Coyote Balderrama-Shook
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Dr. Coyote Balderrama-Shook is the current School Programs Manager at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. They previously worked at the Harry Ransom Center, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and as a high school humanities teacher. They received their PhD in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. |
Renee Blackmon
4QM Teaching
Renee Blackmon started her educator journey when she returned to the University of Texas to earn a teaching certificate while working as an Austin police officer. Her classroom experience started at Hays High School in Buda, Texas where she taught world history, economics, government, street law, and journalism. From there she moved to Round Rock ISD, a suburban district north of Austin, where she was instrumental in getting AP World History offered in the district. Renee went on to serve as an instructional coach and later as a program manager with a statewide curriculum team. She has been active in the social studies community for over thirty years and is a past president of the Texas Council for the Social Studies. She has a BSW from the University of Texas at Austin and an M. Ed. from Concordia University. |
Latricia Davis
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Latricia Davis is the Ackerman Family Director of Education at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, where she leads the development and implementation of educational programs and curriculum designed to engage audiences from kindergarten through adulthood. She also oversees a wide range of initiatives, including teacher training, student programs, and partnerships that promote understanding of history, human rights, and social responsibility.
Prior to joining the Museum, Davis spent nearly 15 years as a secondary educator and college instructor in Texas and Colorado. Throughout her career, Davis has been dedicated to creating transformative learning experiences that inspire critical thinking, empathy, and active citizenship. |
Amanda Die
Studies Weekly
Amanda Die is a Studies Weekly curriculum specialist and instructional trainer. She holds teaching certifications for Early Childhood through Sixth Grade, English Language Arts and Reading, English as a Second Language, a Texas principal certificate and a Master of Education Degree in Administration from Lamar University.
After spending more than sixteen years in both private and public schools, Amanda understands the impact of providing a strong foundation for social studies on a school and its community. She has been sharing her Studies Weekly experience and knowledge as a professional development trainer since May 2020. An important part of her current responsibilities is supporting educators as they engage students in social studies content. She is proud to be a part of a team that recognizes and prioritizes the importance of EVERY member of the school community. |
Jamie Filipow
Social Studies School Service
Jamie Filipow is a Partnerships and Instruction Coordinator at Social Studies School Service. In her role, she partners with districts to align goals, resources, and professional learning. With over 16 years' experience in Texas public education, she has led curriculum, assessment, and professional development programs. |
William Gross
Austin ISD + PBS LearningMedia
William Gross is a 7th year teacher at Travis Early College High School in Austin Texas. He is the Social Studies department chair and currently teaches US History, AP US History, Government, AP Government, and Personal Finance. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and in 2020 from the University of Texas in Austin with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction focusing on Social Studies education. |
Michelle Hanchett
National Geographic Learning/ Cengage
Michelle Hanchett is the Social Studies Content Specialist for National Geographic Learning. She has worked for National Geographic Learning for 14 years traveling the country doing presentations for teachers of all grades. Her passion for Social Studies included being an advisor for the YMCA Youth in Government program for more than 16 years. She fell in love with Mapmaker in the Social Studies programs and enjoys sharing the features with teachers. |
Kameko Jacobs
LBJ Presidential Library
Kameko Jacobs serves as an Education Specialist at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum. Her educational background is in History (B.A., Oberlin College) and Social Studies Education (M.Ed., UT Austin). Before joining the LBJ Library, she taught 11th grade U.S. history for six years in Round Rock, Texas. Kameko is passionate about rich, engaging, student-centered social studies instruction that can enliven the past and enlighten the present. She loves both developing world class professional development for teachers and creating primary source dense, engaging, classroom-ready curriculum. |
Alan Lowman
Lowman Education LLC
Alan Lowman is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lowman Education. Born to Texas educators and a product of Texas public schools, Alan's roots in Texas education run deep. Alan has 11 years of experience teaching in Texas middle-school classrooms, where his infectious personality and passion for people inspired both students and teachers alike. Alan founded Lowman Education in 2018 with the mission of creating simple, effective materials to help teachers focus on educating students and improving their performance. |
Jan Miller
State Bar of Texas LRE
Jan L. Miller serves as Director of Law-Related Education for the State Bar of Texas. She began her career in education as a classroom teacher and later served as Social Studies Coordinator for McAllen Independent School District from 1983 to 1992, where she led curriculum development and instructional programs across K–12 levels.
In 1992, Ms. Miller joined the State Bar of Texas as Coordinator of the Law-Related Education Department. In 1995, she advanced to Director and also became Executive Director of Law Focused Education, Inc., where she has led statewide initiatives to promote civic education, constitutional understanding, and legal literacy among students and educators.
Ms. Miller has been widely recognized for her contributions to law-related education. She received the Isidore Starr Award from the American Bar Association in 2007, one of the nation’s highest honors in the field of law-related education. In 2015, she was awarded the Sumners Foundation Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition of her outstanding commitment to public service and civic education. |
Providence Nkurunziza
Texas Holocaust, Genocide and Antisemitism Advisory Commission
Providence Nkurunziza is a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, an author, inspirational speaker, and advocate against violence toward women and children. At age 11, she lost both parents, five siblings, and her entire extended family during the genocide.
In 2022, she published her memoir, Next Couple Hours: A Story of Fear, Loss, Courage, and Determination During and After the Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Through her work, Providence bears witness to the atrocities of genocide, believing it is a responsibility to honor those who were lost and to educate future generations, as no society is immune to such violence.
Providence has spoken at the United Nations, the Swedish Parliament, Holocaust museums, universities, synagogues, churches, and libraries. She is an ISGAP scholar, having completed advanced study on combating antisemitism at Oxford University, and was recently honored by Wagner College for her leadership in Holocaust, genocide, and anti-bias education. |
Becky Ramirez
Texas State Historical Association
Becky Ramirez was born right outside of Lubbock, Texas, home of the Red Raiders. She stayed in the West Texas area through high school before heading off to Angelo State University where she earned her Bachelor's Degrees in History and English in 1996.
Becky returned to her home in Odessa, Texas in 1998 and began a 30-year teaching career in public education as an English and History teacher, Region 18 ESC educational consultant, and PK-12 Social Studies Coordinator before joining TSHA. Her passion for all things social studies and student excitement led her to continue her professional journey with our team now. |
Brandon Vanderford
Constituting America
Brandon Vanderford has been a Clinical Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, NABE, and Tarrant County College for the last 14 years. He has been on the Board of Directors for Constituting America for 16 years and leads the Nation Wide School Speaking Initiative. This year, for America's 250'th birthday, Constituting America intends to provide more than 250,000 Free Constitutions, Free speaking events at more than 250 schools, and Scholarship opportunities including trips to Washington DC and Prizes up to $5,000 for Students and Teachers all across the United States! |
Glenn Wiebe
ESSDACK
Glenn Wiebe is a nationally recognized educator, consultant, and keynote speaker specializing in social studies instruction, curriculum design, and instructional technology. A former middle school history teacher with a master’s degree in American History, he now works helping Social Studies teachers across the country supporting inquiry-based learning, primary sources, and engaging instructional practices. Glenn is the co-author of The Social Studies Field Guide, a former president of the National Social Studies Leaders Association, and the author of the award-recognized blog History Tech. |
