TALE'S ELECTED OFFICERS
Amy Barrios (2020-2022)
Amy Barrios is currently an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University- San Antonio. Amy obtained her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Baylor University with an emphasis in English Language Arts and Reading; she began her career as a high school English teacher in Georgia and has more than 17 years of experience in education, where she has taught in rural, urban, face to face, online, and hybrid formats, serving learners in traditional, nontraditional, public, private, and community college settings. Over the course of her career, Amy has worked as an English teacher, instructional coach, administrator, dissertation chair, consultant, and faculty member. Her research interests include secondary literacy strategies, classroom diversity, curriculum development, teacher quality and preparation, and culturally relevant learning.
Charity Embley (2020-2022)
Charity Embley is an Associate Professor of Education and Transitional Learning Center TxCHSE (Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency) Instructor at Odessa College. Charity has taught at the secondary and collegiate levels for 22 years. During this time, she served as a faculty member, department chair, mentor teacher who also developed curriculum for adult learners. Charity earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from Texas Tech University with an area of concentration in Language, Diversity, and Literacy Studies, with supplemental study abroad on Spanish Language and Culture from Universidad Pontificia De Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain. Charity’s research work and publications focus on adult and adolescent literacy, Asian American literature, special education (dyslexia, DeafBlindness), culturally responsive curriculum in K-16, and the integration of literacy practices in teacher preparation programs. Her higher education teaching experience includes teacher education courses that focus on the teaching profession, special populations, child development, as well as college/professional-level reading and writing, and ESL. Charity also serves in the International Advisory Board for the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies. You can follow Charity on Twitter: @CharityGE. Her ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9796-8258.
Fernando Hernandez (2020-2022)
Fernando Hernandez is an assistant literacy professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. His expertise is in the area of literacy, early childhood, and teaching experience at both the university and public schools. Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Fernando devoted seven years as an elementary school supervisor and 13 years as an early childhood bilingual teacher including a reading specialist. Currently, as an assistant professor, he is a member in the following organization: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Association for Bilingual Educators (NABE), Rio Grande Valley-TABE, the Texas Association for Bilingual Educators (TABE), the Texas Association for Literacy Educators (TALE), and Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC). His research focuses on Spanish literature circles, Hispanic father’s involvement in early literacy development, a balanced literacy approach implementation, and No More Letter of the Week.
Codi Freeman (2019-2021)
Codi Fowler-Freeman, Ed.D., currently serves as the Program Director of ELAR/SS in Galena Park ISD. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake teaching preservice teachers in the Department of Education. Over the past twenty years, Codi has been a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, district literacy specialist, and coordinator of English language arts. She was recently awarded the Dean’s Award for Exceptional Graduate Student Research from the Southwest Educational Research Association.
Pearl Garden (2019-2021)
Pearl Garden is working on her doctorate in Supervisory Curriculum and Instruction-Elementary Education with an emphasis in Reading at Texas A&M University - Commerce. She currently holds a master’s degree in Advanced Literacy with a Reading Specialist Certification and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Pearl has 20 years of experience in Elementary Education with Dallas ISD. She is a Literacy Coach with Region 10 Education Service Center and an Adjunct Reading Professor at Paul Quinn College. She has been an active member of TALE for the last 4 years and brings a love of literacy and a passion for enriching the minds of the new and novice educator to the Board.
Tara Wilson (2019-2021)
Tara Wilson is a professor of reading at The University of Texas - Permian Basin. She teaches literacy courses for undergraduate and master's students. Prior to working in higher education, Tara taught in Texas public education for 11 years. Tara presents at the local, state, regional, national and international levels, as well as publishes in literacy and early childhood journals. Tara received her Doctorate of Education in Literacy from Sam Houston State University. Tara joined TALE to network with other literacy professionals.
