Introduction by Lindsay Morgan

cowens8_1 — 2025-06-02 17:36:03 UTC

Hello! My name is Chelsea Owens. I am 1 of 11 3rd grade teachers on my campus - they are all departmentalized, I am self-contained. I love the opportunity self containment gives me with my students. Hobbies of mine include hanging out with my husband and 2 kids - we are so impulsive with random trips and outings, singing at my church, and getting creative with my cooking as my daughter and I have to be dairy free and gluten free! A fun fact for me is that I love being a sports mama! I love any/all things sports - but when my kids are involved, I love it even more. I am so excited to go through this course with you all!

mgonzales2_19 — 2025-06-02 17:42:53 UTC

Hi! My name is Michele Gonzales. I just finished my 13th year in the classroom. Next year, I'm either a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher because I told my admin I love my class so much I wanted to loop with them (admin hasn't decided yet)! One of my crazy hobbies is watching reality tv shows like Big Brother, Survivor, and Amazing Race in my spare time. A fun fact about me: I've been married to my high school love for 36 years and have 5 grandchildren with 4 of them being boys. I'm super excited about this leadership class.

2025-06-02 17:43:16 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Alicia Godinez, I am an advanced geometry teacher at Terrell high school. I will be entering my 6th year of teaching and 3rd year in Terrell. I am a dog momma to a great pyrenees, a wife to my handsome blue collar husband and a momma of two beautiful babies; Jackson (5yrs) and Amelia (4yrs). One hobby of mine is that I LOVE to craft; things like door signs, classroom signs, classroom clipboards, t-shirts, epoxy keychains, I do it all... it's addicting. My fun fact was that I was vegetarian for 7 years until I gave birth to my son. I am considering going back to being vegetarian for health reasons... could be good :')

twilliams141_1 — 2025-06-02 18:08:08 UTC

Heeeey! My name is Tyra Williams. I am going into my 4th year of teaching in Richardson ISD. I currently teach 3rd grade Math, and I absolutely LOVE IT! I am a new mommy to my 1-year-old son, Micah. In my free time, I love to binge-watch TV shows, do Pilates, and spend time with my son. I have recently developed an interest in scrapbooking and am currently searching for new hobbies. I am super excited to expand my knowledge of leadership in this class and further my educational career!

2025-06-02 20:43:22 UTC

My name is Lisa Habersham, and I’m a Business Education teacher. Outside the classroom, I enjoy unwinding with a good K-Drama, there’s just something about the storytelling that draws me in! A fun fact about me: I have a Bull Mastiff named Sir Thomas, who’s as regal as his name suggests.

Looking forward to connecting with you all!

2025-06-02 21:33:41 UTC

Hello everyone!! My name is Quincy Roberts. I am entering my 11th year of teaching/coaching. Next year will be my 6th year teaching in my hometown of Farmersville. I am the Junior High Boys Athletic Coordinator there, teaching 8th-grade business information management and 7th-grade data entry. One of my favorite hobbies is to hang out with my wife and 3 watching a good movie for the first time, as they all ask me 100 questions about the movie. My wife and I will be celebrating our 10th year of Marriage this July with a trip to Cancun, and we cannot wait to leave for that much-needed us time. I am excited about this class, because I was looking for a way to become a better leader.

dharrison12_1 — 2025-06-02 21:35:28 UTC

Hello Everyone! My name is D'Andre Harrison. I just completed my first official year as an 8th-grade math teacher at Crandall Middle School. I will be teaching 6th-grade science and robotics next year. I absolutely love teaching middle schoolers because every day is something new, whether that's content or attitudes. In my free time, I like to buy shoes, specifically Nike Dunks, and travel. I really want to visit all 50 states, but have only visited 22 so far. I have been looking forward to this class because who doesn't want to become a better educator and leader?

2025-06-02 22:40:54 UTC

Hello everyone! I am Kharen Davis. I teach reading and social studies in Crandall ISD. I am a Campus Mentor and Team Lead. One hobby that I have is reading comments on social media posts. There is so much information there! One fun fact about me is that I am a fraternal twin. I look forward to learning with you all this summer!

2025-06-02 23:22:53 UTC

Hi everyone,
My name is Dasia McCray, and I’m currently a 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts teacher in Mansfield ISD.

A lot of my hobbies are outlets for my creativity. I love coloring, photography, designing and doing DIY projects anything that lets me create and unwind at the same time. A fun fact about me is that I’ve lived in several different states because I grew up in a military family. Every place taught me something new and helped shape who I am.

I’m passionate about helping students find their voice and making learning feel relevant and engaging. I’m really looking forward to growing and connecting with everyone in this course!

nwilliamsep — 2025-06-03 00:47:33 UTC

I’m Nadia Epps, and I have taught in Richardson ISD for the past six years. I am currently teaching 3rd-grade Reading and Social Studies. I’m passionate about helping kids find their voice as readers and writers. I also love the connections that come with teaching. Outside of work, I’m a wife and mom to a super independent and active two-year-old who keeps me moving! We spend a lot of time outside at parks, taking walks, you name it. I’m also a big fan of binge-watching good TV shows when I get the chance, and I love to travel whenever I can.

amattingly10 — 2025-06-03 13:22:47 UTC

Hello! My name is Mandi Mattingly. I just finished my 7th year teaching. I am a special education teacher (resource/inclusion) at an Elementary school in Coppell. My hobbies include hanging out with my family (husband and 2 little girls) and I love to read. A fun fact about me is that I love going to Disney World! I am looking forward to this class and learning more about leadership.

jbelcher2_1 — 2025-06-03 14:24:51 UTC

Hello! My name is Jennifer Belcher. This will be my 4th year teaching and 6th in education. I am returning to Royce City ISD, where I began my career. I taught 6th grade for 2 years, and this will be my second year teaching 5th grade. I have been married since 2013 and have two fantastic boys (10 and 7). I love to read (thrillers mostly), watch TV (current obsession - Outer Banks), and go camping in our RV :)

2025-06-03 16:39:12 UTC

Hello everyone,

My name is Mayva Almanza, and I'm excited to be in this course. I am currently teaching 1st grade bilingual students in Plano ISD. I have a passion for educational leadership and am eager to learn more about how effective leadership can transform schools and empower both students and teachers.

A little about me outside of teaching, I'm also a proud bunny mom! My grumpy bunny, Benito, is a Netherland Dwarf who has a strong personality, and while he’s sometimes a little temperamental, he’s also full of charm and energy. Much like Benito, I believe leadership requires resilience and adaptability. As leaders, we need to find ways to inspire and empower others, even in challenging moments.

I look forward to getting to know all of you and diving into the course content!

mthomas94_1 — 2025-06-05 04:20:15 UTC

My name is Melissa Thomas. I just completed my second year as a Career & Technical Education (CTE) Specialist in Round Rock ISD. I work with an amazing team! I support business education, video production, and culinary art teachers across the district for their program resources. I discovered this master's program while searching for an instructional coach certificate which is a new area of focus for my role next year. I taught high school business classes prior to this role. My husband and I have two amazing daughters. One just graduated with her nursing degree from TTUHSC and works at a hospital there in Lubbock. The other just finished her second year at Texas Tech studying business finance. Empty nesting is great! We love to travel and will spent time this summer in Estes Park, CO. It's my favorite place on earth!

2025-06-05 15:52:24 UTC

Good morning :) My name is Penny Mullin, and I am a virtual Spanish teacher as well as lead teacher for my company. I have been teaching for 10 years, 6 of those in brick and mortar and 4 of those virtually. I have MANY hobbies such as crocheting, video games, reading, growing a container garden, and I just started baking my own sourdough bread. A fun fact about me is that I lived in Peru for two summers! One of the best times of my life :)

2025-06-05 16:43:37 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Odalys Gonzalez, I am starting my 5th year of teaching in Mesquite ISD this August. My past experiences have been in 4th and 5th grade, all subjects except math ( I could never lol). This year, I am transitioning to 6th grade RLA at the middle school level. My hope is to continue gaining experience in secondary education before I transition to higher education. Dr. Williams inspired me to pursue my masters, and work with future teachers one day. One fun fact about me is I trained Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu for a few years. I HATED being in a male-dominant sport, but it taught me so much and I ended up loving it! Here is a picture of my fiancé and I. In my free time, you'll find me working on my college assignments lol, at the gym with my brother, or trying nw coffee shops with my friends. I wish you all a happy summer and semester ahead!

2025-06-05 19:15:13 UTC

Hello! My name is Shelbi Wooley! I am currently a Kindergarten Teacher for Servant's Heart Leadership Academy (SHLA) in Gun Barrel City, Texas. I love anything to do with arts and crafts, especially painting! A fun fact about me is I have been a Core Member of our church's women's group for almost 3 years. I cannot wait to see what this class holds for us!

2025-06-06 22:29:05 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Trinh Nguyen, and I am currently a Pre-K teacher in Garland ISD. I just completed my fifth year of teaching, and I absolutely love working with our younger learners. One of my hobbies is crocheting - I find it calming after a busy day with little ones. A fun fact about me is that I dream of openinng my own Pre-K school one day in my home country. I chose to take this class because I hope it will help me grow as a future leader and bring that dream to life. I'm so excited to learn with all of you!

2025-06-06 23:56:30 UTC

My name is Joyce, and I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I currently work as a 4th-grade ELAR teacher at a charter school, a role I deeply enjoy as it allows me to inspire young minds through literacy and language.

Before this chapter of my life, I spent eight wonderful years working in Saudi Arabia, an experience that shaped my perspective and enriched my professional and personal growth. I earned my bachelor’s degree here at Texas A&M Commerce University, which laid the foundation for my passion in education.

I now reside in Irving, Texas, with my husband and our five children. I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and enjoying life.

As I continue my academic journey, I am excited to expand my expertise in curriculum design and instruction, with the hope of making an even greater impact in education.

2025-06-07 18:12:49 UTC

Hi! My name is Pamela Murphy. This coming year will be my 17th year in the classroom, but prior to that I was a special education aide for 7 years. Next year, I will be moving to 3rd grade as a reading, writing, and social studies teacher. As you can tell by the picture one of my favorite hobbies is camping. My husband and I love to go to relax since we are both teachers. This past year we decided to work as ESL and GED instructors part-time for Navarro college in addition to teaching full-time. My husband has been a special education teacher for 7 years. My husband and I will be married 16 years in November. We have two children who are both grown. Also, we are blessed to have the most adorable granddaughter. She just turned 1 year at the beginning of May. One interesting fact about me is how my initials are a short version of my first name (PAM).

2025-06-09 22:22:49 UTC

My name is Jason, but I go by Todd. I am going to be a 7th grade inclusion teacher this coming year at Dallas ISD. For the past 5 years I have been an inclusion teacher at an elementary school in Dallas ISD. My favorite hobby is working in the yard. I like doing the work and seeing what I accomplished. One fun fact about me is I like to work on my El Camino.

2025-06-12 15:11:04 UTC

Hey, y'all! My name is Kimberley O'Donnell, and I currently serve Ferris High School as their Lead Assistant Principal of Academics. I have two daughters and in my free time, I enjoy hiking and spending time in nature.