John Fitzpatrick

Executive Director
jfitz@cftexas.org

John Fitzpatrick, THSP’s Executive Director, has an extensive history working with education. Before taking the helm at THSP, Mr. Fitzpatrick served as Executive Director of the Capital Area Training Foundation, now Skillpoint Alliance, where he worked to build relationships between the business sector, educational interest groups, and community partners for the benefit of Central Texans.  Concurrently, he held the position of Vice-President for Education and Workforce Development for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and also served as an elected member of the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees.  He spent four years on Capitol Hill where he worked on education and workforce development policies for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.  Mr. Fitzpatrick first began his career in education as a middle school teacher and coach.  He received a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and a master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at University of Texas-Austin.

George Tang

Chief Operating Officer
gtang@cftexas.org

As Chief Operating Officer, George Tang ensures THSP’s day-to-day operations align with its mission of preparing all Texas students to graduate from high school ready for college, career and life.  Prior to joining THSP, Mr. Tang co-founded Rosetta, an advertising agency fueled by an analytical approach to creating marketing strategies.  In 2009, Mr. Tang returned to Dallas to focus on education, addressing the significant gaps and challenges currently stressing the education system.  Mr. Tang earned a bachelor of science in finance and accounting from New York University.

Chris Coxon

Chief Program Officer
ccoxon@cftexas.org

J. Chris Coxon currently serves as the Chief Program Officer for THSP.  Mr. Coxon previously served as the Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning for the Boston Public Schools.  During his tenure, the Broad Prize for Urban Education recognized the district as a finalist for four consecutive years and then as the winner in 2006.  Mr. Coxon has also served as a principal, district administrator, and teacher in Puerto Rico for the Department of Defense Education Activity and in Dallas where he began his teaching career.  He has served on various educational boards at the state and national level and has presented at various conferences across the country.  In 2000, Mr. Coxon was selected into the Urban Superintendents Program at Harvard University.  Mr. Coxon holds a bachelor’s degree from Benedictine College, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Phoenix University, and a master’s degree in administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University, where he is also a 2011 doctoral candidate.

Heather Zavadsky

Director of Research and Implementation
hzavadsky@cftexas.org

Dr. Heather Zavadsky, Director of Research and Implementation for THSP, has over fifteen years of experience in education research and practice, with a particular emphasis on urban education, district data and accountability systems, teacher quality, systemic district/school reform, and special education.  Before coming to THSP, Dr. Zavadsky was the Director of Policy at the University of Texas System Institute for Public School Initiatives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in special education, a master’s degree in education administration, and a Ph.D. in educational administration with a specialization in educational policy and planning and recently published a book for Harvard Education Press entitled, Building School Reform to Scale:  Five Exemplary Urban Districts.

Gene Acuna

Director of Advocacy and Communications
gacuna@cftexas.org

Gene Acuña serves as Director of Advocacy and Communications for THSP, bringing more than 25 years of journalism, government, public relations and communications experience to the position.  A 1980 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Gene began a decade-long career as a television reporter where he specialized in covering statewide elected officials and politics, the Texas Legislature, and issues related to State government.  After leaving the TV newsroom, he went on to direct the communication offices at various state agencies including the Office of the Secretary of State, the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Railroad Commission.  Gene culminated his work in state government by serving two years as Deputy Press Secretary to Governor Rick Perry.  His government experience also includes two years of service as the Director of Communications and Public Information for the City of Austin.  In the private sector, Gene has worked for two influential public relations firms – Fleishman-Hillard and Hahn, Texas (formerly TateAustinHahn) – where he led successful public relations and public affairs campaigns for a variety of government and business clients. 

Amy Groff

Chief Financial Officer
agroff@cftexas.org

Amy Groff is THSP’s Chief Financial Officer.  Before joining the THSP team, Ms. Groff served as Vice President of Finance and Administration for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for 23 years.  Prior to joining the Symphony, she was with PricewaterhouseCoopers (formerly Coopers & Lybrand) leaving as a senior manager after seven years of employment.  Ms. Groff serves on the Finance Committee for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas County and as a board member on the Dallas Symphony Foundation Board.  Ms. Groff graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting. 

Alejandra Barbosa

Operations and Program Manager
abarbosa@cftexas.org

As the Operations and Program Manager, Alejandra Barbosa works to increase the overall productivity and effectiveness of the organization and assists in the management and implementation of THSP’s strategic initiatives.  Ms. Barbosa brings private sector experience in the areas of finance, strategy and marketing from a variety of industries including energy, travel, and consumer goods from her previous roles as a management consultant with Boston Consulting Group and as a financial analyst with Southern California’s major energy company Edison International.  Ms. Barbosa earned a bachelor’s degree in operations research and financial engineering from Princeton University and her master’s in business administration from Columbia University.  

Mark Baxter

Associate Program Officer, Policy and Advocacy
mbaxter@cftexas.org

Mark Baxter is THSP's Associate Program Officer of Policy and Advocacy, responsible for managing relationships with appropriate external policy-related organizations, public sector THSP partners and other third-party groups.  Mr. Baxter’s prior experience includes work at the federal level as a congressional staffer on Capitol Hill and state policy work with the Council of Chief State School Officers and Data Quality Campaign. His understanding of the implications of education policy at the district, state and federal levels is key in THSP's role as a statewide advocate for education reform. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master's in public affairs from the LBJ School at University of Texas-Austin.

Dee Chambliss

T-STEM Academies Program Officer
dchambliss@cftexas.org

Dee Chambliss is the T-STEM Academies Program Officer, and is a veteran educator with over twenty years of service in public and private education and state government.  Prior to joining THSP, Ms. Chambliss served the state of Mississippi as Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Publications, overseeing the publication and distribution of official state and agency documents and managing educational and training initiatives within the agency and between other state and national organizations.  Ms. Chambliss is a graduate of Millsaps College where she received a bachelor’s in biology and secondary education, Jackson State University where she received a master’s degree in biology, secondary education and administration, and Delta State University where she received specialist degree in educational administration.  Ms. Chambliss is currently working towards a doctoral degree and is completing her dissertation.

Jessica Bassett

Communications Associate
jbassett@cftexas.org

Jessica Dameron is THSP’s Communications Associate with experience in public relations, public affairs, and government.   Ms. Dameron previously worked in the Office of the Governor of Texas under Rick Perry in the Criminal Justice Division as a program specialist, grant manager.  After which, she worked as a communications associate for the Austin-based public affairs firm, ROSS Communications.  She is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a degree in political science.

Denise Davis

Program Officer, Early College High School Initiative
ddavis@cftexas.org

Denise Davis brings more than 25 years of experience in education to her position as the Associate Program Officer of THSP’s Early College High School Initiative.  Dr. Davis has taught in both elementary and secondary schools, has served as assistant principal and dean of instruction at the secondary level and owned and operated her own private school for more than a decade.  Dr. Davis holds a bachelor’s degree of science in elementary education from Texas A&M Commerce, a master’s in educational administration from the University of Texas Brownsville, and a doctorate of education in higher education from the University of North Texas.

Kelty Garbee

Associate Program Officer, Teacher Effectiveness
kgarbee@cftexas.org

Kelty Garbee is the Associate Program Officer for THSP’s Teacher Effectiveness initiative.  Before joining the THSP, Ms. Garbee worked at the Texas Education Agency (TEA) where she served as the Early College High School Program Manager.  In this capacity, she developed expertise in dual credit and P-16 partnerships and was responsible for creating a designation process that allows school districts and colleges to join the statewide network of Early College High Schools. Before working at TEA, Ms. Garbee served as Assistant Manager of Grants and Sponsorships in the Development Office at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.  Ms. Garbee earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Studies in Women and Gender from the University of Virginia and a master's in public affairs from the LBJ School at University of Texas-Austin.  She is currently pursuing a doctorate in education administration with a specialization in higher education from University of Texas-Austin.

Alma Garcia

Program Officer, Early College High School Initiative
agarcia@cftexas.org

Alma Garcia, with more than three decades experience in education from K-12 to higher education, offers a wealth of knowledge as the Program Officer for THSP’s Early College High School initiative.  She started her career as a bilingual education teacher in the Brownsville Independent School District, where she went on to serve as an elementary and secondary school principal.  She later joined the University of Texas at Brownsville, where, as an adjunct professor, she designed instructional methods courses for graduate and undergraduates students in secondary education programs, and later served as director of GEAR UP, a college awareness, readiness, enrollment and outreach program. She joined THSP in 2004 and is among the foremost expert on dual enrollment, dual credit and early college high schools in the state.  Ms. Garcia was instrumental in working with grantee high schools and institutions of higher learning in aligning their curriculum and building community support and with the Texas Education Agency on its new ECHS designation process. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Pan American University (now The University of Texas-Pan American) and has a master’s in educational administration from Stephen F. Austin University.

Julie Harris-Lawrence

Program Officer, Teacher Effectiveness
jhlawrence@cftexas.org

Julie Harris-Lawrence is THSP’s Teacher Effectiveness Program Officer and brings with her more than 25 years of educational instruction and leadership experience. Her strategic approach to building a successful program is reflected in her work as Director of Science and Math Partnerships for the Texas Education Agency.  Ms. Harris has also held senior administrative positions at Texas Woman’s University, working as assistant director and curriculum director for ACES (Access to Careers in Engineering and Science) early college experience. She received her bachelor’s degree (Biology and Chemistry) from Texas Woman’s University as well as graduate work in education, reading, and molecular biology. 

Melissa Henderson

Postsecondary Policy Analyst
mhenderson@cftexas.org

Melissa Henderson is the THSP Postsecondary Policy Analyst and brings with her eight years of experience in the Texas House, having served as legislative director for Rep. Patrick Rose.  Throughout his four terms, she had primary responsibility for advising him on education - both P-12 and postsecondary - particularly in his capacity as a member of the House Higher Education Committee for three sessions.  Ms. Henderson worked closely with institutions of higher education, House leadership and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on issues such as tuition and financial aid policy, top ten percent admissions policy reform, and creating student regent positions on the boards of regents of each public university system in the state.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University.

Susan Henderson

Program Manager, Early College High School Professional Development Network
shenderson@cftexas.org

Susan Henderson serves as the Program Manager for the Early College High School Professional Development Network.  Before joining the THSP team she was principal of the Berkner TSTEM Academy in Richardson ISD.  It was due to the achievements of this academy that Susan sought a position at THSP to expand her reach with such innovative programs as TSTEM and ECHS.  Susan has also served as an assistant principal, instructional specialist and math instructor.  In her current position at THSP, she manages the development and delivery of specialized professional development specifically designed to enable teachers to move students through rigorous classroom curriculum at a pace necessary for the completion of college courses in high school.  Susan earned both her bachelor of science in kinesiology and master’s in educational administration from the University of North Texas.

Kristin Kuhne

Research and Evaluation Analyst
kkuhne@cftexas.org

Kristin Kuhne is a Research and Evaluation Analyst at the Texas High Schools Project.  Her primary responsibilities include conducting quantitative and qualitative research on our statewide educational initiatives.  Prior to joining the THSP, Dr. Kuhne worked at the Texas Schools Project/Education Research Center at UT Dallas as a Research Associate.  Her work there included the evaluation of a variety of educational interventions from early childhood to high school. Dr. Kuhne received her doctorate in public policy and political economy from the University of Texas at Dallas where she also earned a master’s in public affairs.  She also holds a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Texas at Austin and was employed in the financial services industry before doing her graduate work.  

Reo Pruiett

Program Officer, T-STEM Initiative
rpruiett@cftexas.org

Dr. Reo Pruiett is the THSP T-STEM Initiative Program Officer, and has over 25 years of experience in education.  Dr. Pruiett began her career as a high school teacher and after obtaining her master’s degree, worked in central office administration as an exemplary teacher and leader, new teacher supervisor, and science supervisor. After obtaining her doctorate degree, Dr. Pruiett was chosen to become the director of secondary education which entailed working with all high school and middle school principals to promote rigorous academic achievement for all students.  She has served on various academic committees at the district, regional, state and national levels. 

Michelle Wisdom

Associate Program Officer, T-STEM Initiative
mwisdom@cftexas.org

Michelle Wisdom is the Associate Program Officer for THSP’s T-STEM Initiative.  Ms. Wisdom has worked as an educational consultant researching various education policy topics such as pre-k, high school graduation, accountability, data practices, and STEM initiatives.  She was also a Project Manager for the Center for Reform of School Systems’ Reform Governance in Action program which trains school board-superintendent teams to establish a wide range of efficient and effective policies and processes that improve board operations, strengthen management oversight, and directly improve learning opportunities for students.  Ms. Wisdom holds a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas-Austin and a bachelor’s degree in geology and political science from Texas Christian University.  

Denise Devora

Associate Program Officer, T-STEM Initiative
ddevora@cftexas.org

Denise Devora, Associate Program Officer for the THSP’s T-STEM initiative, has more than 14 years of higher education experience and has worked in the private and public sector of universities and colleges. Before joining THSP, Ms. Devora worked as the Director of Dual Credit and Tech Prep and as the Early College High School Liaison for Mountain View College.  As the Director of Dual Credit/Tech Prep, Ms. Devora was an integral part of forming the early college high school from implementation to the first graduating class.  Ms. Devora’s final role at Mountain View College was to serve as Interim Dean of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences where she managed over 100 faculty, adjuncts and support staff to ensure compliance and coordination of college-wide efforts. Denise received her master’s degree in organizational management from University of Phoenix and her bachelor’s degree in speech communication and public relations from Texas State University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in education with a specialization in leadership for higher education from Capella University.