Todd White

Santa Anna ISD

Dr. Todd White is the superintendent at Santa Anna ISD, an "A" rated district with 100% economically disadvantaged student population.  Dr. White was the Region 15 Superintendent of the Year in 2023. Come find out why. 

Shannon Elliott

Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative

I am the mother of 2 and step mother of 2. I have been married to the love of my life for almost 8 years. I spent 16 years in Amarillo ISD. 11 of those years as a CTE teacher, 5 as an assistant principal, all 16 years at Title I campuses. I have been with the Title I, Part A PFE Statewide initiative for 2 years this coming June.

Johnathane H. Gaffney Sr.

Coach Gaffney Consulting Group

Johnathane H. Gaffney Sr. (affectionately known as Coach Gaffney) is a Fort Worth native with over 17 years serving in various roles in public education; starting as an elementary after-school tutor in 2007 to most recently serving as a district administrator for one of the largest districts in Texas.  Throughout his career, Coach Gaffney has served 5 school districts in 12 different positions which afforded the opportunity to learn the needs, values, perspectives, challenges, and experiences of various communities. To add value to the communities he has served, Coach has gained a number of certifications and improved his practice as a communicator, educator, family advocate, and social service developer.  

In light of his personal and professional experiences, Coach recognized the increasing need for capacity by building; particularly, in the area of holistic health including mental, emotional, and behavioral functioning. In 2017, Coach Gaffney began charting a path to gain credentialing and develop a systematic approach to respond to the social and emotional needs of various communities.  

Program Overview

Coach Gaffney Consulting Group is a social service organization that provides customizable solutions and continuous learning opportunities. Teaching practices such as in a cooperative learning format that is responsive to organizational needs.  

The foundation of our program incorporates

• Collaborative and Interactive Learning

• Depth and Complexity Learning Icons

• Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need

• Social Determinants of Health

• Trauma Informed Care

Jamie Goodwin

ESC 20

Building Capacity Statewide Initiative

Jamie Goodwin works as the Project Manager for Title I, Part A Building Capacity Initiative funded by the Texas Education Agency and produced by Education Service Center, Region 20 in San Antonio, TX. Jamie works to provide sustained support and works cooperatively with ESCs, LEAs, and charters across the state for Title I, Part A, Title I, Part D, Subpart 2, PNP, and ESSER. 

Previously, she served as a consultant on the School Support Team in the Administrative & Instructional Services Division providing support to district and campus staff in the areas of continuous school improvement, accountability, and the implementation of the Effective Schools Framework.  

Jamie is well versed in supporting Title I, Part A services and requirements, including Comprehensive Needs Assessment, the continuous improvement process, and effective use of funds. Jamie also has expertise in effective culture and climate and evaluating special education instructional programs. She is a former special education educator who has served as a classroom teacher, case manager, ARD/IEP facilitator, and district coordinator working with at-risk populations.

Yolanda Chapman

Northside ISD

Yolanda Chapman has served as the Family Engagement Coordinator in Northside since 2017. In that time, she has expanded the program from 3 staff members to 26; all supporting different strands of Family Engagement. Ms. Chapman is one of the inaugural recipients of the Parent and Family Engagement Model School distinguishments recognizing her best practices in Linking to Learning in 2018-2019. She was also recognized by the Alamo Area Council of Governance for the exceptional programs she built to serve NISD families with the Community/Non-Profit Project of the Year in December 2019. Ms. Chapman has always served people and worked in education starting in migrant programs in New Mexico. She then moved to experience serving underprivileged youth in Manhattan, New York. From there, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia where she worked exclusively with children and families on Title 1 campuses. Wanting to be closer to her own family, Ms. Chapman moved to San Antonio where she has been serving the Northside community and empowering families. Ms. Chapman loves the work she does and being with her family and son.  

Nicole Morales

ESC 19

Nicole Morales is a Professional Development Consultant within Leadership and Accountability at ESC ​19, serving as a consultant in areas such as: school counseling, Title I, Part A and parent & family ​engagement, foster care, career & technical education, college/career readiness, and ​effective advising framework coaching. Recently, ESC 19 was awarded a Human Trafficking ​Prevention Education grant, in which she is also the program manager. 

Prior to her role at ESC 19, Mrs. Morales was the Director of Student and Community Services at Canutillo ISD where she worked alongside school counselors, school social workers, and oversaw community programs. 

Mrs. Morales has 19 years in ​education, in which 15 years have been as a professional school counselor. Currently, she also ​serves as the Publications Chair for the Lone Star State School Counselor Association. Mrs. Morales strongly believes in advocating for all kids and supporting students to become global learners. 

Melissa Rodriguez

Fabens ISD

Melissa Rodriguez graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in social work and a minor in criminal justice. Returning to her hometown of Fabens, Texas, she collaborated with key personnel to establish the first parent resource center in El Paso County, working closely with the campus principal and parent liaison. This center offered parent meetings, workshops, supervised activities for young children, and a clothing donation center. Melissa's dedication led to the replication of similar centers across four other campuses in the district.

Throughout her thirty-year tenure at Fabens ISD, Melissa has championed the importance of parental engagement in student success, empowering families to support their children academically and pursue educational and career opportunities, thereby fostering growth within both families and the community.

Dr. April Galaviz

Fabens ISD

Dr. April Galaviz presently holds the position of Director of Federal Programs at Fabens Independent School District. Previously, she served as the District Testing, Research, and Accountability Coordinator at Canutillo Independent School District. 

Before transitioning into administrative roles, Dr. Galaviz was a biology teacher in a dual language high school program within the El Paso Independent School District. With more than 12 years of experience in education, Dr. Galaviz brings extensive expertise to fostering collaboration and engagement with community stakeholders and families.

Jennifer Vincent

Shallowater ISD

Jennifer Vincent has been an educator for 17 years. She has taught grade levels from kinder to fourth grade and has also served as a reading intervention teacher in Bryan ISD, Round Rock ISD, and Leander ISD. Jennifer is currently a first grade teacher in Shallowater ISD where she was named teacher of the year in the 22-23 school year for Shallowater Elementary.

Jennifer has been married for 28 years to Rodney and is a mom to Emily, Molly Kaite, and Clayton. 

Jennifer has served on various committees to promote literacy as well as engage parents with their child’s learning journey. This past year, she was involved with a grant titled, “Reading Under the Lights,” that was funded by the districts’ education foundation. This initiative brought a community together to center around all things literacy and prevent the “summer slide” that can happen over the summer months. Her biggest professional achievement is fostering a love of reading by catching students early in their reading development and getting new learners excited about reading as she watches the light bulb turn on as they begin to score big with their early foundations in literacy. She also has a passion for building relationships and connecting with families as well as  partnering with them to help navigate their child’s educational journey. 

Morgan Castillo

Shallowater ISD

Morgan Castillo has been an educator for 9 years. She served as a Pre-K teacher for Brownfield ISD her first year of teaching and has been a first grade teacher at Shallowater Elementary for 8 years where she currently teaches. She was named teacher of the year on her campus in the 2021-2022 school year. 

Morgan has been married for 10 years to her high school sweetheart, Daniel, and is a mom to Addie (6) and Tessa (3). 

Morgan has served on committees to promote literacy and has also been a part of numerous grants for her campus to help fund the educational needs for her first grade students. She also had the opportunity to serve on the districts’ bond committee in 2022 where the town of Shallowater passed a 50 million dollar bond to grow each campus’ building to better serve and meet the needs of every learner. This past year, she was involved with a grant titled, “Reading Under the Lights,” that was funded by the districts’ education foundation, that brought a community together to center around all things literacy and prevent the “summer slide” that can happen over the summer months. Each Pre-K through first grade student took home a free backpack full of books. 

Morgan’s greatest passion is developing lasting relationships that remain well beyond the four walls of the classroom with the students and parents she gets to serve!

Monica Diaz

ESC 15

Monica Diaz has been at the Region 15 Education Service Center for over ten years. She has worked with the Migrant Education Program and Marketing Department and is currently the Parent and Family Engagement (PFE) Specialist. As the PFE Specialist, Monica works closely with parents, educators, school districts, TEA, and community members to develop strategies that promote parent and family engagement in education. She currently serves on the Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Council. Her goal is to empower parents to become active partners in their children's education, help districts engage their families, and create a supportive environment where students can thrive. Monica remains committed to her family and is a mother to three children (16, 11, and 8 years old). She is working on obtaining her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership Policy through Texas Tech University. In her free time, she volunteers at her local church and mentors youth in her community. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and is committed to positively impacting the lives of those around her.

Alex Nieto

ESC 15

Alexandria Nieto has been with the Region 15 ESC for six years and is currently part of the McKinney-Vento team of 4. She leads the PAX Initiative at Region 15 for the state of Texas and assists with marketing at the ESC. She is a mother of 4 children, ages 8 to 19, and enjoys encouraging others and providing resources for overcoming life's challenges. Alexandria's passion for education and helping others has led her to pursue a degree in Psychology at Angelo State University. She is a hardworking and dedicated individual who is constantly seeking new ways to make a difference in her community, such as helping the food pantries. Whether through her work at the education service center or her community involvement, Alexandria always strives to make the world a better place. 

Carla Hempstead

Cleveland Municipal School District, Cleveland, OH 

As a Licensed Social Worker, Carla Hempstead has worked as a parent and family advocate, coach, mentor, and professional trainer for over 23 years at programs such as the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services, Healthy Families Healthy Start, Catholic Charities, The Centers for Families and Children, Education Alternatives, and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Carla also has certifications in Executive Leadership from John Carroll University and Project Management from Kent State University. Carla is currently leading the charge to create and manage the Parent Ambassador program at Cleveland Metropolitan School.

She is currently the Director of Family and Community Engagement at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District where she collaborates with over 68 staff to support schools in the implementation of effective family engagement. 

Carla has three adult children and 7 grandchildren ranging in age from 6 years to 19 years old. Her children, extended children, and grandchildren remain an important part of her passion and purpose along with helping parents/caregivers discover the value they bring as partners in their child’s education.

Liesl Payne

Irving ISD

Liesl Payne is proud to be the Executive Director of Adult Education, Employee Wellness and Community Engagement for Irving ISD. Her first 20 years in education were spent teaching elementary students; many of those years as the ESL teacher. Since leaving the classroom she has served as the Bilingual/ESL & Advanced Academics Coordinator for Lake Dallas ISD, Director of Admissions & Transfer at Murray State College, and this is her 6th year serving the parents and community of Irving ISD. 

She is privileged to serve on the Parent Council for the Title I, Part A Parent & Family Engagement Statewide Initiative. She has a true passion for working with families and believes their partnership is key to the wellbeing and success of students.

Vanessa DeLacretaz

Region 10 ESC

Vanessa DeLacretaz is a Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Consultant in the Office of Federal Programs at Region 10 ESC in Richardson. She has been there for over five years and works with districts and charters to ensure they remain in compliance with federal grants requirements which is much more fun than it sounds! Her favorite part of consulting is to establish and nurture relationships with staff from districts across the region. Prior to joining the team at Region 10 ESC, Vanessa was a high school English teacher in the Austin area for many years, a Grants Program Specialist at the Texas Education Agency, and a Grants Compliance Specialist at a large urban school district.  She proudly serves on the Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Council and looks forward to the continued growth and success of the PFE initiative in Texas. Vanessa lives in Dallas and enjoys spoiling her fur babies, CJ (9) and Pilar (11).

Madelyn Argueta

Ashley Washington 

Plano ISD

Ashley Washington, a dedicated educator, proud Navy wife, and devoted mother to three incredible children. Ashley's journey in education began at Stephen F. Austin State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She continued her academic pursuit at Lamar University, completing their esteemed leadership program and earning her Master of Educational Leadership degree.

As an Assistant Principal, Ashley is driven by a powerful mission: to empower ALL students to discover their voices and cultivate meaningful connections within the classroom. Her passion for fostering inclusivity and student engagement fuels her commitment to creating supportive learning environments where every individual feels valued and heard.

In addition to her dedication to students, Ashley is equally passionate about inspiring educators. She believes in the transformative power of exceptional teaching and strives to mentor, challenge, and encourage educators to become catalysts for positive change. By nurturing the growth and development of educators, Ashley aims to shape the leaders of tomorrow and contribute to a brighter future for all.

With her unwavering dedication to educational excellence and her relentless pursuit of student and teacher success, Ashley Washington is poised to make a profound impact in the field of education and beyond. Her vision, leadership, and commitment to fostering connections and inspiring change serve as a beacon of hope for students, educators, and communities alike.

Tiffany Alexander

Plano ISD

Tiffany Alexander, an accomplished educational leader with a wealth of experience and expertise in learning and development, instructional coaching, curriculum coordination, and parental engagement. With a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from The University of North Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Sciences in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas at Tyler, Tiffany brings a strong academic foundation to their role.

As a seasoned educator, Tiffany has served in various leadership capacities, including Assistant Principal, Instructional Coach, and Curriculum Coordinator. In these roles, Tiffany has demonstrated a keen ability to drive organizational growth and development through the enhancement and creation of training content, instructional design strategies, and effective communication practices.

With a passion for fostering positive relationships and engaging stakeholders, Tiffany excels in parental engagement and communication, ensuring that families are actively involved in their children's educational journey. Tiffany’s commitment to collaboration and partnership has led to significant improvements in student outcomes and school-community relations.

Tiffany brings a unique blend of expertise, practical experience, and engaging communication skills. Whether delivering workshops on instructional design, coaching strategies, or parental engagement techniques, Tiffany captivates audiences with their insightful perspectives and actionable strategies for success.