Jessica is a co-founder of Mid-South Gifted Academy. As a mother of four, she understands the intense desire of all parents to find a school where their children will thrive. With 19 years of experience in education, Jessica has worked in a variety of school settings to create challenging and engaging learning environments for gifted and high-achieving students. In 2017, she completed the Memphis Leadership Scholars Program at the University of Memphis, earning an Education Specialist degree with a license for school administration. Through her years of teaching high-ability children and listening to the hopes and concerns of parents, Jessica became passionate about finding the best ways to serve these students. Having completed extensive training in the Responsive Classroom approach, she acquired numerous tools and strategies to help students build academic and social-emotional competencies. She spent two years researching the micro-school movement in order to address the need in the community to provide another educational option for gifted learners, and Mid-South Gifted Academy welcomed its founding families in August of 2018. Jessica resides in Collierville with her husband and four children.
Jenn is a co-founder of Mid-South Gifted Academy and the mother of two. Realizing the limitations for gifted learners within a traditional educational model, she sought to find a solution. With extensive experience in instructional design, program implementation and management, and facilitation in adult training and education, Jenn has worked diligently to ensure learners of all types have access to resources and information that meet their needs. She’s particularly passionate about using emerging education methods to encourage curiosity and self-discovery within the gifted community. She believes learning should be joyful and curiosity should always be nurtured. Jenn holds a B.A. in History from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is an instructional designer of numerous training programs and courses, and has also authored several articles for Character First Magazine, an educational resource for K-12 teachers. Jenn’s hope is that Mid-South Gifted Academy will provide an environment for gifted children to feel a deep sense of engagement and belonging.
Director of Personalized Learning and Student Activities AMANDA NIXON
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela.
Inspired by this quote, Amanda has devoted 18 years of teaching to researching and implementing effective practices that develop world changers. She believes students should have opportunities to engage in activities that spark their curiosity, demonstrate their talents, challenge their intellect, and bring them joy. These opportunities are created through classroom experiences that take them beyond curriculum guidelines, as well as through extra-curricular activities. Amanda received a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Memphis and a Master of Education degree from Union University. She served as a Math coach for Shelby County Schools and the state of Tennessee. She had the honor of being selected as a Tennessee Educator Fellow for SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education) and has extensive experience in curriculum design. Through these experiences, Amanda developed practices to emphasize personalized, student-centered learning. Amanda lives in Bartlett with her husband and three sons.
Director of Academics, School of Innovation and Design
Dave Lewellyn
STEM Specialist DAVE LEWELLYN
David has a wealth of experience as a professional STEM educator, having taught in public and private schools in Virginia, New York, Florida, and Tennessee, as well as in Department of Defense schools in Yokosuka, Japan, and Naples, Italy. He has led several science departments as department chairperson and is responsible for significant curriculum and laboratory instruction innovations. His teaching experience encompasses all core STEM courses in grades 5 through undergraduate. He has also served as the Director of Curriculum for the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps for the 600 units throughout the country.
David loves science and is particularly passionate about environmental Science and environmental issues. He advocates practical, experiential learning and seeks opportunities for students to apply science to real-world issues. David is devoted to his students’ overall growth beyond the curriculum. He works tirelessly to instill a love of learning, commitment to the community, and student self-confidence.
David earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of South Carolina, a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Old Dominion University, and a master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of West Florida, where he also served as a graduate assistant for the Environmental Science department.
As you may have guessed, David comes from a military family. He is a retired U. S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer. He served on five afloat commands and was a Leadership and Strategy and Tactics instructor at the United States Naval Academy. He retired as a Commander while serving as the Operations Officer for Commander, Naval Forces Japan. David’s wife, Mary, is a retired Navy Captain. Before her retirement, she served as the Commanding Officer of the Navy Manpower Analysis Center in Millington.
David is active in all outdoor activities and is a big fan of local sports (Go Grizzlies!). His desire to become an expert fly fisherman has met limited success. He is a music lover, and when he is not outdoors on his bike or hiking, he attends concerts, local and otherwise, whenever possible. David and Mary have three children and a rescue dog named Jimmy.
As the mother of three gifted children, Claire devoted the last thirteen years to learning about how to best meet their academic and social/ emotional needs. She is passionate about creating early childhood learning experiences that allow children to wonder, explore, and create. Following a mindset of discovery, project-based learning, critical thinking, and curiosity, Claire spear-headed a curriculum change for her church Sunday school to a Montessori-based program called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Claire is part of the founding teaching team at Mid-South Gifted Academy, and she has devoted the past four years to developing MSGA's Wonder Studio program.
“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.” -Maria Montessori
The mother of two grown, gifted children, Trish’s deep interest in education began when she noticed her oldest struggle with boredom and behavior issues in kindergarten. The decision was made to homeschool, and a world of possibilities opened up for all of them. Trish has always been amazed at the ability of young children to absorb information readily and eagerly, and she strongly believes in the need for children to learn how to think critically in fun and imaginative ways. Trish received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Mississippi State University and has spent the last several years leading the PK-K children of her church in their Montessori-based curriculum, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She has a strong love for children and looks forward to guiding the youngest students at MSGA in confidently forming life-long curiosity and a love of learning.
Lead Guid, Exploration Studio and Music Specialist ERIN WEBB
A violinist from a young age, Erin became passionate about education through the teaching of Shinichi Suzuki. His belief in the ability of all children to learn at a high level and “concern about the importance of educating a really beautiful human spirit” inspired Erin to pursue teaching as a career. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in therapeutic recreation from the University of Georgia, Erin obtained a Master of Music degree in Violin and Suzuki Pedagogy from the University of Memphis. With 20 years of Suzuki teaching and a background in therapeutic recreation, Erin provided meaningful experiences to people of all abilities. As her two children grew closer to beginning their formal education, Erin extensively researched various pedagogical approaches and educational philosophies, particularly as they apply to gifted learners. Erin is delighted to bring her passion and enthusiasm to Mid-South Gifted Academy.
Growing up in a family of teachers, Laura knew from an early age that she was destined to become a teacher. While in college, Laura’s experiences as an ABA therapist led to a love of teaching exceptional learners. From developing personalized learning programs, teaching the individual child, and running her own classroom, Laura loved the challenge of implementing an individualized learning program that helped every child experience success. Laura has taught in the early childhood setting for almost two decades, most recently as a preschool teacher. Her passion for working with young learners is contagious and she strives to create a community of learners in a positive and nurturing classroom environment. Laura holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Memphis and is thrilled to bring her talents to MSGA. She is a married mother of two exceptional children and resides in Collierville.
“The best thing [we] can do is to teach children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning.” -Carol Dweck
This mindset has strengthened Jennifer’s belief in student-led goal setting and learning. Giving students ownership over the learning process grants them opportunities to build confidence and take risks that would not normally be offered to them in a typical classroom environment. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Psychology from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of Memphis. She has worked with gifted and high achieving students in both private and public school settings for the past 15 years, and she is passionate about creating learning environments that foster curiosity, wonder, and creativity. Jennifer lives in Collierville with her husband.
Emily discovered her love for teaching while studying music at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. She earned a specialized Associate degree in Piano Pedagogy from Ricks College and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University. She taught private piano lessons for nineteen years while she raised her five intellectually and creatively gifted children. She has served for six years in leadership training programs for youth in a church setting. Emily is committed to life-long learning and believes strongly in the power of mastery-based education for gifted students. Born and raised in Rexburg, Idaho, Emily is excited to call Collierville home.
Ryan is a driven, innovative, caring educator and lifelong learner. As the father of five intellectually and creatively gifted children, he is passionate about addressing the needs of gifted and twice-exceptional students, helping them develop a deep love for learning, and empowering these learners to dream big and reach their full potential. After more than 17 years of teaching experience in Idaho, including 8 years in gifted education, Ryan and his family are thrilled to relocate to the Collierville area to join MSGA. Ryan has a BS in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University-Idaho and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Gifted Education from Boise State University. He has additional training in project-based learning, literacy, STEM, and U.S. history; is a National Geographic Certified Educator and a member of the Education Reimagined Learning Lab; and was selected as the National History Day in Idaho Teacher of the Year in 2020. He is also an entrepreneur and has worked as an adjunct faculty member in teacher education at the university level. Ryan loves humor, seeks to build a cheerful and engaging culture, and enjoys motivating students with positive relationships and innovative learning experiences. He is an advocate of equity, inclusion, and social justice and strives to empower students to develop empathy, responsibility, teamwork, and kindness and to have an immediate impact on their community and world.
Elizabeth George is an education expert and entrepreneur. With over a decade of experience in college admissions consulting, Elizabeth has worked with K-12, undergraduate, and graduate institutions both domestically and abroad. She holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from Duke University and completed her master's in English at Georgetown University.
As a champion for gifted education, Wendy believes that gifted children have unique learning needs and that those needs must be celebrated, not subdued. Absolutely ecstatic about the approach that Mid-South Gifted Academy takes in inspiring, nurturing, and challenging gifted children, Wendy is extremely excited to join the MSGA team. Her desire is to inspire students to be questioners, discoverers, experimenters, innovators, and owners of their learning. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Education degree in Gifted Studies from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS. She obtained her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in 2007. She comes to Mid-South Gifted Academy from DeSoto County Schools, where she taught for fourteen years, with thirteen of those years spent working specifically with gifted students. Wendy's husband Adam is an art teacher at Riverwood Elementary School in Cordova. They have two gifted children, Hudson, age 11, and Emery, age 9. They live in Southaven, Mississippi.
“What makes a gifted child gifted and talented is not just good grades at school, but a different way of looking at the world and learning” -Chuck Grassley
Deborah is an energetic, life-long learner with a passion for teaching. Wanting to challenge her four intellectually gifted children, she decided to homeschool them, allowing her to research and embrace different educational methods. Homeschooling inspired a desire to teach others. She was a tutor at the Collierville Connection, teaching numerous classes, including middle school and high school world history and geography, personal finance, economics, health, ACT Prep and music appreciation. Striving to make learning relevant and fun, her students are able to learn in a way that maximizes curiosity and inspires learning. Deborah graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a BS in Recording Industry Management. She will complete her Masters of Teaching degree program at the University of Memphis this year.
Upper School Science Specialist and Personalized Learning Designer Dan Roberts
Dan is known for creatively weaving his wealth of experiences into the classroom. As an engineer and entrepreneur, he brings a unique set of skills and talents to Mid-South Gifted Academy. He has vast experience working with gifted students and is himself dyslexic. This helps him understand the challenges facing gifted and twice exceptional learners and their families. Born and raised in Memphis, Dan continued his education at Northwestern University and graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree before returning home to work as a product development engineer at Medtronic. He quickly gave into his passion for teaching and has continued to grow his education businesses ever since. He has taught Calculus as an assistant adjunct at the University of Memphis, been director of The Connection Homeschool Tutorial, run his own tutoring centers, and conducted STEM camps throughout the mid-south. He continues to run his Bits, Bytes and Bots Computer Adventure programs at public and private schools all over Shelby County. Dan has also continued his education by completing graduate programs in Engineering and Education through Christian Brothers University. During his free time, Dan loves to spend time with his family. He has an Instagram worthy dog, Suzy the math dog, and enjoys exploring with his wife and young son. When not being a husband and father, he tries rooting for the home sports team, watching new Marvel and Star Wars content, and playing in golf tournaments around the Southeast. Dan continues to use his love of engineering to complete projects around his home and create courses for students to take in the hopes of them developing science and technology skills that will be useful in today’s society. Dan believes the skills of brainstorming, cooperation, and innovation are essential for productive young adults.
We are thrilled that Jalen is joining us full time this year! Jalen is a valuable member of the MSGA team with a passion for visual arts, music, and Japanese culture. In her free time, Jalen enjoys drawing, crafting, playing bass guitar, and volleyball. With over five years of experience working with children of all ages, Jalen has developed a deep understanding of children's needs. During her school years, Jalen enjoyed learning about human psychology, which informs her empathetic approach to teaching. Jalen finds working with MSGA students to be rewarding and inspiring. “MSGA kids are incredible thinkers, and being a witness to their passion for learning and how they apply their knowledge and creativity is an amazing experience for me.” Jalen is thrilled to be part of the MSGA family and is dedicated to creating a safe and stimulating environment for each child's learning journey.
Anna has always taken a keen interest in foreign languages. By learning a new language, we gain new horizons; we get access to another culture. The more we find out about other nations the more we learn about ourselves. In a globalized world characterized by international links and intercultural connections, linguistic skills are crucial for employment and career, for making new friends and communicating with other people. For twenty years she has worked in diverse workplace environments from language courses and tutoring to universities. She worked seven years as Associate Professor at Moscow State Pedagogical University in Russia, 5 years in English courses teaching English to students from 8 to 60 years old. Anna was a visiting professor at Southern Arkansas University in 2012 where she designed and delivered a series of lectures about Russia and taught two introductory courses in the Russian language. It was there she met her husband from Mexico, which sparked love for the Spanish language as well. In their household the children speak three languages: Russian, Spanish and English, and it’s so much fun! She views teaching and learning as a dynamic and interactive process. She loves her students and always does her best to make them feel confident, relaxed and motivated. Being a continuous student herself, she knows too well what challenges lie in front of her students and constantly looks for ways to enhance language learning. She graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical University in Russia and has Master of Arts degree in English and French Language Teaching as well as Ph.D. in Linguistics. Anna loves spending time with her family, going to the cinema, and playing sports. She lives with her husband and two children in Olive Branch.
A native of Shelby County, Alysha graduated from Collierville High School and attended the University of Memphis where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with minors in English and political science and a Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in instructional and curricular leadership. Previous to her parenting sabbatical, Alysha taught middle and high school for Memphis City/Shelby County Schools for ten years- five of those years as a gifted education teacher. In 2016, Alysha was the recipient of the Tennessee Association for the Gifted Horizon Award. Alysha is passionate about helping students develop empathy and critical thinking skills through a multidisciplinary teaching approach that combines English language arts and history. Alysha has worked closely with Facing History and Ourselves to further develop her culturally responsive teaching strategies. Alysha was identified as gifted as a child, and she often sees her younger self in her students. In her free time, Alysha enjoys reading, cooking, and being outdoors. As a certified fitness instructor, Alysha also enjoys the benefits of staying healthy and active. She is overjoyed to be joining the MSGA family and to continue leading students to reach greater heights. Alysha lives in Collierville with her young twins
Art & Creative Writing Specialist Brittney Herring
Brittney Herring is a professional artist and writer whose art can be seen around town in such places as WKNO, Playhouse on the Square, the Botanical Gardens and the Bartlett Artists’ Gallery. Her writing has been featured in Oberon PoetryMagazine, The A3 Review and The Pensacola Business Journal. In addition she has edited eleven novels and is currently working on her own novel as well as a collection of poetry and short stories. She believes in continual personal and professional growth and is currently pursuing a Masters of Fine Art at Maharishi International University. She is thrilled to join the MSGA team and cant wait to see what MSGA students will create this year!
With a profound passion for detail and a commitment to efficiency, Stacey is an ideal Administrative Assistant for MSGA. She is here to ensure seamless operations and provide unwavering support to our families, staff and students.
Beyond her role here, Stacey takes pride in being a devoted parent to two remarkable children, Brynn, who is 11 years old, and Gage, an 8-year-old bundle of energy. Her loving marriage of 18 years with her husband is a testament to her enduring commitment and teamwork.
Stacey is excited to share her exceptional organizational skills with the MSGA team, contributing to our goals of fostering excellence and nurturing the potential of every student.
A native of Shelby County, Alysha graduated from Collierville High School and attended the University of Memphis where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with minors in English and political science and a Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in instructional and curricular leadership. Previous to her parenting sabbatical, Alysha taught middle and high school for Memphis City/Shelby County Schools for ten years- five of those years as a gifted education teacher. In 2016, Alysha was the recipient of the Tennessee Association for the Gifted Horizon Award. Alysha is passionate about helping students develop empathy and critical thinking skills through a multidisciplinary teaching approach that combines English language arts and history. Alysha has worked closely with Facing History and Ourselves to further develop her culturally responsive teaching strategies. Alysha was identified as gifted as a child, and she often sees her younger self in her students. In her free time, Alysha enjoys reading, cooking, and being outdoors. As a certified fitness instructor, Alysha also enjoys the benefits of staying healthy and active. She is overjoyed to be joining the MSGA family and to continue leading students to reach greater heights. Alysha lives in Collierville with her young twins
