Brenda spent 17 years as a high-school business teacher and 8 years as Instructional Technology Coordinator before taking on her current position as Director of Instructional Technology, Staff Development, and Student Assessment at Port Neches-Groves ISD in Texas. She also teaches night classes at the local community college. Her passion for teaching is clearly reflected in the recognition and numerous awards she has received over the years, including:
- Texas Business Education Association, Secondary Business Teacher of the Year, 1996-1997
- Port Neches-Groves ISD Spotlight on Excellence Award, 1997
- International Who's Who of Instructional Technology, 1998
- Emerging Scholars Mentor at Lamar State College, Port Arthur, 2001
- Intel Stellar LEA Support Award, 2003
- "Working Woman of the Week," Port Arthur News, 2005
A Mimio Certified Trainer, Brenda is pleased and excited that all classrooms in her district now have a Mimio setup. "Mimio's interactive technology inspires teachers and engages students," she says. "Mimio is easy to learn, the instructional resources are invaluable, and Mimio support is phenomenal."
She is amazed by the creativity of teachers who submit Mimio lessons on the MimioConnect website, and loves to see teachers' reactions to finding relevant content there. "The excitement is contagious," she says, adding that the Mimio Professor's Make My Lesson Better Group has "taken online professional collaboration to the next level."
Brenda encourages all classroom teachers in her district to participate in the Mimio Masters program. If they are willing to participate, she "makes it happen," because she believes that every teacher can benefit from the program. "Mimio combines all the necessary components to make for a winning combination in the classroom," she says, calling the program "a roadmap to successful technology integration in the curriculum."
Brenda holds BBA, M.Ed., and Ed.D. degrees from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. She is a frequent presenter at various venues, including TCEA, Rotary Club, Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Region 5 ESC Back-to-School Technology conference, Sabine Neches Association for Curriculum & Development, and the Southwest Educational Research Association conference.