Looking for a way to make an impact, share your expertise, and connect with other passionate advocates for gifted education? TAGT committees are where ideas turn into action. Whether you’re interested in building awareness, shaping professional learning, creating parent and educator resources, or strengthening the organization, there’s a place for you.
Chair: Javetta Jones-Roberson, McKinney ISD
Staff Liaison: Paulina van Eeden Hill, CAE
Purpose: Ensure the financial health and sustainability of TAGT.
Focus Areas:
Chair: Christina Dearman, Ph.D., Immediate Past President
Staff Liaison: Paulina van Eeden Hill, CAE
Purpose: Develop future leaders and guide TAGT’s elections process.
Focus Areas:
Chair: Cheryl Beard, Garland ISD
Staff Liaison: Paulina van Eeden Hill, CAE
Purpose: Support governance and ensure TAGT’s compliance with its guiding documents.
Focus Areas:
Chair: Melissa Saphos, ESC 6
Vice Chair: Audra Rowell, Northwest ISD
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Expand awareness and understanding of gifted/talented education while promoting engagement across the TAGT community.
Focus Areas:
Chair: Amanda Smith, Alvin ISD
Vice Chair: Elizabeth Severance, Austin ISD
Board Liaison: Rolando Ruvalcaba, ESC 20
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Shape professional learning and ensure TAGT delivers meaningful, relevant content.
Focus Areas:
Chair: Susan Pelezo, Aldine ISD
Vice Chair: Sarah Gibson, Lubbock ISD
Board Liaison: Amy Ellingson, Spring ISD
Staff Liaison: Megan Kaufmann
Purpose: Strengthen and grow the TAGT community through engagement and connection.
Focus Areas:
These committees focus on creating tools, training, and resources that directly serve educators, parents, and leaders in gifted education.
Chair: Kristen Vesely, Ector County ISD
Vice Chair: Amy Chandler, North East ISD
Board Liaison: Tina Moore, Grand Prairie ISD
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Create and share resources to support administrators and leaders in gifted education.
Chair: Christine Williamson
Vice Chair: Tammy Krumm, San Antonio ISD
Board Liaison: Blake Haygood, Austin ISD
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Develop resources and tools for parents supporting their gifted learners.
Chair: Travis Hill, UNT Graduate Student
Vice Chair: Eva Baker, Splendora ISD
Board Liaison: Fred Bonner, Ph.D., Prairie View A&M
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Encourage, evaluate, and share current research in gifted education.
Chair: Danielle Moore, DeSoto ISD/University of North Texas
Vice Chair: Brandi Jackson, Richardson ISD
Board Liaison: Cheryl Beard, Garland ISD
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Create resources and training to support diverse gifted students and those who serve them.
Chair: Leny Philipose, Wylie ISD
Vice Chair: Tiffany Williams, Region 4 ESC
Board Liaison: Johnna Rosson, Ector County ISD
Staff Liaison: Kristin Graham
Purpose: Provide instructional resources for educators delivering gifted services.
Looking for a short-term project or flexible way to contribute? The Knowledge Team offers opportunities to work with Resource Committees on specific projects and resources without a long-term commitment.
To learn more about getting involved, contact Kristin Graham.
The ideal candidate is an engaged association member who wants to be involved with developing relevant and innovative programs to benefit all stakeholders in gifted education.
TAGT committees help the Board do its job. Committees ordinarily will assist the Board by preparing policy alternatives and implications for Board deliberation. Committees monitor and evaluate processes, management and the progress toward ends assigned to the respective committee. The three Governance Committees (Finance, Policy and Planning and Leadership Development) deal directly with the leadership of the association whereas the Organizational Committees (Membership Involvement, Education, Communications and Advocacy) serve a planning or visionary role.
Each Resource Committee is tasked with both identifying and providing resources to members and the G/T Community around their special interest or stakeholder group and recruiting volunteers who are interested in participating in the creation of these resources.
All committee members will serve staggered one-year terms and may not serve on the same committee for more than three consecutive terms. Leadership Development Committee members will serve staggered one-year terms and may choose to serve a second one-year term.
All committee members must be a TAGT Member for the length of their service.
Association governance documents prescribe that governance and organizational committees will meet twice a year (virtually and/or in-person). These meetings will either be scheduled in conjunction with another TAGT event or they will be held virtually. Most meetings will last 1-2 hours, depending on the meeting’s agenda.
Members interested in serving on a committee should complete and return the nomination form by the deadline listed on the application page. Additionally, members may nominate others who they believe would be an asset to the association. TAGT will contact them to see if they are interested in serving. All nominations will be reviewed by the Leadership Development Committee (LDC) and judged using an association needs assessment tool that considers experience and background, as well as rural, urban, suburban and ethnic diversity.
In addition to an impressive line item for your resume, committee service allows you to refine your interest with TAGT and move into a more challenging leadership position like serving on the Board.
In 2012, TAGT began a Board restructure that allows for stakeholder representation, in addition to traditional geographic input. This creates a more robust committee structure and provides opportunities for member participation and leadership development. There are three Governance Committees (Finance, Policy and Planning and Leadership Development) and four Organizational Committees (Membership Involvement, Education, Communications, and Advocacy). Each committee is comprised of a chairperson, at least five appointed members, a board liaison and a staff liaison.
