Presenters

My name is Alyse Baros, I am a Reading Interventionist teacher at Oak Park Elementary. I graduated from Texas A&I University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a reading specialization.  I love creating engaging lessons using a variety of platforms to grow my students into strong readers!

I am Amy Lavigne, the Early Childhood Specialist for the district. I graduated from Texas Tech University with my masters in Curriculum and Instruction - STEM. Before starting this role, I was a District Math Coach and the Instructional Coach at Gibson Elementary. I am passionate about creating bridges to connect parents to their children's education. 

Hello, my name is Angela Young. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Special Education from Texas A & M- Corpus Christ iin 2006. I am certified in 4-8 Mathematics, 7-12 Mathematics, and EC-12 Special Education. I have been in education for 17 years. I taught middle school Mathematics for 10 years at Rockport-Fulton Middle School in Rockport, Texas. I wanted to expand my teaching experience and decided to transition to high school mathematics. In the Fall of 2016, I began teaching high school mathematics at Veterans Memorial High School, where I taught mathematics for 6 years. Due to my love of data and lifelong learning, I embarked on a new journey in the Spring of 2022 and became the District's TCLAS Data Fellow. I make dashboards and data visualizations to enable leadership teams, campuses, and teachers to make data-driven decisions to improve student outcomes. I believe that all students can learn and be successful and that it is our job as educators to help them reach their full potential! 

My name is…Dr. Barbara Buckley Greses and I am a graduate of Texas A & M University - Corpus Christi with an Ed. D. in Educational Administration. During the past 17 years with CCISD, I have served as a special education teacher, chairperson, specialist and now am the Special Education Coordinator for Curriculum and Instructional Support. I believe technology integration is integral in providing equitable opportunities for all students to be successful in their future career endeavors.

I am a the proud Title I Specialists who graduated from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Instructional Technology. I have been working for the district since 2011. I am passionate about helping teachers improve their instructional practices to improve student learning, as well as helping parents feel better connected to their child's educational experience. 

I joined the Curriculum and Instruction team as an Elementary Reading and Language Arts specialist in 2020. I previously served as a reading interventionist and teacher in CCISD for several years. I graduated from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary studies and obtained a Master of Science in Reading. I have a passion for reading and enjoy training others in technology! I hope everyone learns something new during Tech2Teach.

Hello!  My name is Candice De Leon and I am a District Elementary Math Coach.  I have been with CCISD for 10 years as a kindergarten and first grade classroom teacher before transitioning into my current role.  I graduated from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi in 2003 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.  This is my first time presenting at Tech2Teach and I am excited to work alongside you in your technology journey.

My name is Cassie Reed and I graduated from Texas A&M University - College Station with a degree in Communications. I later went on to pursue my passion of inspiring and teaching others and received my teaching certification. I am currently a Dyslexia  teacher at Kolda Elementary School. For me, the most exciting thing about integrating technology in the classroom is the heightened engagement my students experience from being able to interact with the content in that way. 

My name is Charlotte Castaneda. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master's Degree in Educational Administration. I have worked with CCISD since 2015 as a teacher, assistant principal, and my current role is with the Office of Assessment and Accountability as the King VLC Assessment Advisor. I have had the pleasure of presenting at conferences such as CAMT, CAST, Me by the Sea, and Tech 2 Teach in the past.

I'm Christina Carrillo, a 4th grade teacher at Luther Jones Elementary. I graduated from TAMU-CC earning a Bachelor degree in Interdisciplinary Studies EC-6 Generalist with a reading emphasis and a Masters in Instructional Design and Educational Technology. As a passionate lifelong learner, I truly enjoy sharing the love of learning with others. Integrating technology in the classroom excites me because it fosters a unique learning environment that meets the needs of all learners.

My name is Corina Casarez, I graduated from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, and I am also Bilingual certified. I am currently a 4th grade Bilingual Teacher at Meadowbrook Elementary. This is my second year presenting at Tech2Teach and I am super excited to help others learn more about incorporating technology into their lessons. I believe that technology is such an important tool that helps facilitate student learning.

Hello! I am Dr. Cristela Garcia and I work in the Office of Assessment and Accountability. My doctorate is in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University in College Station. My educator experience resides with grades 6-12,  Rhetoric & Composition, supervising English C&I, and working in the assessment component of learning. Expertise in the area of technology is a pivotal component to teacher and student success.  We at OAA are here to help you navigate the Eduphoria online platform!

Greetings educators! My name is Daniel Benavides, I have been in education for 11 years as a middle school science teacher and an instructional coach. I graduated from Purdue University with a Masters in Learning Design and Technology. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences in both learning and technology to engage the future minds of our students! 

My name is Denise Richey, I have a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a major in Special Education from Texas A&M-Kingsville. I am a Kindergarten teacher at Travis Elementary. The thing I love the most about integrating technology in the classroom is the student engagement.

My name is Desiree Moreno. I have a B.S. in English and a M.S. in Educational Technology from Texas A&M University. I am new to the OAA team assigned to the Ray VLC, but have been with the district for 15 years. 

Hey everyone! My name is Dionicia Rodriguez and I am an Instructional Coach at Gibson Elementary. I graduated from Texas A&M University C.C with my Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies EC-6 and currently working on my Master's. Integrating technology into the classroom allows students to collaborate with the teacher and classmates with a hand-on learning approach!

Liz Ortega-Ruiz has been a music educator for 30 years. Born and raised in Corpus Christi and a proud product of CCISD, she has held a wide range of teaching positions from a K5 music to assistant band director to head high school band director. She is currently a district fine arts administrator for Corpus Christi ISD and mentors a group of young female directors in the coastal bend. She is passionate about fine arts education and believes EVERY student should have access. 

Hello all, My name is Erica Wilson. I graduated from TAMUCC with a Bachelors Degree in Teaching EC-6. I am currently teaching at Garcia Elementary in 3rd grade. I am excited about integrating technology in my classroom because it fosters student engagement. Can't wait to share and discuss ideas with all of you. 

Gary Leary is a graduate of Texas A&M Corpus Christi where he graduated with a degree in Geology and Environmental Science and Lamar University where he got his Masters in Education. He has been teaching since 2008 and he is currently the Chair of the Science Department and the Instructional Technology Chair at Coles High School.  As a teacher Gary constantly tries to incorporate technology into all of his science lessons in order to make his classroom more exciting and efficient. 

Heather Marie Hernandez 

M.S. E.D. Educational Leadership – Niagara University

M.S. Secondary Special Education - State University at New Paltz

B.A. Secondary Social Studies Education - State University of New York College at Buffalo

Assistant Principal at Mary Carroll High School

Technology is an important resource in the classroom. During my 12 years of teaching in special education classrooms I utilized a variety of technology to help bridge the learning gap for struggling learners. 

I graduated from Texas A&M-CC University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and earned a Master of Science Degree in Educational Administration. I have been working for twenty-three years in education, fourteen of those years in the field of instructional coaching. Whether it is Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or listening, speaking, reading, writing, I look forward to being the catalyst that empowers teacher learning and promotes student growth.

I hold both a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master’s Degree in Reading from Texas A&M-CC. Currently, I am one of the RLA Elementary Specialists. I have taught Kindergarten, 4th Grade, and was a Reading Interventionist. I believe integrating technology can add more creativity to literacy and the reading/writing connection!  My life is grounded in the love and support of my hardworking teacher/coach husband, as well as two busy, joyful sons.

Pending bio.

Hello, I am a middle school Career and Technology teacher at Adkins MS. I graduated from TAMUCC, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and History. I received my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a gifted endorsement from Regent University in Virginia. I am certified in EC-12 Technology Applications and 6-8 Social Studies. I believe that Integrating technology in learning provides avenues for students to be able to effectively take charge of their own learning.

Hello, my name is Keri Meschko. I received my Master's Degree from The University of Northern Colorado and my Bachelor's Degree from William Penn University in Iowa. I have been a Dyslexia Specialist for 9 years. I am a Dyslexia Specialist with CCISD and enjoy working with and coaching Dyslexia Teachers and students K-12. I am so excited to find new ways to intergrate technology so that our students with dyslexia have accessibility, motivation and success every day!

My name is Laura Cantu, and I am a Secondary Special Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction for CCISD. I received my bachelor’s degree from Tarleton State University and my master’s degree in educational administration from Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. I served 10 years as an Educational Specialist for the Education Service Center, Region 2. I am excited to share ways to make learning more accessible to all students.

My name is Laura Veach, I am one of the Instructional Coaches at Baker MS. I graduated from WGU in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and am a Masters student at Texas A&M Corpus Christi studying instructional leadership. I taught both 2nd and 5th grade at Smith Elementary, where I utilized technology to create the highest student engagement! I enjoy sharing the ways technology can change learning for the better! 

Hello! My name is Laurie Gomez. I earned my BA in Psychology and my MS in Elementary Education a long, long time ago! I have been with CCISD since 2002, and I am currently serving and supporting all of the middle schools as a Math Specialist. Math is no longer a paper and pencil artform, nor should we have a one size fits all approach with our instruction. I am super excited to share innovative ways to provide instruction for our different learners!

My name is Lindsey Aguirre and I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi in 2005. I currently teach 3rd grade at Mireles Elementary and am embarking on year 18! What excites me the most about integrating technology in the classroom is how technology engages and empowers my students throughout the school year.  

My name is Dr. Maria Iyescas and I am the Coordinator for Mental Health Services.  I received my master's degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington and my doctorate in social work from Tulane University.  I am excited to utilize a variety of technology tools in order to share important information on mental health topics, conditions, and advocacy.  

Hi I'm Melissa Winkler. I have a Bachelor's of Science in Life Science Education from TAMUCC and a Master's degree in Educational Administration from TAMUK. I currently serve my district as a secondary science specialist. I'm a recovering post-it note addict excited to help teachers be more productive and improve efficiency in their classrooms using technology. 

My name is Meredith Boxwell. I graduated from TAMU-CC with a Bachelors Degree. I teach 1st grade at Mireles Elementary School. I love seeing how excited my students get when using the school applications available to them.

My name is Monica Leal. I'm currently an instructional coach at Oak Park.  I have a Bachelors of Science in Biology. I have taught 2,nd, 3rd and 4th grade & integrating technology is key in 21st century blended learning. With integrating technology in the classroom, I am helping the students get ready for a technological world. 

Nora Casas-Garcia is the AVID Specialist for CCISD. She has been in education for 25 years and earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Texas A& M CC. She currently serves all secondary campuses and one elementary school that has AVID. The most rewarding part of her job is being able to work with campus leaders, teacher and students and she believes technology is a beneficial means for communication and growth. 

Howdy!  My name is Paul Castorena and I am the Assessment and Accountability Advisor for the Miller HS VLC. I have a Bachelor’s from the UT - Austin in Chemical Engineering, and I a Masters in Secondary Education from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I have been serving the students of CCISD for 16 years. I love to use technology to increase student engagement and help educators differentiate.

My name is Randi Jones and I serve as the Coordinator for Secondary Curriculum and Instruction. I have BA and MA degrees in English and have served as a classroom teacher of English and Technology, as subject area coordinator, as a specialist for secondary English and as the coordinator for Gifted and Talented. My philosophy of teaching and mentoring teachers is centered around creating and maintaining high expectations, rigor, engagement and collaborative learning.

My name is Ruben Rocha and I'm a graduate of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and a Master of Science in Educational Administration. During the past 26 years with CCISD, I have served as a Secondary Social teacher and now presently as the Secondary Social Studies Specialist.  I believe technology integration is integral to engaging students and creating active learners to better prepare them for the 21st century. 

My name is Selena Armendarez-Garza and I'm a graduate of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Master of Science in Elementary Education. I am the Elementary Social Studies Specialist (K-5) for CCISD. I believe technology integration is integral to engaging students and creating active learners to better prepare them for the 21st century. 

My name is Sue Elwood. I’m a graduate from Texas Tech University with a doctorate in  Educational Design and Instructional Technology.  

I work at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi in the Curriculum, Instructional and Learning Sciences department. My professional passions center around collaborating with other professionals in technology infusion and emergent technologies for informal and formal learning environments. I look forward to our Art of Innovation days! 

39+ years in Technology. Interim CTO, Currently the Cybersecurity Information Officer. Managed technical staff, budgeted funds, coordinated projects, and implemented Technology Infrastructure. During my time, was engaged in the following activities, Security Governance, Incident Response Lead, Security Policies, Leadership, Consulting, Training, Network Design (LAN/WiFi), WAN Design, Development and Operations Management, IoT, and Director of Technology.

Hello! My name is Valerie Sanchez. I am the Instructional Coach at Sam Houston Elementary.  I graduated from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Reading, and I graduated in Spring 2023 with a Masters of Science degree in Reading. I have spent 8 years as an Instructional Technology Chairperson. I am excited to share technology that will impact classrooms across the district!

My name is Victoria Smith. I graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor's in Marketing. I will be the Reading Interventionist at Mireles Elementary. What excites me the most about presenting at Tech 2 Teach is sharing how powerful and impactful Capturing Kids Hearts program can be through the integration and engagement of Google Slides and Lumio.

Hello! My name is Vicky Ybarra, the Elementary Math Specialist for CCISD. I obtained my bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University - Kingsville and currently pursuing a master's in educational leadership at the University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley. I am passionate about integrating technology into math instruction to create engaging and interactive learning experiences for students. 

Jason Clark is a Senior District Strategy Consultant on the Nearpod Professional Services team, leading high-quality implementation and professional development for Nearpod district partners in Texas. Jason taught elementary school (grades 3-5) for 18 years in Oregon and Virginia. He also served as a Technology Instructional Coach for 3 years, as well as another 3 years in the role of a District Innovation Specialist before joining the Nearpod team. Jason is passionate about educational technology and how impactful it can be for teaching and learning. He believes that just like teaching, professional development should be engaging and fun.

Over Kacie's 19 years in education, she has been committed to integrating technology to empower both students and teachers. She is passionate about challenging learners of all ages to push past the boundaries of expectations by adopting a growth mindset and taking a leadership role in their learning. Kacie's expertise enables teachers to create an active learning environment, while personalizing learning for each student. Kacie believes discovering how to recognize and engage students' natural curiosity will create learners who can contribute original ideas to move innovation forward.

Roel grew up as an EB in West Texas near Lubbock, where he began to learn English from a very creative first-grade teacher. As a first-generation college graduate, he earned a Masters Degree in Education and a Bachelors Degree in English from Texas Tech University. Roel has over 25 years of experience in EdTech. He is the proud father of Alexandra, a junior in college, and Milano, a junior in high school. He enjoys lifting weights, running, reading, and traveling.

Bonnie Blan has been an Educator for over 30 years, teaching Pre-K through Higher Ed. As a Fine Arts Teacher, Technology Director and Instructional Technology Coordinator, Bonnie worked with educators in numerous school districts to establish instructional strategies for project based learning using Fine Arts initiatives. Although Bonnie retired from full time teaching in 2018, she continues to teach Fine Arts classes privately and now works with school districts and Infobase as a Professional Development Consultant for Texas’s state-wide digital resources program, TexQuest.

Mary Beth was an elementary teacher for 26 years, primarily in Klein ISD, a large urban/suburban school district near Houston. In 1999 Mary Beth became a District Instructional Technology Teacher in Klein ISD providing professional development to teachers and administrators at all grade levels. This included helping teachers integrate Learning.com into their core curriculum and guiding the improvement of formative assessment practices. Since 2013, Mary Beth has been an independent consultant providing professional development to educators around the country. She is a Microsoft Certified Educator, Master Trainer, and MIE. She has been a Professional Development Specialist with Learning.com since 2015.

With 17 years in education, the last five being in EdTech, Paula thrives on inspiring a love for learning in fellow educators. She demonstrates how Discovery Education's high quality, TEKS aligned, ready to use digital resources make engagement in the classroom a breeze.

Francisco earned a Master of Arts in Communication along with a Master of Education Degree with a focus in Educational Technology, from the University of Texas.  He has worked as an educator and consultant for the past 20 years with institutions ranging from early childhood to higher education; currently an Education Consultant and Channel Manager with SMART Technologies; covering a vast geographical and culturally diverse territory in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and LATAM. Including his favorite district, Corpus Christi ISD!

Anna Wiles taught PK-5 General Music in Georgia and Tennessee before joining the QuaverEd Team as an Implementation Specialist. She earned her BA in Music Education from Lee University and completed Kodály Certification from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Wiles is passionate about empowering educators through professional learning.

Lori Gracey currently serves as the executive director of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) and is responsible for training Technology Directors, Administrators, Curriculum Supervisors, and Teachers across the country. During her ten years in this position, she has led TCEA in membership and revenue growth, helped to pay off their building and purchase a new, larger building. She has also implemented new conferences, partnerships with other associations, and professional development opportunities for members and non-members. She serves more than 17,500 members and oversees a staff of 21. Lori has also served on the board of the Texas Society of Association Executives and SXSWedu and as the Regional Program Chair for the ISTE 2017 Convention in San Antonio.