who also attend DeKalb schools and keep her busy outside the classroom with softball and rodeos.

Deeply rooted in her community, Kayla is dedicated to connecting education, agriculture, and local support to make a lasting impact.