our team
Leadership Team
As Director of THRIVE, I lead the design, implementation, and expansion of the initiative, including engagement with prospective school districts, securing philanthropic and grant funding, and ensuring program alignment within the college. I am proud to guide work that integrates research, policy, and practice in ways that are responsive to the needs of public school educators across Texas.
Before joining THRIVE, I served Texas public schools as a classroom teacher, gifted specialist, instructional coach, campus administrator, and district leader. An advocate and ally of public education, I believe deeply in the transformational power of teaching and learning. Inspired by the educators in our network, I am committed to advancing sustainable, human-centered strategies that strengthen the experiences of teachers and students statewide.
As Assistant Director of THRIVE, I support and guide district onboarding, UT system partnerships, and program learning and evaluation. My role focuses on ensuring that our work is aligned, impactful, responsive, and grounded in educator’s lived experiences. Prior to joining THRIVE, my work spanned K-12 schools, higher education, and education organizations and nonprofits, leading statewide initiatives, research, evaluation, strategic planning, and program partnerships. I have held positions as a classroom teacher, higher education administrator, state level leader, and education consultant. As a fierce education advocate, I believe that students need strong systems to succeed – and that educators are the primary drivers of change within those systems. I am guided by the power of relationships as the foundation for sustainable, human-centered change.
I’m passionate about human-centered research and design. My work with THRIVE involves seeking to understand teacher experiences, identify their needs, and build tech-enhanced systems that are responsive, accessible, and innovative. I’ve had the privilege of working at the College of Education since the initial inception and launch of THRIVE, and I continue to help lead research, program evaluation, and design revisions. I love translating complex ideas and data into clear, actionable insights that help inform decisions and continuously improve our programming. I’m energized by our team’s shared goal that all students and educators should feel supported, connected, and capable.
As a Program Administrator with THRIVE, I collaborate with district partners and THRIVE colleagues to provide sustained, multi-tiered support at the district and campus levels, contributing to curriculum, program, and implementation development while leading coaches to ensure consistent, high-quality practice. Over the past two decades, I have served students and educators nationwide as an early childhood educator, literacy specialist, instructional coach, and curriculum leader, extending my impact from Title I schools and districts to advancing literacy initiatives through a global educational publisher. I am committed to meeting district partners where they are, leading thoughtful program development, and supporting THRIVE coaches while honoring the teaching and learning that occur each day.
As the Graphics and Social Media Intern for THRIVE, I manage our social media presence, including content creation, posting, and audience engagement across platforms. I also design graphics and visual materials that communicate THRIVE’s impact to our partners and support our conferences, events, and district collaborations. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with an early Master’s in Advertising at The University of Texas at Austin, where I am part of the Moody Honors Program. With a passion for branding and digital storytelling, I draw on experiences from both corporate and academic projects to strengthen how organizations connect with their audiences. With a bilingual background, I am committed to helping ensure the THRIVE brand remains accessible, engaging, and aligned with its mission to support educators across Texas.
THRIVE Coaches
As a THRIVE Coach, I partner with campus leaders and mentors to support early career teachers through coaching and professional learning. Prior to joining THRIVE, I served schools as a district leader, campus administrator, teacher, and instructional coach. Drawing on these experiences, I strive to equip educators with practical tools that expand their professional toolboxes and support long-term growth.
[bio coming soon]
As a THRIVE Coach with the University of Texas at Austin, I support United I.S.D. Special Education teacher mentors as they guide early-career teachers through their first years. I focus on strengthening mentor support so that new educators feel valued, connected, and empowered to succeed.
Prior to THRIVE, I completed a 29-year career in special education leadership, serving as a Special Education Teacher, Educational Diagnostician, Section 504/Dyslexia Coordinator, and Special Education coordinator. I currently continue to invest in the profession as a Special Education Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M International University. I am passionate about mentoring teachers and advocating student success to empower the next generation of educators as they begin their careers.
As a THRIVE Coach, I work with educators and campus leaders to provide professional development that equips mentor teachers to confidently support early career teachers. I partner with campuses to lead professional learning and work alongside mentors, helping them strengthen the ways they guide and support novice teachers.
Prior to THRIVE, I spent 33 years in education, including 32 years as an elementary classroom teacher, one of which I served as an instructional coach on a Title I campus. For more than two decades I worked supporting new teachers in Austin ISD through mentoring and orientation cohorts. I became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2003 and later mentored other educators through the certification process.
I’m passionate about supporting teachers—especially those just beginning their journey—because strong educators create classrooms where both teachers and students can truly thrive.
[bio coming soon]
As a THRIVE Coach, I partner with district and campus leaders, mentors, and early career teachers to build supportive mentoring systems where educators feel seen, encouraged, and equipped to grow. I bring clarity to complex situations and love helping people recognize and build on the strengths they already have.
Before joining THRIVE, I began my career as a special education teacher and later served as an educational specialist and consultant. For the past decade—and still today—I’ve also worked as a field supervisor supporting first‑year teachers, keeping me grounded in the real challenges new educators face and the bright moments that remind us why this work matters.
I do this work because when we support the people who support students, everyone thrives—and students will always be my north star.
As a THRIVE Coach, I partner with schools and districts to empower mentor teachers, equipping them with the tools and strategies they need to confidently guide early-career educators. My approach goes beyond traditional professional development; I lead dynamic learning sessions and work side-by-side with mentors to strengthen their coaching practices in real time. Prior to THRIVE, my commitment to educator success started 16 years ago. I spent 7 years as an elementary classroom teacher, 2 years as a preschool director, and 7 years as an assistant principal. I am deeply passionate about supporting educators at the start of their journey because strong, supported teachers create classrooms where both adults and students truly thrive.
As a THRIVE Coach supporting United Independent School District in Laredo, Texas, I work alongside mentors, campus principals, and new teachers. Prior to THRIVE, I was a classroom teacher, mentor, sole literacy trainer of the district, district trainer for first year teachers, and a summer Reading First Trainer for the state of Texas through UT in conjunction with UISD. I served as a curriculum writer and curriculum coordinator before my retirement after 46 years of service. I look forward to inspiring mentors and first year teachers to remain in one of the most rewarding fields: education.
As a THRIVE Coach in Spring Branch ISD, I’m excited to partner with leaders and mentors and help them strengthen the ways they guide, communicate, support and share their expertise with novice teachers. My experience in education spans 37 years in various roles. I began as a bilingual teacher. After that, I was a special education teacher before entering school administration roles as an Elementary and Middle School Principal, as well as an Executive Director in Administration. My passion has always been to coach and support Principals, Mentors, and Teachers and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to continue doing this work.
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.
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, Ed.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 and the development of coaching and mentoring in preservice and in-service settings. 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.