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LEADERSHIP TEAM Sage Bear  Sage Bear earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Colorado. She spent some time teaching in the classroom, then became a principal at a state-funded supplemental school for homeschoolers. More recently, she and her husband have worked together to run several small businesses. Sage also currently serves as the chairperson of her county's public library. Arletta Beard  Arletta Beard comes from a long family line of teachers, both parents and grandparents. She graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1992 with degrees in History and French, a minor in German as well as an International Relations certificate and a 6-12 Texas state teaching certificate. In 2003 she received her MA in History from the University of Houston at Clear Lake. For the past 30 years she taught French, German, World History, and Special Topics in Language and Culture at Deer Park High School. Arletta retired in May of 2021 and is currently working on her second career, which is Hospice Chaplaincy. Her husband of 30 years also teaches at Deer Park high school in the Art department. Euan Blackman  Euan Blackman is an immigrant from South Africa who left a successful 12 year career in the private sector with AT&T and CompUSA to follow his passion for education. He went on to earn Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary studies (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Texas at Dallas. For the past 22 years, he has taught physics, chemistry, IPC, and biology in public schools across Lewisville ISD, Highland Park ISD, and Richardson ISD, where he has volunteered for nearly a decade on key district committees; including Bond Steering, Community Budget Steering, Student Health Advisory Council, and Discipline Management; all with an eye to champion policy reforms in teacher retention, compensation, and transparent governance in line with the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA). A pragmatic bridge between classroom realities and district leadership, Euan advocates for putting the "I" back in ISD, addressing teacher turnover, and delivering a robust American education free from external global agendas, all while prioritizing student outcomes and educator empowerment. He lives in Richardson, Texas, with his wife Laura, also a dedicated teacher, and is thrilled to serve as the new Regional Director for Dallas with Innovative Teachers of Texas, amplifying conservative voices in education. Lauren Day
Lauren Day’s background in education includes earning three higher education degrees, teaching at the college level, teaching her oldest to read and cultivating a read-aloud family culture, teaching in her church's nursery and children's ministry, consulting in the education industry, and also teaching TCOLE courses for law enforcement officers in Texas. Lauren with her husband own a couple small businesses and Lauren serves on a few Boards including going into an 8th year as a Senate-confirmed Governor Abbott political appointee. In 2025, Gov. Abbott appointed her to DSHS’ 17-member board. From 2017-2024, Gov. Abbott appointed Lauren to the 5-member Board of Texas Crime Stoppers Council in his Department of Public Safety where she served two terms. In the past 10 years of consulting, Lauren has worked with almost four dozen brands, personally fundraised $5 million+ dollars, sent tens of millions of mass emails and text campaigns, as well as planned and managed more than 500+ events creating incredible value for these causes, products, and services. Before consulting, Lauren spent a decade working in-house as the director of communications & recruitment for a seminary, as the director of external affairs for a think tank, for a Texas Congressman on Capitol Hill in DC, in China reporting on foreign direct investment news for Western companies with a manufacturing presence, managed marketing campaigns and business development for an national engineering firm, coordinated press interviews at a university, for an advertising agency—GSD&M—on the SBC (now AT&T) media planning account plus at worldwide public relations agency Weber Shandwick Worldwide. Lauren has been happily married since 2012, a resident of four countries and three states, and their four children are 5th-generation Austinites and 7th-generation grateful Texans! Matthew Driver Dr. Matt Driver currently serves as Vice Principal at Bushland High School, where he oversees operations, scheduling, and innovative instructional programs. He also instructs courses in Classroom Management and Secondary Instructional Delivery at West Texas A&M University and serves as a Texas Education Agency instructional materials consultant (2024–present) and an Instructional Materials Review and Adoption (IMRA) reviewer for the Texas State Board of Education (2025). An accomplished educational leader, Dr. Driver holds an Ed.D. and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from West Texas A&M University. He is certified as a superintendent, principal, and social studies educator, with Google for Education certifications as a Level 2 Educator and Certified Trainer. His K-12 career spans over a decade as a social studies teacher and coach at Canyon Independent School District (2010–2022). A prolific scholar, he co-authored “A Study of Rural Principals’ Evaluative Practices Using the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System” in Theory & Practice in Rural Education (2022). Honored with the Randall High School Teaching Excellence Award (2012, 2017), he served as a Teacher Leader for the Texas Association of Future Educators. In both his college and K-12 roles, Dr. Driver is deeply committed to teaching every student what is good, true, and beautiful. He has volunteered in many roles at his church, working with students. He lives in the Texas Panhandle with his beloved wife since 2007, and their two remarkable sons — a deep source of pride and joy. Lara Martin  Lara Martin is a veteran Texas educator with more than 18 years of experience serving students across Central Texas. A versatile and highly effective teacher, she has built a reputation for raising achievement, closing gaps for special populations, and leading instructional teams with clarity and purpose. Throughout her career, Lara has taught science and social studies at the secondary level, served as a Special Education Department Chair, and led campus and district initiatives that strengthened inclusion practices, improved curriculum, and elevated student outcomes. Lara’s leadership experience includes writing district-level special education policy, directing co-teach and inclusion model improvements, mentoring new teachers, and serving on multiple School Leadership Teams. She is known for her strong communication skills, her advocacy for students and educators, and her commitment to excellence in public education. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Lara holds multiple teaching certifications and has also directed nonprofit programs supporting students and families. As the Austin Area Regional Director, she is dedicated to empowering educators, strengthening conservative values in Texas schools, and supporting teachers who want to make a meaningful impact in their communities. Rebecca Nix  Rebecca Nix is proud to have served students in Texas public schools for nearly thirty years. She spent 26 of those years in the classroom teaching Spanish, English, and ESL across all grades 7-12. Most recently she transitioned to a leadership role coordinating the bilingual/ESL program for Shepard ISD. She is an active member of Texas Association of Bilingual Educators (TABE) and has worked diligently in SISD to implement an effective linguistic program that helps students achieve literacy in both English and the native language. She has a passion for the plight of these across the state and desires to be a voice on their behalf, ensuring that they have become successful bilingual members of their local communities and the global market. Rebecca holds a Bachelor's Degree from Howard Payne University and is currently enrolled in a Master's program through Liberty University. She and her husband have three grown, married children. They also have four grand loves who are the light of their lives. Dr. Christopher M. Rhoades
Amy Sasser  Amy L. Sasser brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to ITTexas from both the business world and the realms of education. She currently teaches high school seniors full-time, and she adjuncts at both a local community college and a university. In her career prior to teaching, she worked in marketing, sales, and management, becoming a District Manager with a retail chain before finally answering the call to the classroom and switching careers. She has served in various volunteer positions, ranging from Grassroots Coordinator for a US Presidential campaign to Editor-in-Chief of her University's literary magazine. She has several publications under her belt, both academic and creative. Mrs. Sasser holds a Bacelor's in Humanities and a Master's in Literature. She is currently pursuing her doctorate, which focuses on leadership and management in schools. Steven Tatsch
Steven Tatsch grew up in the small town of Harper, Texas. In 2000, he graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelors of Animal Science. From 2001-2008, he taught Agriculture at Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas. From 2005-2013, he served in the US ARMY Reserves as a Petroleum Supply Specialist 92F. From 2008-2015, he taught Agriculture at Texas City High School. Then in 2015, he graduated from Lamar University with a Masters in School Counseling. From 2015-2022, he taught Agriculture at Deer Park High School where he now teaches Career Prep and Entrepreneurship. During his time as an educator, he has taught a variety of CTE courses, and he has been an advisor for both FFA and BPA.
Bailey Tucker
Michael Walton
Michael has a BA from Tarleton State, an MDiv from Hardin Simmons University and a BSBA from Colorado Technical University. He is a licensed/ordained minister of the gospel with fourteen years of previous experience as an Associate Pastor/Youth Pastor in Baptist and non-denominational churches. After having a successful ministry in the church, God called Michael outside of the church to minister in the marketplace in diverse settings. Through serving the Lord in obedience, even when it didn’t make sense, Michael has found tremendous joy and purpose in life. Michael and his wife Trina have been house parents in a therapeutic group home. He has worked for Child Protective Services and a private child placing agency as Faith-Based Recruiter, trainer, Licensing Specialist and Regional Director. Michael has also served in the public schools at the high school and elementary levels as an English and SPED teacher and school administrator. Previously, Michael worked at The Justice Foundation for two and a half years as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives in intercessory prayer, pro-life causes and School Choice.  |
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Professor Rhoades is a lifelong learner and educator. He has over a decade of experience in the education field and currently serves in the roles of teacher, professor, and associate academic dean. His instructional areas include mathematics, mathematics education, applied theological studies, and theological studies. He resides in southeast Texas with his wife and two dogs. His wife is also an educator. Professor Rhoades is a published author and conference presenter. In addition to serving as an educator, Professor Rhoades has also been a pastor for over a decade and currently serves in ministry with his wife as one of the pastors of a church in their community. 
Todd Taylor is a Texas educator who was born in Indiana, but who got to the great state of Texas as soon as he possibly could. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education and his Master of Science in Education, both from Western Illinois University. Todd moved to Texas 30 years ago to start his teaching career. He retired at the end of the 2023 school year, before retiring he taught one year in Galena Park ISD, 20 years in Pasadena ISD, and 8 years in Houston ISD.
Bailey Baker is a graduate of Deer Park High School, where she participated in marching band and was the percussion section leader. She chaired a parliamentary procedures team for FCCLA that won second in State competition and advanced to Nationals. She also founded a chapter of the Teenage Republicans on her campus during her sophomore year, where she served as President. She is currently a student at University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she is pursuing a degree in education. She also serves as the Texas Senate District Parliamentarian. Bailey is excited to produce and host the ITTexas podcast for Future Educators: Preparing for the Future, where she speaks with guests about issues and concerns facing teachers in today's world, as well as how to address them.
Michael Walton is a follower of Jesus Christ who has been blessed through the covenant of marriage to Trina for 33 years. Together they have three children and other spiritual children with whom the Lord has richly blessed their family. 