Dr. Sharon Newman, PhD, Principal, Jess Harben ES, Richardson ISD
Jason Henry, MEd, Assistant Principal, Jess Harben ES, Richardson ISD
Ashley Bouras, MEd, Dept. Instructional Leader & Music Teacher, Jess Harben ES, Richardson ISD

Dr. Sharon Newman, Jason Henry, and Ashley Bouras serve as the campus leadership and systems team at Jess Harben Elementary. Dr. Newman, principal, brings nearly 20 years of experience with a focus on campus culture, instructional leadership, and sustainable systems. Jason Henry, assistant principal, contributes 12 years in education with an emphasis on MTSS-B coaching, classroom behavior support, and instructional practices. Ashley Bouras is a veteran educator and department leader who oversees Tier 1 systems and pilots Tier 2 supports, with experience in systems design, modeling, and professional learning at the district, state, and national levels.

Catherine Laundry, MEd, Regional Coordinator, Region 4 ESC

Catherine has been in education for twenty-five years! She left the classroom in 2007 to work for the LSU Behavior Project after experiencing how positive behavior practices can impact the culture of a school. She has been doing this work ever since. Besides LSU, she has worked on projects for the Louisiana Department of Education and Lafayette Parish School System. She moved to Houston 10 years ago to work at Region 4 Educational Service Center. In Tier 1 I Trust!

Dr. Kellian Hughes, EdD, MTSS Specialist, Region 4 ESC

Dr. Kellian Hughes has 25 years of educational experience ranging from classroom teacher, math specialist, district special education facilitator, and teacher development specialist.  He currently serves as MTSS Specialist for Region 4 Education Service Center.

Clark Fredrickson, MEd, Assistant Principal, Bee Cave MS, Lake Travis ISD

Clark is an energetic, people-first educator with 15 years of experience in education. As a Middle School Assistant Principal in Lake Travis ISD, he has supported two campuses in back-to-back launches of Tier 1 behavior systems. These experiences have given him practical insight into building staff buy-in and implementing behavior systems effectively.

Christy Freeman, MEd, Director of MTSS-B, Student Services and Support, Waco ISD

For 25 years, Christy has dedicated her career to serving students in the field of education. Her roles have included Special Education Teacher, Campus and District-Level Behavior Intervention Support Specialist, and Special Education Coordinator. She currently serves as the Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.  Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of working with students from Pre-Kindergarten to high school. I firmly believe that our most challenging students often highlight areas where our educational systems need improvement. As educators, we have a responsibility to meet students where they are, providing them with the necessary skills and resources to achieve success and thrive beyond the classroom.

When not at work, she enjoys spending time with my family.  She has been married to my husband, Jeff, for 17 years. He serves as a Lieutenant with the Waco ISD Police Department. They enjoy spending time together camping with their children and watching their youngest daughter play softball.

Abraham Medina, MEd, Assistant Principal, CW Worthington MS, Northwest ISD

Abraham Medina is a twelfth-year educator and assistant principal at C.W. Worthington Middle School in Northwest ISD. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and his teaching certification and master’s degree from Tarleton State University. A former bilingual teacher, Abraham’s areas of expertise include campus operations, compliance, and program management.

Shelly Schuessler, MS, Director of Special Programs, Burnet CISD

Shelly is an accomplished educational leader with over 28 years of experience in Texas public education, spanning classroom teaching, campus administration, and district leadership. She currently serves as Director of Special Programs for Burnet CISD, overseeing special education, Section 504, and dyslexia services. Previously, she held district leadership roles in Lake Travis ISD and Llano ISD, where her responsibilities expanded to include emergent bilingual education, gifted and talented programs, and mental health services.

Shelly brings extensive campus leadership experience, having served as principal and assistant principal at the elementary level, as well as seven years as a classroom teacher in grades 3–8. She holds a B.S. from Texas A&M University and an M.S. from the University of Texas at Arlington and maintains multiple Texas certifications, including Superintendent, Principal, Reading Specialist, ESL, and Special Education.

Ginger Kassel, MEd, Principal, Shady Grove ES, Burnet CISD

Ginger Kassell brings a strong background in early childhood education, a deep understanding of developmentally appropriate practices, and a commitment to servant leadership. She is known for her work in student behavior, literacy, and numeracy, as well as her passion for collaborating with staff to build positive, supportive learning environments. 

Ms. Kassell returns to Burnet CISD from her role as Assistant Principal in Llano ISD. Previously, she served as a behavior teacher in Burnet CISD from 2017–2018, where she was named Teacher of the Year at R.J. Richey Elementary. She began her career teaching first grade in Georgetown ISD, where she served from 2006–2015. She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Educational Leadership from Texas State University and is excited to rejoin the Burnet CISD community.

Mark Medley, Associate Director of Special Programs and Services, Bastrop ISD

Mark Medley has worked in public education since 2007 and served in Bastrop ISD since 2014. Mark’s experience includes working as a Behavior Teacher, Behavior Interventionist, MTSS Coordinator, and he currently serves the Department of Special Programs & Services as the Associate Director. This includes proudly serving as the campus administrator for Bastrop Works, BISD’s 18+ program. Mark believes in building strong relationships with campuses, students, families, and the community.

Kimberly Spurgers, MEd, Director of District Behavior Support, San Angelo ISD

Kimberly Spurgers serves as the Director of District Behavior Support at San Angelo ISD, guiding 20 campuses in implementing MTSS Tier 1 and Tier 2 for Behavior. With 24 years of experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Previously a principal for 14 years, Kimberly developed expertise in instructional leadership, student behavior management, and creating positive school climates. Her commitment to student success and inclusivity has been a driving force throughout her career. This year, Kimberly has continued to coach elementary and secondary campuses in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 implementation and focused on Job Alike PLCs strengthening collaboration among schools to enhance district alignment in implementation. Through structured discussions and shared learning, she helps campus leaders build sustainable behavior systems and increase fidelity of practice. Kimberly is dedicated to empowering educators and school staff to create environments where all students thrive academically, socially and emotionally. With a background in educational leadership and a focus on positive behavior interventions, she is committed to making a lasting impact on students and the success of San Angelo ISD.

Sarah McCroan, MEd, BCBA, Executive Officer to the Deputy Superintendent of School Leadership, International Leadership of Texas

Sarah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 18 years of experience in special education. She earned her B.A. in History with a minor in Political Science from Texas A&M University–College Station and her M.Ed. in Special Education from Texas A&M University–Commerce. Sarah discovered her passion for applied behavior analysis while teaching students with autism and earned her BCBA credential in 2013 after completing graduate certification at the University of North Texas.

Sarah has spent the past 11 years with International Leadership of Texas, where she has supported students, educators, and leaders through ABA-informed practices, professional development, and MTSS implementation. She has served as Director of Behavior, led the development of MTSS systems, and currently serves as Executive Officer to the Deputy Superintendent of School Leadership.

Sarah Pena, MEd, Coordinator of Social & Emotional Development, East Central ISD

Sarah Pena is the Coordinator of Social and Emotional Development at East Central ISD.  She oversees Comprehensive Case Management (CCM), behavior systems, school counseling, school safety, and family and mental health supports. She specializes in integrating restorative practices, community partnerships, and family engagement to promote student well-being and success.

Jennifer Andjelic, MEd, Director of MTSS Implementation, New Caney ISD

Jennifer has worked in education for 30 years. She has served as a teacher, instructional coach, campus administrator, and district administrator. She currently works as the Director of MTSS Implementation, focusing on Tier 1 systems and processes at the campus and district level. She has effectively led campus MTSS teams as a principal, which has helped her to work with her district leadership team, including the peaks and valleys.

Laurel Dickson, MEd, Director of MTSS, Richardson ISD

Laurel Dickson has been the Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Richardson ISD for the last six years. Her previous experiences include Section 504 Specialist, RtI Coordinator, Campus Behavior Specialist, and middle school educator of nineteen years. Thirty years of public education experience has honed Laurel's expertise in systems-level creation and implementation, as well as coaching leaders to achieve the outcomes they desire.