Remembering Nick Sloan

Sunnyvale ISD and the entire Sunnyvale community is mourning the passing of former SISD School Board Trustee Nick Sloan, MBA, MPSA, CEM. Nick served SISD the district as a trustee from 2018 to 2020.

Nick battled ALS for 1,017 days and became the hero of the Sunnyvale community through his passionate advocacy for veterans, raw vulnerability about his ALS journey, and his example of personal strength.

“Sunnyvale ISD was blessed to have had Nick as a board member,” Superintendent Doug Williams said. “He led with courage and passion. Then, when he found out about his illness, he truly attacked life. It was inspiring to see how his only concerns were for his family and how he wanted to make a difference in the battle against ALS. Nick Sloan was a warrior.”

Nick was a leader and protector by nature - whether safeguarding his country, his workplace, his community or his beloved family.

He courageously served his country for eight years as a United States Marine, deploying to Japan and then serving at Guantanamo Bay after 9/11.

After his military service, Nick then went on to carry out similar goals in his chosen career path of Emergency Management. His career included work as: Director of Emergency Management for Baylor Scott & White; in the City of Dallas’ Emergency Management Office; and in a position that was shared between the Dallas Fire and Rescue Department and Dallas Police Special Operations as the Homeland Security Coordinator.

Nick also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Texas for the Emergency Management and Disaster Science Department, where he taught on Public Health and Disasters.

Nick’s expertise in the areas of security, public safety and emergency planning helped shape and improve safety policies for Sunnyvale ISD students - many of which will have a lasting effect in the years to come.

Nick also served on several teams, committees and boards - all a testament to his desire to serve and improve his community. However, it was his passionate advocacy for veterans that would help inspire what would eventually become his legacy - #AttackLifeSloan.

Even prior to Nick’s ALS diagnosis, he volunteered his time among several non-profit organization benefiting Veterans of the Armed Forces and the first responder community, including: Carry the Load, Adaptive Training Foundation, Sons of the Flag Burn Foundation, and 22 Kill which raises awareness and support around the 22 veterans that commit suicide every day.

When Nick was diagnosed with ALS, he learned that veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS than an individual who has not served in the military. That statistic lead him to create the #AttackLifeFoundation, which supports the Sloan family and their fight to create awareness of the correlation between ALS and veterans. Click here: https://attacklifesloan.kindful.com/ to #AttackLife with the Sloan family.

Nick leaves behind his beloved wife, Shanda Newsome Sloan, a Sunnyvale Junior High Alumnus (1991) and four Sunnyvale Raiders: Jackson (SHS ‘23), Katelynn, Megan and Lauren. Nick and Shanda were high school sweethearts and were married for over 20 years.

To support the Sloan family, please consider making a donation to the #AttackLifeSloan foundation, which will help support Shanda and the children. You can choose to support the general fund or educational fund in the dropdown menu “Select a Campaign”.

CLICK HERE https://attacklifesloan.kindful.com/