Jessica Beecher
Jessica Beecher, Ed.S, BCBA, LBA TX, has been in education working with and advocating for children and teens with intensive behavioral needs for 22 years. A New England native, she earned her degrees from Boston College and Simmons College, studying Elementary, Special, and Behavioral Education. Jessica is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and is passionate about sharing the neuroscience behind behavior. She absolutely believes that there are NO BAD KIDS and that problems can be solved with compassion and knowledge. |
Ann Belcher
Ann Belcher is the Assistant Principal at Wayside: Eden Park Academy, a Charter School in South Austin, committed to ensuring ALL scholars receive a college-preparatory education. Ann completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Education and is currently working towards her Master’s in Educational Leadership. She has helped to change the culture and turn the school into a more positive and inclusive environment. Ann believes that building relationships with scholars helps to keep them in the classroom and learning. |
Jacque Cunningham
Jacque has 19 years in education, 5, as being a school counselor. This year, after learning more about them at Behave last year, she implemented Calm Kits in every room of the school! As the school counselor I helped facilitate the implementation of the calm kits in the room. Jacque is passionate about supporting not only her students, but also the staff. Her areas of particular interest are anxiety and trauma in relation to children. |
Catie Egan
As a licensed professional counselor, I have dedicated my life to supporting others in the pursuit of wellness. Having also served in psychiatric care facilities and public schools, I have witnessed the need for a transformative, neuroscience-based approach to behavior. With this in mind, I have served campuses as a Classroom Behavior Specialist, helping educators and administrators alike understand how to build their individual and collective capacity to respond to challenges effectively. |
Kristie Everhart
With 17 years of experience, Kristi Everhart has taught diverse student populations across multiple content areas and grade levels, including dyslexia, RTI and math. As a math team lead and aspiring nationwide presenter, Mrs. Everhart shares practical, teacher-focused strategies that blend expertise with authenticity. Passionate about the power of personality in the classroom, Mrs. Everhart helps educators harness their unique teacher super-powers to enhance classroom management, engage students, and develop future leaders. |
Iris Felder
As an Executive Director, Iris oversees programs that support students transitioning to and from DAEP. She collaborates with administrators, behavior specialists, and counselors to create structured reintegration plans, ensuring students receive the necessary academic and behavioral support. By focusing on communication, resource allocation, and data-driven strategies, She has helped smooth transitions, minimize disruptions, and ensure that students can successfully returned to their home campuses with the tools needed for academic and behavioral success. |
Albert Felts
Albert Felts is the Director of Student Support Services at Region 13 Education Service Center in Austin, TX. With over 40 years of experience providing behavioral support to students in residential, hospital, school, and incarcerated settings, Albert brings deep expertise and compassion to his work. He is passionate about developing leadership in adults who serve students with disabilities, striving to create supportive environments where all students can thrive. |
Dr. Paula Freeman
Dr. Paula Freeman is a dedicated behavioral psychotherapist who holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education. Her passion lies in supporting and supervising professional school counselors to achieve the most student-centered developmental guidance programs in the school communities they serve. Her journey in educational settings began as a Special Educator and a Bilingual Educator, and from these classroom experiences she decided to become a professional school counselor and worked in this role with children from PK-12th grade for 23 years. Eight years ago, she joined the team at ESC Region 13 to help educators build affirmative school communities for all stakeholders. |
Sarah Gallardo
In addition to holding a certification of Restorative Discipline Coordinator, I am also a certified Verbal Judo instructor and have implemented Verbal Judo in our district to audiences of parents, teachers, administrators, security, and everyone in between. Marrying MTSS with Verbal Judo, Restorative Discipline, mentor programs, and a litany of other supports has helped our district move beyond the traditional practices of punitive responses to behavior and has produced stronger relationships, improved skills, and allows for all parties to maintain their respect and dignity. |
Sean Harvey
My name is Sean Harvey and I am a behavior specialist with Belton ISD. I have 7 years of experience in education, 5 as a special education case manager and now 2 as a behavior specialist. My work is focused on implementing MTSS systems across 20 campuses. In addition to that, I train year 0 teachers through our Inspire Academy and provide coaching to teachers who are seeking classroom management solutions. |
Angela Isenberg
Angela has 28 years of experience in education. She trains and provided coaching support to Restorative Practices, classroom management, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, and leadership and team building. Her favorite part of working with at Region 13 is the connections she builds with both internal and external clients. |
Jerretta Jimmerson Davenport
Jerretta Jimmerson Davenport is a passionate advocate for highly mobile students, serving as an Education Specialist for Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth and Students in the Care of DFPS (Foster Care) at Education Service Center Region 13 in Austin, Texas. With a career spanning 25 years, Jerretta brings a wealth of experience and a unique, engaging approach to her work. She is also a certified Leader In Me coach, empowering both students and educators to develop their leadership potential. Jerretta's training sessions are known for their dynamic, interactive nature, eschewing traditional PowerPoints in favor of storytelling and hands-on activities. Her witty sense of humor and personal anecdotes create a memorable and impactful learning experience. Jerretta holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Minor in Reading from Huston Tillotson College. Outside of her professional roles, she is deeply committed to community engagement, fostering self-empowerment through arts and crafts. Jerretta attributes her success to the unwavering support of her husband " Steve", children, and family. |
Bryce Kessler
Bryce Kessler was born into a family of educators and has personally experienced the lifelong impact of music and arts education. He's been playing piano and cello for 15 years and has a deep love and appreciation for orchestral music. In his role at The Well, he combines his personal passions for music, education, and arts administration to deepen The Well's national impact on student wellbeing and behavior with Mindful Music Moments and Mindful Poetry Moments. He is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University's (Cleveland, OH) Arts Management & Entrepreneurship program. |
Kelli Kramer
Kelli Kramer is the Network Behavior Specialist for Wayside Schools, a Charter School in South Austin, committed to ensuring ALL children receive a college-preparatory education. Kelli completed a Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Community Services and later completed her Master of Arts in Education with Specialization in Behavioral Studies. She is committed to creating safe school environment and moving behavior responses from reactive to proactive, while building skills and relationships. |
Natalie Long
Natalie Long is an experienced educator and leadership specialist at ESC Region 13, with nearly two decades of experience supporting students, teachers, and administrators. A former assistant principal and bilingual teacher, Natalie now leads professional learning and coaching for campus and district leaders across Central Texas. She is the author of The Practical Principal blog and creator of the Leadership Collaborative Network, focused on helping school leaders build strong systems and navigate crucial conversations that support student success. |
Richard Merrill |
Kelly Jo Morris
With over 15 years in classrooms and a masters in counseling, I have developed a passion for creating positive change across the educational landscape. As a Classroom Behavior Specialist, I have been fortunate to directly serve schools to focus on redefining campus culture from the top down. My goal is to ensure that administrators feel inspired and encouraged, teachers feel supported and regulated, and students feel safe and connected. |
Carol Nolan
Carol is a passionate educator with a wealth of experience as a Resource Classroom Teacher for Math and English Language Arts, as well as an Inclusion Teacher for all four core subjects. Since July 2023, she has been serving as an Education Specialist in Inclusive Practices at Region 13 ESC. Beyond teaching, Carol has been instrumental in creating inclusion schedules for students, teachers, and paraprofessionals, and has contributed to the development of the master schedule. Her enthusiasm for teaching stems from a keen interest in problem-solving and a desire to understand what motivates individuals, helping them unlock their full potential in a learning environment. |
Lucy Ramos
Lucy Ramos is an experienced educator, assistant principal, and former special education teacher with a passion for behavior management, visual storytelling, and student engagement. With expertise in de-escalation, relationship-building, and structured classroom environments, she blends creativity with research-based strategies to empower educators. As a photographer and storyteller, she brings a unique perspective helping teachers “zoom in” on student needs, “frame” expectations clearly, and “capture” a positive, supportive learning environment. |
Jennifer Russell
Jen Russell is a transformational health and life coach in Austin, Texas. Her passion is helping people from all walks of life live with more authenticity and purpose so that they can enjoy greater health, wellness, joy and balance. Before becoming a professional coach, she worked in early childhood special education as a teacher in underserved communities in New York City and Austin. She eventually became an Education Specialist and fell in love with presenting and coaching educators across central Texas. After 20 years in education, she shifted her focus to health and wellness and started Jen Russell Coaching. Jen is deeply appreciative of the work that educators do everyday and recognizes the unique challenges and stressors they face that impact wellness. |
Megan Skinner
Through her diverse experience in special education, Megan has developed a strong passion for behavior support. She has served as a behavior support teacher for both elementary and middle school students, in addition to spending a year as a district behavior specialist. Currently, as a Special Education Coordinator, Megan leverages her expertise to foster inclusive and supportive environments for students with various disabilities. Megan holds a B.S. in Education and an M.Ed in Special Education, with a commitment to promoting engaging and impactful instruction across all school communities. |
Debbie Tannos
Debbie Tannos has dedicated 20 years to working in public schools, specializing in supporting students with autism. Her roles have included Classroom Teacher, Behavior Specialist, and Special Education Coordinator. Since July 2024, Debbie has been serving as an Autism Specialist for Region 13 ESC. Debbie's extensive experience involves collaborating with classroom teachers to optimize classroom setup and design for effective behavior management using evidence-based practices, as well as providing training on implementing these practices effectively.Debbie believes that the foundation of behavior management lies in preventative strategies. With these tools in place, a classroom teacher can focus on teaching both positive behavior skills and academic skills. Debbie's goal is to create a safe, supportive, and relationship-based classroom environment where all students can thrive. |
Penny Taylor
As a behavior specialist, I have supported students during transitions to and from DAEP by creating tailored behavior management plans and collaborating with educators and families. I focused on helping students adjust to the structured environment of DAEP and ensure smooth reintegration into their home campuses. By providing targeted behavioral strategies, emotional support, and coordination with staff, I helped students successfully navigate these transitions, reduce recidivism, and re-engage with their education. |
Kendell Ward
Kendell is an experienced educator with 7 years of dedication to supporting students with diverse needs. Prior to education, she worked as a Recreational Therapist, where she gained invaluable insights into therapeutic approaches for individuals with various challenges. Last year, Kendell transitioned into the position of Autism Grant Specialist, a role she continues to hold this year, while also serving as a Behavior Coach across campuses in her district. With a deep passion for working with neurodivergent students, Kendell is committed to identifying and addressing sensory needs to create an inclusive and supportive academic environment that fosters student success. |
