Texas Education THRIVE, a comprehensive educational initiative through the College of Education at UT Austin, provides engagement, support, professional development and networking resources to school districts across Texas. Geared toward both early and mid-career teachers, THRIVE is committed to providing the necessary mentorship and professional learning opportunities that ensure successful and productive careers in education for the betterment of all Texas children.
why
THRIVE
As many as 50% of early career teachers leave the profession within the first five years of teaching. Feeling overwhelmed was the number one issue cited for those who had recently left the profession.
To address the crisis in teacher retention, the College of Education and Austin Independent School District partnered to create the early career teacher support program Texas Education START.
Texas Education THRIVE furthers the work of Texas Education START by expanding the resources for early career teachers through mentorship, practical insights and a robust support system to navigate the landscape of public education while also developing mid-career teachers and improving district communications.
Focus on SUSTAINABILITY
Focus on MENTORS
Focus on CAMPUS LEADERS
No matter how much we collectively do to fill the pipeline with high quality teacher candidates, it won’t be enough to address the teacher crisis. Texas Education THRIVE gets to the heart of why teachers are leaving during these first years by focusing specifically on the conditions teachers find themselves in.
about
THRIVE
With generous support from UT System and others, Texas Education THRIVE provides teachers with the mentorship, professional learning, community and resources needed to advance professionally and mitigate the risk of attrition. In addition, THRIVE offers school districts a way to integrate existing strengths with university-designed and research-based mentoring practices that respond to the urgent needs of early career teachers.
Mission
THRIVE aims to elevate the teaching profession, stabilize the teacher workforce and provide all Texas children with access to high-quality education that will ensure they achieve at the highest level.
Vision
THRIVE focuses on transforming the experience of early career teachers and their mentors through innovative partnerships with Texas public schools that bridge research to practice, ensuring all students reach their potential.
Foundation
THRIVE includes three foundational components: District Engagement, Professional Learning and Mentorship and Networks of Support.
Our Partners
In the News
get
INVOLVED
Whether looking for an opportunity within your district, mentorship opportunities as a teacher or part of the UT System, or a way to support the THRIVE initiative, there are multiple ways to get involved with Texas Education THRIVE.
our
TEAM
Leadership Team
LeAnne Hernandez is a passionate advocate for Texas public schools with 26 years of experience empowering students and educators. Skilled in strategic thinking, innovation and collaboration, Hernandez is an experienced project manager committed to nurturing diverse early career educators and those who support them. An experienced teacher, coach, administrator and program director with expertise in career pathway programs and professional learning, LeAnne has a B.A. in English, an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Her research interests include the development of novice teacher and leader agency with particular emphasis in historically underserved communities.
Jon is the THRIVE Program Manager and just started with us in July of this year. Before his role with THRIVE Jon was with one of our partner districts Del Valle ISD. He assisted the Human Resources Director in the selection and management of all Strategic Staffing initiatives. Jon worked closely with THRIVE partners and assisted in the pilot year and ensured a smooth implementation throughout all Del Valle’s Campus. He has 6+ years of Strategic Human Resources experience in the private sector and has brought those knowledge and skills to his current role.
Sally McKenna is passionate about the work of supporting educators, students, and communities to create excellent and connected schools. Sally began her education career in Nashville while earning her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education. After moving to Austin, Sally has served as a teacher, special education coordinator, assistant principal, and school leader. In each of these roles, Sally brings love for learning, relational focus, and strategic thinking to make an impact. Sally is currently in the process of earning her Masters in Justice and Advocacy from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Kelly is an educator, coach, facilitator, experience designer, curriculum writer and capacity-builder who has held various roles across K-12, higher education, state leadership and educational consulting for the last two decades. Her work is grounded in a deep passion for building education systems that center the needs of students and educators at the margins. Ocasio strongly believes in the power of equity-centered design as a vehicle to enact innovative change in schools today. She is a systems thinker and relationship-builder prioritizes interpersonal connections and collective impact to create the change we seek. Kelly holds a BS in Elementary Education and Spanish from UW-Madison, an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from UT – San Antonio, and a joint Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis and Curriculum & Instruction from UW-Madison. Ocasio’s research focuses on Latinx teachers’ pathways into education and identifying the opportunities and barriers to the Latinx community pursuing a career in teaching.
Susan Serenari, M.Ed., is a versatile educator with an abundance of experiences in rural, suburban and urban settings. She began her education career in Baltimore County, Maryland as a Kindergarten teacher, and continued teaching Early Childhood students in Tampa, Florida and Northern Virginia. After completing her master’s degree in literacy at Virginia Tech, Serenari moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, and over the next decade served as a Title I reading interventionist, literacy coach and curriculum coordinator for Pre-K through fifth grade students. Serenari recognized an emerging deficit in teacher support, and transitioned her focus on empowering and learning alongside teachers. She moved to Central Texas to scale up her impact in this area, and has most recently supported teachers and students across the southwest region of the US as a literacy specialist with a global educational publishing company. Serenari is dedicated to supporting teachers and students by meeting them where they are, and celebrating the teaching and learning that occurs each day.
Audrey is a doctoral candidate who is passionate about Learning Experience Design (LXD), User Experience Design (UXD), Video Game Development, Technology Leadership, and Instructional Technology Integration. She believes schools should be places that are supportive and inspirational to teachers and students from all backgrounds and abilities; that goal grounds the work she does as a designer and research assistant for Texas Education THRIVE. Prior to her doctoral studies, she was a secondary science teacher in Houston ISD.
Mentor Coaches
Shannon Galvan is an Assistant Professor of Practice and Cohort Coordinator at the University of Texas. Previously, Shannon was an elementary school teacher in central Texas, working with students in grades Pre-K through fifth grade for ten years. Shannon has worked as a campus and district leader, serving on curriculum committees and providing professional development opportunities to teachers. Her true passion is coaching and mentoring teachers, and she is incredibly thankful to learn and grow alongside them.
Kelley T. Glover, Ph.D., is an innovative educator with 25+ years of experience in culturally relevant pedagogy, music education, and early career teacher mentoring. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Howard University, a Master of Arts in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music, and a Ph.D. in School Improvement from Texas State University. Her research interests focus on understanding how engaging in somatic abolitionist practices (body-informed leadership that helps us understand the effects of colonialism on the body) can promote greater emotional resilience and cultural well-being for all bodies when navigating policies and systems that negatively affect marginalized communities. Dr. Glover is the creator of an ear-training cartoon and music game app called “U BETTER Sing!” featured on the PBS show “Blackademics,” where she discussed how culturally hegemonic practices affect music education and students from vulnerable and underserved communities. She is dedicated and passionate about encouraging educators to better understand themselves as emotional and cultural beings so that we can better connect with the communities we serve with a critical awareness of the systems we navigate.
Sarah Ivory, M.Ed started her career as a Teach for America corps member in St. Louis, Missouri. She spent four years teaching high school and earning a masters degree in secondary education at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. During this time, she was awarded the Pettus Award for Excellence in Education from St. Louis Public Schools. Sarah moved back to Austin and worked in Del Valle ISD as a teacher, behavior specialist, and assistant principal. Most recently, she has served in Austin ISD as a new teacher mentor. Her focus is on improving public education for underserved communities and helping teachers feel empowered, appreciated, and supported.
Penelope Jones is a passionate advocate for educators, students, and communities. With over a decade in education, Penelope has worn many hats—from special education teacher to instructional coach and field supervisor. Her journey began at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree. She holds certifications in EC-6 Generalist and Special Education EC-12. Driven by a commitment to equity, Penelope believes in the transformative power of strong, supportive relationships among teachers, students, and parents. Her approach is not just informed by research but shaped by her ongoing learning as well. She thrives on providing tailored support through collaborative learning, enhancing instructional practices and coaching strategies. Penelope finds immense fulfillment in mentoring early-career teachers, guiding them toward success and witnessing their growth firsthand. Joining THRIVE as a Mentor Coach allows her to expand her impact further, contributing to initiatives that drive systemic change and foster community. Her ultimate goal is to enhance education for all, creating lasting improvements in student learning and outcomes.
Jen Pan, M.Ed., is an Assistant Professor of Practice and Field Supervisor at the University of Texas at Austin. Her educator journey has taken a unique path, and each experience has impacted her teacher identity. She taught English Language Arts for five years to middle school students in two different settings—suburban in the Dallas area and urban in Harlem—and was passionate about making space for everyone to express their authentic selves through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. During her time in educational publishing, she has designed and delivered professional learning for districts nationwide and has worked as a literacy specialist and coach at elementary schools across central Texas. She is in awe of the work she sees educators doing in all spaces and contexts and feels lucky to continue her own learning in collaboration with them.
Adrienne Prewett has covered many roles in her educational career including ELA classroom teacher, athletic coach, instructional coach, English Language Arts K-12 district curriculum coordinator, administrator, and independent consultant in several districts in Central Texas. Adrienne graduated from Lamar University with a Master’s of Education degree and from Southwest Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in early childhood education. In her experience as an educator, Adrienne has come to learn the value and importance of relationships and their impact on student and teacher growth. She is passionate about helping teachers grow in their craft and sharing professional learning that will assist them in their professional journey.
Faculty Advisors
Charles R. Martinez, Jr. is the 12th dean of the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Martinez was named dean-designate in July 2018 and began his tenure as dean on January 1, 2019. Martinez holds the Lee Hage Jamail Regents Chair in Education and the Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair. He is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology.
Martinez’s scholarly work focuses on identifying factors that hinder or promote the success of children and families from vulnerable and underserved populations.
Martinez has led numerous national and international research projects designed to examine risk and protective factors involved in linking social and cultural factors to education and behavioral health disparities for Latino children and families and to develop and test culturally specific interventions for at-risk families in the U.S. and in Latin America. His work has garnered federal and international grants totaling more than $35 million. Agencies funding his research include the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Prior to joining the University of Texas, Martinez was the Philip H. Knight Professor in the Department of Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership at the University of Oregon, where he also served as founding director of the Center for Equity Promotion.
A first-generation college graduate, Martinez received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pitzer College, and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.
Beth Maloch, Ph.D., is the senior associate dean of the College of Education and a professor in Language and Literacy Studies in the Department of Curriculum and instruction. She previously served the college as associate dean for administration and educator preparation. Maloch teaches undergraduate courses in literacy methods and graduate courses in classroom discourse and discourse analysis. Her research attends closely to the discourse of classrooms, particularly the discussion that happens around text, as well as preservice teacher education. Most recently, her research has focused on the coaching and mentoring that takes place in teacher education programs, particularly by the cooperating teachers.
Melissa Mosley Wetzel, Ph.D., is a professor of Language and Literacy Studies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education. Her scholarship focuses on the preparation of teachers in literacy for equity-focused practices and the development of justice-focused coaching and mentoring in preservice and in-service settings. She draws from critical race scholarship and culturally sustaining pedagogy frameworks to prepare teachers within field-based literacy teaching experiences. She is also interested in critical literacy learning across the lifespan, particularly how teachers and students together design literacy practices that are transformative. She draws on qualitative methods in her work, primarily critical discourse analysis and ethnography. Wetzel teaches courses in elementary literacy methods, reading development, coaching and mentoring, literacy leadership, sociolinguistics, teacher inquiry, and critical approaches to studying classroom discourse.
faq’s
Research and Resources
What do early career teachers say about our mentors?
Instead of coming in and telling me what to change, she always asks me what I need. She’s really there just to see how she can help me.
Her experience as a teacher and an administrator, and the way she interaction with my kids… I really appreciate it. She’s just incredible!
I didn’t feel like I was being observed, or like I had to worry. I could ask for help, which is hard for me, and she always had like 17 different things I could try.