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Meet our Administration Debbie Anderson, Director of Exceptional Student Education (850)400-7400 Ext. 4226 I am honored to serve Santa Rosa District Schools as the Director of Exceptional Student Education. This district has been my home since 1985 and is where I chose to raise my 6 children. I started my career in 1994 as a teacher of students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. I can say without a doubt that I would not want to be in any other profession. The amount of satisfaction I receive on a daily basis can’t be duplicated. The students I have worked with over the years have taught me how to be a better person and how to appreciate every single success. From teaching, I entered the world of school based administration. I had to honor to be a principal for over 18 years before assuming the role of Director of Exceptional Student Education. I feel like I have landed in the position that was made for me. My goal is to bring to the needs of our students to the forefront and to provide the teachers, schools and community with the tools they need to support EVERY child’s right to be a valued and productive individual and citizen. My hope is that parents and community members will join me in my journey to achieve my goal. As a team, we are much stronger than any one individual. Dustin Coleman, Deputy Director of Exceptional Student Education (850)400-7400 Ext. 3408 I am a Colorado native, where I resided until the summer of 2018 when I was honored to become a member of the Santa Rosa County School District team. I am a proud graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in Psychology, Go Buffs! I also have a Master’s Degree of Arts in Education from the University of Colorado at Denver. I have completed the Principal Licensure Program through the University of Phoenix and the National Principals Association Fellowship (NPAF) through the RELAY Graduate School of Education. I am blessed to have an amazing family including my wife, two sons, and two daughters who light up each of my days. I am a diehard Denver Broncos fan and am passionate about almost everything sports! I love hiking, camping, and fishing with my family. Professionally I am driven by the ability to make a difference and helping young minds to flourish. I am passionate about serving all students and strive to support bright futures for all of our families. Tiffanie Ives Coleman, Coordinator of Exceptional Student Education and PreK Development Center Administrator (850) 983- 5158 Tiffanie Ives Coleman is excited at the opportunity to serve the students and teachers of Santa Rosa. Tiffanie is from Santa Rosa County and has experience working with students of varying exceptionalities across all grade levels. Tiffanie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mild/Moderate Disabilities, Master’s Degree in Emotional Disturbances/Learning Disabilities, and a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. Prior to Tiffanie’s current position, she was a Program Director of a school for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Behavior Specialist, Inclusion Specialist, MTSS Coordinator, and Exceptional Education Teacher. Tiffanie is passionate about ensuring educational relevance for all students with disabilities. Outside of work, Tiffanie enjoys spending time with her sons Jaxson and Greyson, as well as husband Clay. Rachelle Wood, Administrative Intern of Exceptional Student Education (850)400-7400 Ext. 2918 I am from the great Hoosier state, born and raised. My husband and I moved to Pensacola 5 years ago with our youngest son. I earned my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education/Special Education from Indiana University. In 2015 I earned my Masters at the University of Cincinnati in Educational Leadership. After 8 years in the classroom I transitioned in to administration. Most of my educational career I have worked with our ESE students and their families. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and pets. We enjoy living on the Gulf Coast and getting to the beach as much as possible. I am excited and blessed to be able to serve Santa Rosa County School District as an Administrative Intern in the ESE Department. Our Administrative Assistants Wendi Wood, ESE Bookkeeper (850)400-7400 Ext. 4533 Dawn Phillips, Secretary (850)400-7400 Ext. 3416 Katrina Ellyson, Secretary (850)400-7400 Ext. 3437 Jenifer Higginbothem, Secretary (850)400-7400 Ext. 4226 Tiffany Griffin, Secretary (850)400-7400 Ext. 4564 Starlinn Phillips, Secretary (850)983-5158 Kelly Crowell, Secretary (850)400-7400 Ext. 3408 
The Program Facilitators and Gerry Brooks |
Meet Our Program Facilitators Vanessa Avis, Specialized Curriculum, Instruction, & Interventions (850)983-5158 I am very happy to join the Santa Rosa County ESE Team as a new Program Facilitator for Instruction and Intervention. I started my career in education over 20 twenty years ago in Marion County as a Varying Exceptionalities Teacher. I’ve also taught general education classes in grades K –2. I hold bachelor's degrees in Primary Education and ESE-Specific Learning Disabilities and a master's degree in Reading (K-12). I joined Santa Rosa County in 2007 as an Academic Intervention Specialist and MTSS facilitator. Through this opportunity I have had the privilege of serving striving readers and mentoring teachers in best practices for reading instruction. My husband and I are parents to two grown sons and the proud grandparents for three grandsons. We love the Emerald Coast with its abundance of golfing and boating activities and have made this our forever home. Laura Brumfield, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (850)400-7400 Ext. 3570 My name is Laura Brumfield. I am the Board Certified Behavior Analyst for ESE in Santa Rosa County. I graduated from Loyola University in 1986 with a Bachelors in Music Therapy. I attended Chapman University, graduating with a Master in Psychology. I became a Behavior Analyst in 1997. I love working with students of all ages and my core value is best practice. I have lived all over the United States but Santa Rosa County ESE is my home!!! Karen Burch, Program Facilitator, Behaviors - Secondary (850)400-7400 Ext. 2911 My name is Karen Burch, I am an Air Force Veteran, wife of 35 years, mother of 2 adult children and a Special Educator. Education began for me as a Training Manager in the United States Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, the next phase in my life ,finding myself the parent of a special needs child, lead me to the field of education. I have been ESE Paraprofessional, an ESE teacher at SS Dixon Primary, 4th grade Teacher at Jay Elementary. After 16 years in the classroom I have joined the ESE Department as a Program Facilitator for Behavior serving our secondary students. I believe it is not only my responsibility to prepare students but to prepare fellow educators ensuring success for all. As a Special Educator and parent, I am strong advocate for mainstreaming students of all disabilities and that teachers must be provided with the necessary tools to create success for these students. One of my favorite things about working with secondary students is helping them make choices without regret and that when their purpose is clear it is a good day. All work and no play makes me stir crazy... I am die hard Auburn and Packer Fan, I rescue freshwater and land turtles and love adventures with my family! Bobbie Jo Cueno, Program Facilitator, Communications and Related Services (850)400-7400 Ext. 2908 Bobbie Jo Cueno joined SRC school district as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in 1996. She took over the role of program facilitator for the SLPs in October 2014. She has been involved in the LINKS (Leaders Investing in Nurturing Students Success) mission to establish better communication between the medical community and school district. When she is not busy looking for innovative therapy practices to bring back and share with her SLPs, she enjoys reading and watching Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Amanda Failing, Program Facilitator, ACCESS and Transition (850)400-7400 Ext. 2912 I am so excited to be the Program Facilitator for ACCESS/Hybrid/VSA for Santa Rosa County. I have been able to serve in multiple roles in the district. I have been given the opportunity to grow professionally, including: ESE Liaison, Behavior Focus Classroom Teacher, VE Teacher, PI Teacher and 1st grade classroom teacher. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership. I have certifications in General Education K-6, Reading, ESOL, ESE K-12 and Educational Leadership in the state of Florida. I love working with the students, teachers and staff and guiding them to find the champion within themselves all while serving our district and community. Jackie Jones, Program Facilitator, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Visual Impairments, and Traumatic Brain Injury (850)400-7400 Ext. 2907
Program Facilitator, CBSA and Transition (850)400-7400 Ext. 2909 Gary Mitchell, Program Facilitator, Ancillary Services - OT/PT, Extended School Year, Hospital Homebound, and Adaptive PE (850)400-7400 Ext. 2916 I am a native of Santa Rosa County. I graduated from Milton High School and earned both bachelors and masters degrees in special education from the University of West Florida. This is my 33rd year as an educator with the Santa Rosa County School System. 16 years were spent in the classroom, 4 years were as an ESE Liaison and currently as a Program Facilitator. I am married to Krista Tolbert Mitchell, who is also a program facilitator for the gifted in Santa Rosa County. We are the parents of two boys, Kade and Kole. Krista Mitchell, Program Facilitator for Gifted Education (850)400-7400 Ext. 2915 I am the Program Facilitator for the Gifted here in Santa Rosa County! As a parent of two gifted boys, Kade and Kole, I have a lot vested in this program. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from UWF with a dual major in Primary and Elementary Education. I taught in the general education classroom for 20 years at Rhodes Elementary, where I met my husband, Gary Mitchell. During those 20 years I furthered my education and graduated, once again from UWF, with a Masters in Educational Leadership and then received my Gifted Endorsement. In 2015, I began teaching gifted students in elementary schools throughout the county. I have a passion for gifted students and their families. I believe that gifted students require differentiated educational services beyond those normally provided by the general education classroom. I desire for our gifted program in SRC to assist gifted students in reaching their full cognitive and creative potential. I look forward to seeing our gifted program flourish! Program Facilitator for Behavior MTSS (850)400-7400 Ext. 2950 Celeste Rivenbark, Program Facilitator, Autism Spectrum Disorder (850)400-7400 Ext. 2906 My name is Celeste Rivenbark and I am proud to call the Dillon Administrative Center my home. I have been working in the field of special education for 19 years. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, growing up in a family of educators, that is all I really knew. I went to the University of West Florida on a tennis scholarship- GO ARGOS!!! I have an undergraduate in both ESE and Elementary Education. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have two boys who are my world. Most of my afternoons and weekends are spent being a “ballpark mom”- yes I am that mom!!! J I also enjoy watching college football- if it involves football and the SEMINOLES- count me in!!!! – GO NOLES!!! “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela Lisa Templeton, Pre-K Childfind (850)400-7400 Ext. 2910 I have been in the Early Childhood Special Education Field for 31 years. I have been with Santa Rosa Schools for 20 of those years and as Program Facilitator for Pre-K for 11. I have 2 grown children who are both in the Air Force. Elizabeth Toms, Program Facilitator, Inclusion (850)400-7400 Ext. 2919 Hello! I am originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, but love living in warmer weather! I earned my BA in Psychology and Special Education, as well as my Master of Arts in teaching at James Madison University. I’ve had the privilege of teaching elementary and secondary students in adaptive curriculum classrooms as well as inclusion classrooms. I am passionate about helping ALL students learn and be prepared for life after school. Nancy Virgilio, Program Facilitator, Behavior - Elementary (850)400-7400 Ext. 2913 I am the Program Facilitator for Behavior for Elementary in Santa Rosa County. I provide consultative services to elementary schools by training staff in classroom management skills and de-escalation training. I also consult with teachers and observe students that need some behavior management strategies in the classroom setting that is individualized for a particular student having behavioral problems within the classroom setting. I oversee and consult with 4 behavior focused classrooms and 2 Sensory Response classrooms for students that need more intensive behavior modification, sensory and social skills training daily. I also collaborate with High Road, our county's other separate environment for students needing more intensive behavioral supports as determined through the IEP process. I am available to provide parent support for all students with behavioral needs. I provide CPI: Nonviolent Crisis Intervention to school staff that teaches verbal de-escalation strategies to use with students that are in crisis. I love being an educator, working with students, and watching their growth. I am a lifelong learner and am always looking to expand my knowledge base. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at 850-501-1668. |