EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Chair (2022-2023)
Pearl Garden, Ed.D. is a Literacy Coach at Region 10 Education Service Center working with TEA (HB3) Reading Academies. Her 23 years of service includes elementary classroom instruction, teacher education, and Adjunct Professorships at Paul Quinn College and Texas A&M – Commerce. Dr. Garden has published an article in The Journal of Teacher Action Research and is the author of a blog entitled Literacy Pearls where she shares best practices and “pearls” of literacy knowledge. Dr. Garden's research involves developing the vocabulary instruction practices of early grade teachers. She has a passion for the new and novice educator, and it is her goal to help educators tackle the achievement gap with her research findings.
Chair-Elect (2022-2023)
Dr. Liza LaRue is a consultant for Region 7. She received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction Supervision from Texas A&M Commerce. Liza has served most of her teaching career in early childhood classrooms. Liza was the ILA State Coordinator from 2019-2022 and has been a member of TALE’s advocacy committee for 7 years The advocacy committee has received the ILA Advocacy Award for the last 7 years for their advocacy work. She is passionate about best literacy practice in early childhood classrooms and will continue to advocate for Texas students.
Vice President (2019-Present)
Jacqueline Ingram is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the School of Teaching and Learning at
Sam Houston State University. She earned an Ed.D in Literacy from Sam Houston State
University, and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction and a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies
from Texas A&M University. Prior to teaching in higher education, Jackie taught in Texas public
education for 15 years. She has been involved with TALE since 2015 and currently serves as
Vice President and Chair of Membership Development. Jackie also serves as Chair of the
Teacher Education and Professional Development division of ALER (Association of Literacy
Educators and Researchers), and is a faculty co-sponsor for SHSU’s chapter of the Texas
Association of Future Educators (TAFE). Her research interests include content and disciplinary
literacy, adolescent literacy, and pre-service teacher education.
Sam Houston State University. She earned an Ed.D in Literacy from Sam Houston State
University, and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction and a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies
from Texas A&M University. Prior to teaching in higher education, Jackie taught in Texas public
education for 15 years. She has been involved with TALE since 2015 and currently serves as
Vice President and Chair of Membership Development. Jackie also serves as Chair of the
Teacher Education and Professional Development division of ALER (Association of Literacy
Educators and Researchers), and is a faculty co-sponsor for SHSU’s chapter of the Texas
Association of Future Educators (TAFE). Her research interests include content and disciplinary
literacy, adolescent literacy, and pre-service teacher education.
Executive Secretary
Rebekah E. Piper is an Associate Professor of Literacy in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University San Antonio. Rebekah earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy Education and Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME) from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Rebekah is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Association for Literacy Education, the International Literacy Association, and the Children’s Literature Association. Her research interests include pre-service literacy teacher education, children’s literature, identity development, and early literacy development. Rebekah teaches undergraduate and graduate course work in literacy education and serves her community by working with organizations that promote literacy and service.
Treasurer (2021-2023)
Amy Burke is an associate professor in the Department of Literacy and Learning at Texas Woman's University. She holds a PhD from The University of Texas at Austin in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Language and Literacy Studies. Dr. Burke regularly presents her scholarly work at conferences including LRA, AERA, and NCTE. Her work has been published in journals such as Language Arts and Literacy Research and Instruction. Her research interests include multimodal composing, children's literature, and classroom discourse. Prior to obtaining her doctorate, she taught elementary school in Dallas ISD.
Past Chair (2021-2022)
Kamshia Childs, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University-Commerce. She obtained an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas Southern University and also holds a B.S. in Elementary Education (ESL), and M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction (Reading and Language Arts) from Kansas State University. Dr. Childs has been a literacy educator for nearly 20 years, and has worked in urban and rural settings in K-12 and higher education, and recently was awarded the Dr. Chuck Arize Junior Faculty Award from the Texas A & M University-Commerce Faculty Senate and Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education. She has published several literacy and multicultural education articles in peer-reviewed literacy journals, written a self-published book, contributed to books, and presents at various state, national, and international conferences on topics related to literacy, educator empowerment, parent involvement, and culturally relevant pedagogy.
