Bethany Walker is a licensed clinical social worker, trauma therapist, and author. With over 10 years of experience, she has worked with Communities in Schools, Buckner Children & Family Services, Wellness Pointe and other organizations serving the East Texas area. Bethany is passionate about empowering children, families and their support systems. Her own history inspired her picture book “Lena & the Dragon: A Children’s Book on Trauma & Resiliency,” which was awarded the 2022 SCBWI Spark Honor Award. Bethany lives in Longview with her daughter and husband. When she isn’t at her private mental health practice, Empowered Family Services, she enjoys horror movies, forgetting to return books at the library, or a vanilla latte at Silver Grizzly.
Certified Child Life Specialist
Cadie is a Certified Child Life Specialist with a bachelor’s degree in child development, who has a passion for helping empower and support children as they navigate challenging life events. Prior to moving to Longview, TX, Cadie provided support services and therapeutic interventions to children and families at a children’s hospital for 10 years. Currently, Cadie is employed by The Martin House Children’s Advocacy Center as a Community Outreach Advocate where she provides advocacy to suspected child victims and their supportive caregivers throughout the investigation process. As part of her role, she also provides prevention education to the community to help raise awareness and hopefully one day eradicate child abuse.
Texas Rising Star Certified Assessor Mentor
I have been working in childcare since I was a young adult and have over 35 years of early childcare experience. I’ve worked in classrooms, was a curriculum coordinator and ran an early learning program. Currently I am a Texas Rising Star certified assessor mentor for the state of Texas. I have been through extensive training to become a certified assessor. I hold a child health care consultant license; I am a certified PD specialist and registered trainer through the Texas Workforce Registry.
Lead Trainer & Owner of Confident Director
Debbie Tonne Jones is the lead trainer and owner of Confident Director, which provides coaching, consulting, and training. She enjoys guiding directors and teachers to reach their unique potential in their professional roles. She has over 20 years of experience in early childhood education, working with both faith-based and secular programs. Debbie received her Bachelor of Arts from Howard Payne University, and she holds a Texas director certificate.
University of Texas Instructor
I have been at the University of Texas in Tyler since 2010. Prior to teaching as UT-Tyler, I taught in public school districts as a fifth- grade teacher, Reading Recovery Teacher, Title I & RTI reading & math teacher, district science facilitator, and literacy facilitator & coach. I also have my mid-level management/ principal endorsement.
I serve on the following school boards:
The University of Texas at Tyler University Academies
Little Peoples Pre-School
Research interests include early language & literacy development; components of literacy; developing effective community literacy projects; and children's literature.
My husband, Chris and I love living in Tyler. We are the proud parents of two sons & have a very spoiled cat, Maverick. We love travel adventures. My hobbies include traveling, reading, organizing, baking/cooking, & shopping for antiques. I collect ABC books, magnets & holiday ornaments from around the globe.
Licensed Professional Counselor at East Texas Counseling Group, LLC.
Katie Monts is a Licensed Professional Counselor at East Texas Counseling Group, LLC. Katie works with caregivers of all types of teaching and helps implement evidence-based care principles. Katie is a mother of children in the age ranges specified, so it’s not just theory! All these techniques are routinely put into practice.
Licensed Professional Counselor at East Texas Counseling Group, LLC.
Megan Korthals is a Licensed Professional Counselor at East Texas Counseling Group, LLC. Megan works with caregivers of all types of teaching and helping implement evidence-based care principles. Megan is a mother of children in the age ranges specified, so it’s not just theory! All these techniques are routinely put into practice.
School Literacy & Culture, Rice University
Sharon Dworaczyk has worked with young toddlers through second grade age children for thirty years. Her education background consists of an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education specializing in Early Childhood and English as a Second Language from Texas A & M University in College Station and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Houston, Clear Lake. She was trained in the Classroom Storytelling Project from the School Literacy and Culture from Rice University in 1996, and has continued with SLC as a mentor teacher, seminar leader, and as Special Projects Coordinator. Sharon has also worked with Creative Writing Camp since 1999 teaching entering Kindergarten through First Grade students and as Site Supervisor the past 8 summers. Most recently, Sharon has worked as a curriculum coordinator for several private schools in the Houston area.