Meet Our Team

Dr. Monique Henderson

Monique is the author of 31 Things your English Learners Want You to Know: Lessons from the Classroom. She has more than 20 years of experience in education, including time spent researching and writing about public education in Mississippi, Southern California and Texas.

She has worked as a teacher, serving students who are English learners, homeless students, and migrant students. She has served as an English Learner consultant and project manager at an education consulting company in Ridgeland, Mississippi and also as the Director of Special Populations for the Mississippi Department of Education, overseeing the state’s English Learner, migrant, immigrant, neglected and delinquent and homeless initiatives.

Monique has provided extensive coaching and technical support to teachers, principals, superintendents and others in more than 65 school districts.

Her expertise includes addressing the needs of EL students in rural schools and schools with students of diverse linguistic backgrounds. She has worked in schools where EL students made up 75 percent or more of the student population, and schools with just one English learner.

As a former journalist, she has previously co-authored three books about education and education leadership and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Redlands in Southern California and Lonestar College in Texas.

When she is not teaching, conducting professional development or writing, she and her husband Matt can be found cheering on their teenagers and trying to stay one step ahead of two rowdy and demanding labradoodles.

Gabby Davis

Gabby Davis is a retired Mississippi Migrant Education Service Center Director. Before her work with the migrant program, Davis taught Spanish and was the EL teacher for Webster County Schools for 14 years. 

Davis is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, the Sigma Delta Pi national honor Hispanic society and a Cum-Laude graduate of Mississippi State University with a B.A. and an M.A. in Foreign Languages and a minor in Technology.  

She is a native of Mexico and a fluent speaker of both Spanish and English. Davis has extensive experience teaching English and Spanish as a second language, training and translating, as well as serving as a consultant and interpreter for various corporations. She is also nationally certified as an occupational Spanish instructor through Command Spanish, Inc. 

When she isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her grandsons, knitting and exercising.  

Dr. Pam Simon

Dr. Pam Simon has overseen Title III supports for English Learners in the Rankin County School District for more than seven years. She has served previously as a principal and assistant principal. She also has worked at the Mississippi Department of Education as a teacher recruiter.

When Dr. Simon isn't supporting educators and students, she can be found hanging out with family or traveling. She also is known as a lover of shoes and all things accessories! She enjoys motivational readings and working within her sorority.

Dr. Simon has a checklist for everything, especially so when it comes to helping teachers and students "take EL to the next levEL!"

Patricia Bynum

Patricia Bynum is a former language arts teacher who understands the science of reading and how to accommodate instruction for English learners and other students who struggle. She has more than 30 years of experience in K-8th Grade ELA. She has conducted multiple EL boot camps and tutorial sessions for EL Engage and understands the nuances of the LAS Links assessment. She has coached teachers in both EL and Special Education.

Mrs. Bynum has spent years learning and studying the study of phonics and sounds. She has trained teachers using PHONICS FIRST TRAINING as well as led multiple student sessions. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Miss. State University and a Master’s in Administration from Miss. College.

When Patricia isn't working hard to take EL "to the next levEL," she enjoys spending time with family, working in the yard and traveling.

Rob Brown

Rob Brown has served as Coordinator of EL Support Services for the Starkville Oktibbeha School District. He has already made a big impression as a presenter and coach, providing engaging, high-interest professional development.

He earned both his BA in Communication (with an emphasis in Public Relations) and his MA in English (with an emphasis in TESOL – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Mississippi State University. He has served as a teacher of high school English, creative writing, and television production, and as teacher of English Learners, librarian (at both the high school and elementary levels), curriculum technology specialist, and, most recently, as the Coordinator of EL Student Support Services.

Before his time with the Starkville Oktibbeha School District, he worked as an on-air personality at two radio stations, as a member of the news production team at two television stations, and as the Executive Officer of the Georgetown University Animal Care and Use Committee. Rob has also served as the Head Teacher at Lincoln American School in Chiayi, Taiwan, and as one of the first two non-Taiwanese teachers to teach English at a National High School in Taiwan (at the National Chiayi Senior High School).

Rob has also taught English in Sukagawa, Japan, and is a co-author of Chapter 4, “The Key Elements of Online Learning Communities,” in the book Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in E-Learning: Issues and Trends, edited by Harrison Hao Yang and Steve Chi-Yin Yuen and published by IGI Global in 2009.

When he isn't working hard to "take EL to the next levEL," he can be found enjoying his record and movie collections. (And if you ever need another trivia team member, he's definitely your guy!)

Amanda Brazelton

Amanda Brazelton is an absolute master at figuring out how EL students can be effectively served in the general education classroom, as well as in the EL program.

Amanda is our first Alabama-based coach, and she understands data and as an interventionist. She used data to implement effective Tier 3 interventions to help her students - including many English learners - to grow.

She has a Bachelor's degree.in Specific Learning Disabilities from The University of Alabama and a Master’s degree in Mild Learning Disabilities from Alabama A&M University. She holds 30 years of classroom and inclusive experience.

Amanda has been married to her husband Mark for more than 26 years. She has one son, a daughter-in-love, along with two grand dogs. She is a rescue dog mom to Dixie Belle and Sadie. Amanda enjoys spending time with family, reading, and watching sports — in person or on TV!

Dr. Kim Patterson Roberts

Dr. Kim Patterson Roberts has truly made a name for herself through coaching, not only in Mississippi, but nationally, including in a number of schools where most of the students are English learners!

In addition to her work with EL Engage, Kim is an independent professional learning consultant in partnership with the Center for the Collaborative Classroom. She brings our districts more than thirty years experience teaching in K-12 and university classrooms. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Mississippi State University.

Formerly the director of the Mississippi Writing/Thinking Institute, Kim has extensive experience designing and facilitating professional learning experiences with teachers, both in-person and virtually, to support teaching and student learning. She has authored or coauthored articles and chapters for publication and has developed and written a variety of curriculum and professional development materials. Kim has consulted with numerous school districts in developing whole-school professional learning models and has facilitated hundreds of workshops across the country.

Kim’s favorite job, however, is being Kimma with her two grandchildren, Finn and Ollie. Kim lives on a farm in Pontotoc, MS with her husband, Tim, their three horses, one
miniature burro, two dogs, one cat, and sixteen turkeys. Most weekends you’ll find Kim and Tim hauling to rodeo and jackpot events around the Southeast, where Tim
competes as a team roper and Kim as a barrel racer.

Dr. Tricia Bridges

Dr. Tricia Bridges is a veteran educator known to many educational leaders - both in the Southeastern U.S. and the nation.

She is an award-winning teacher with about 20 years of classroom experience. At EL Engage, she will be working with coaches on resource creation. She also will have a role in marketing and school improvement efforts.

She left the classroom to become the first secondary teacher-in-residence at the Mississippi Writing/Thinking Institute, where her duties included creating and delivering professional development.

She has a strong background in assessment and served as an assessment specialist for the Mississippi Writing/Thinking Institute and Preps, housed at Mississippi State University.

She also served as an instructional specialist in the Petal School District and created the teacher coaching division of JBHM Education Group. Later, she worked in similar capacities at Generation Ready, where she was the Mississippi Director and also served with national leadership on a variety of projects.

Jodie Parham

Jodie Parham brings expertise around English learners with special education needs and we are SO excited to have her on board.

Jodie is a nationally certified Academic Language Therapist with over twenty years experience working with children with language differences and providing reading support services for students, teachers and administrators. She received her Master’s degree in Dyslexia Therapy in 2008 from Mississippi College and completed a Master’s level certification in School Psychometry at the University of Alabama Birmingham in 2018. 

She has also completed extensive training in dyslexia, language development, and reading remediation across the country, including Comprehensive Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, Alphabetic Phonics,  Reading Readiness, Multisensory Math, Multisensory Reading and Spelling, as well as Dyslexia Identification and Diagnosis through the Texas Scottish-Rite Hospital in Dallas and the Shelton Evaluation Center in Dallas. 

Jodie has a high level of expertise related to the Science of Reading and how this body of research can be used to support English Language Learners. She has worked in both public and private settings and has served as a Resource Teacher, Case Manager, Interventionist, Dyslexia Teacher, District Instructional Coach, and District Intervention and RtI Coordinator. She was appointed and served on Alabama’s Literacy Task Force for three years, providing state-level support with the implementation of The Alabama Literacy Act. 

Jodie has special interest and experience in the unique reading and language needs of English Language Learners.  She has used her experience and training in working with English Learners, struggling readers, and data and diagnosis related to language differences to guide teachers, administrators, and districts on determining the unique language needs of English Learners.  She has special interest in supporting districts in MTSS support for English Learners and in determining when the learning behaviors exhibited in students are unique to English as a second language or an indicator of a learning disability. 

She also is a great addition to our team because of her HEART! She believes in the potential of every child with an enthusiastic approach to support that fosters success.

When not supporting teachers and students, Jodie loves spending time with her husband, Joe, and two kids, Lily and Charlie, as well as her two furbabies, Blitz and Piper.  She loves to travel with her family, plan a great party, and decorate for any event.  She loves to create a Friday night charcuterie board, has worked for years to master creating the perfect curry, and is a self-proclaimed floral design enthusiast.

Dr. Beth Coghlan

Dr. Beth Coghlan has spent the last 30 years dedicated to the field of education in her home state of Mississippi.  She has taught English, gifted, and EL in K-12 schools in Northeast and Central Mississippi.  She conducted educational research in Mississippi while working at Mississippi State University.  She taught pre-service and current teachers at Mississippi State University and Delta State University and has led teacher professional development sessions and workshops throughout the state. 

Dr. Coghlan earned a bachelor’s degree in English Ed, a master’s degree in gifted ed, a specialist degree in English Ed, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Secondary Ed.  She has been a National Board Certified Teacher in middle childhood since 2011.  Since becoming an EL teacher in 2015, she has attended numerous workshops, conferences, and trainings to learn how to best support EL students. 

Dr. Coghlan has been an active member of AMTESOL since 2015 where she has served as a board member and co-conference chair.  She currently serves as president of AMTESOL.

Although she is proud of the 30 years she has served the students and teachers of her state, she is most proud of the relationships she had built with her students.  She feels that her EL students have taught her so much about teaching and about life.  She feels that it was a great honor to have taught EL for so many years. As a coach and tutor with EL Engage, she looks forward to sharing her passion for and knowledge of these amazing students in a positive way.

When not working with teachers and students with EL Engage, she spends her time with her husband, Sam, and two children, Seth and Kathryn.  She loves to travel, garden, and listen to audiobooks and podcasts.  

Nancy Garza Tillman

Nancy Garza Tillman served as English Learner coordinator in Mississippi’s Hinds County School District for a number of years.

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In this role, she ensured that the needs of English learners were met both academically and in terms of language acquisition. As EL Coordinator, she led the district’s EL program, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations, and that all EL students received the appropriate resources and support to help them succeed academically.

During her time in this position, Nancy oversaw critical functions such as the identification of English Learner students, the development and monitoring of Language Service Plans, and the coordination of both language proficiency screenings and annual testing (LAS Links). She kept the district's EL plan up to date, submitted it for Board approval, and communicated important updates from state and federal agencies to educators and administrators.

She also played a key role in professional development for teachers, particularly in the area of instructional practices tailored to EL students. Nancy provided classroom strategies for teachers and collaborated with them to align instruction with the needs of EL learners. Her responsibilities included compiling and maintaining data on EL students, analyzing trends, and creating action plans to address any concerns. Furthermore, she ensured that students who met the state-defined exit criteria were exited appropriately from the EL program.

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In addition to her administrative work, Nancy served as a liaison between the district and parents of EL students. She ensured that communications regarding student placement, progress, and release from alternative language programs were delivered in a way that parents could easily understand. She also organized two major parent informational meetings annually, where she brought together community speakers, district staff, and families to discuss the educational needs and available resources for EL students.

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Her contributions extended beyond the school setting, as she worked to connect families with services to improve their quality of life. She collaborated with the Federal Programs Director to meet Mississippi Student Information System (MSIS) requirements and provided interpreting services to parents, teachers, and students across Hinds County. Through her work, Nancy played a key role in creating an inclusive environment for English learners, ensuring they had the resources and support to thrive academically and personally.

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She holds a degree in social science, from the University of Southern Mississippi, a Master’s Degree in Education from William Carey University, and is fluent in both Spanish and English.

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She previously served as the Junior Leadership President, powerlifting coach, assistant dance coach, dropout prevention staffer, and school interpreter for Harrison Central High School in the Harrison County School District.

When she is not working, she enjoys traveling with her family and spending time with her grandchildren, children, and husband. She also enjoys watching movies and relaxing with friends.

Michelle Ray

Michelle Ray is a veteran school administrator and teacher with over 32 years of experience. 

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Most recently, she served as Assistant Superintendent of the Hinds County School District, where she managed teams, ensured compliance with educational policies, and fostered parental engagement. Prior to that, Michelle held various leadership roles, including Middle School Principal, Director of Student Services, and Middle School Assistant Principal. She has also worked extensively as a classroom teacher, focusing on personalized instruction and student growth. In each role, she has demonstrated a dedication to supporting the needs of English learners, their teachers, and families.

Michelle holds a Master’s in Educational Administration from Capella University and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Mississippi College. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time on her cattle farm with her husband of 35 years. She is a proud mother of two daughters and grandmother to three grandchildren.

Renee Myers

Renee Myers recently served as Hinds County School District’s Assistant District Test Coordinator, Textbook Coordinator and Data Specialist.  In those roles, she supported assessment and instructional supports for English learners.

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She has served in the field of education for 30 years. She began her career as a second-grade teacher at Crystal Springs Elementary in Copiah County School District. The past 25 years have been spent with Hinds County School District serving the students of Hinds County in several positions, which include serving as a teacher, interventionist, and academic strategist at Gary Road Elementary School, and district test coordinator, textbook coordinator, MTSS coordinator and data specialist at the central office. Mrs. Myers received her Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Mississippi College and graduated with honors. Her areas of expertise include the science of reading, interventional support and data analysis, with an eye on determining how to grow EL students at each proficiency level. 

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Mrs. Myers has been married to her high school sweetheart, Robbie Myers, for 29 years. They have two children, Hunter and Mackenzie Myers.  Mrs. Myers plans to continue to assist in improving student achievement and aid teachers and administrators in providing a quality education for all students.