And the winners of the 2025 Branching Minds MTSS Hero Award are...
Rob Elizalde
“Rob has been the glue to the MTSS system in our school district as an interventionist, a coordinator, a campus leader, and most importantly, as a vital part of our students’ day-to-day learning in the classroom. Because of him, our school’s intervention program is thriving. He meets with interventionists weekly and because they are given so much support, they can focus on helping their students. In PLCs and PD days, he’s known to say, “that can be tracked in Branching Minds”—I’ve considered making him a t-shirt!— Mariel Gaitan-Martinez, Student Services Coordinator
Maria Kolodziej
MTSS Coach
Medina City School District, OH
“Maria doesn’t just support students and staff—she empowers them to be their best. She is the best at perspective taking and empathizes with the difficulties teachers face but is still able to offer strategies that are manageable and easily implemented. Her coaching is top notch! Maria’s “we got this” attitude is inspiring; she turns obstacles into opportunities and reminds me that together is the best way to support students. She has gone above and beyond to integrate the newest features of Branching Minds to make technology and data seem less overwhelming for others. Maria works with the spirit of MTSS love, and we are lucky to have her on our team!— Ronda French, Assistant Director of Pupil Services
Noteworthy MTSS Hero Nominees
Emma McBride
MTSS District Administrator
Beaumont ISD
"Emma McBride is amazing! As my new MTSS partner, she walked me through the foundation of MTSS in our district. She embodies MTSS by not allowing excuses or barriers to stop staff from supporting students. She drives inclusiveness among district administrators by seeing how MTSS can support their growth. Last year, she was the sole advocate—creating powerpoints, sharing resources, and pushing campus MTSS Coordinators to get Branching Minds on campuses. Despite hesitancy, we now have 70% teacher engagement in the platform. She comes in daily with the mindset of making a difference. We love EMMA MCBRIDE!"
— Sharika Hawkins, District Administrator
Megan Freeman
Interventionist
Chicago Public Schools
"Megan is the shining example of the dream MTSS coordinator! She is dedicated to students and the MTSS process. As a Reading Specialist, she services students from all grades daily, often without breaks. She also coordinates MTSS, assigning groups, curriculums, and interventions. Megan expertly manages data on Branching Minds and has trained staff to do the same, keeping it up-to-date. As a school psychologist, I know students referred for special education have had targeted interventions with fidelity. Megan proves intervention works, even in a large urban school district like Chicago Public Schools! "
— Kristin Martin, School Psychologist
Florinda Castillo
Principal
South San Antonio ISD
"Ms. Florinda Castillo is a Principal in our district and she has led the charge on her campus of implementing Branching Minds with fidelity. She is in every MTSS meeting and was the first elementary campus to have 100% of her students to have a plan in Branching Minds. She is now having her MOY MTSS Meetings with her entire school and even got coverage for them in Decmeber to be ready to go for MOY meetings."
— Vanessa Dominguez, District Administrator
Jeanine Rainey
Interventionist
University of Chicago Charter Schools — Woodlawn Campus High School
"Mrs. Rainey joined our team to create an MTSS framework for our high school, bringing her expertise to educate, inform, and support staff. She dedicated herself to getting our school on track and ensuring proper MTSS practices. She created spaces for stakeholders to provide input and strengthened our school through her efforts. Mrs. Rainey developed learning spaces, curriculum, intervention tools, data reports, and more. We have Branching Minds because of her—she introduced it, advocated for it, and trained us."
— Devin Churchill, School Psychologist/Counselor
Alison Vovchuk
MTSS Coordinator
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
"Alison Vovchuk is the heart and soul of our student support efforts. Her dedication ensures every child receives needed interventions. She works behind the scenes, coordinating with teachers and parents, monitoring progress, and providing resources to ensure no child falls through the cracks. She also helps staff use Branching Minds for progress monitoring, empowering teachers to track growth and implement interventions confidently. Alison’s passion, leadership, and belief in every student’s success inspire her colleagues daily. She is truly an MTSS Hero, transforming the educational experience for students, families, and staff."
— Sarah Barnett
Erica Gosling
Speech Language Pathologist
Public Schools of the Tarrytowns
"Erica Gosling is our MTSS Hero! She has become our resident expert in Branching Minds, helping track student goals and interventions. A talented Speech Language Pathologist, she takes meeting minutes and supports staff in entering goals. Erica problem-solves to help colleagues, students, and administrators succeed. She partners with our team in a positive, problem-solving manner, building confidence and skills. Her impact on our success with Branching Minds is huge. She even collaborates with the Branching Minds Team to find new ways to track progress. I highly recommend her as an MTSS Hero!"
— Dr. Ivette Lebenberg, School Psychologist/Counselor
Erica Bulk
Principal
Middletown Public Schools
"Erica Bulk, principal at Aquidneck Elementary, leads an incredible MTSS team. She is organized, data-driven, and an effective leader. This fall, she led a book study on Demystifying MTSS, guiding discussions and school-wide MTSS goals. Erica ensures all students receive high-quality Tier 1 instruction and that Tier 2 and 3 interventions use evidence-based, data-driven practices. She makes sure teachers have access to Branching Minds and district support. All MTSS data is stored in Branching Minds and monitored by teachers, Erica, and district administration. Her leadership ensures students and teachers get the support they need to succeed."
— Jennifer Mulcahey, Teacher
Jennifer Amigone
District Administrator
Cambridge Public Schools
"Jen is known as the data queen in our district. For years, we worked to support MTSS, and we are FINALLY implementing. She is a patient, unwavering support for data and a quiet champion for student growth. Jen is learning all she can about Branching Minds to help principals and school staff use it effectively. She goes above and beyond in visible ways—and even more behind the scenes. If anyone has a data or Branching Minds question, Jen finds the answer and makes it work. She is ALWAYS student-centered and positive."
— Heidi Cook, School Administrator
Nanci Barr
Supervisor of Literacy Instruction
Egg Harbor Township School District
"Nanci is our district's Supervisor of Literacy Instruction, but her impact extends far beyond that role. Her proactive leadership has been instrumental in the successful implementation of the Branching Minds platform during our first year. Nanci has not only dedicated her time to learning the system but has also led trainings across various grade levels and subject areas. She has actively mentored our building interventionists and data teams to ensure accurate progress monitoring and intervention program fidelity. Nanci's exceptional problem-solving skills have enabled us to provide targeted Tier 2 support within the classroom and expand our services to a greater number of Tier 3 students than ever before."
— Leanna Mullen, District Administrator
Heather Mars
Teacher
Garland ISD
"Heather Mars, as Head of the CTE department, shows exceptional initiative by integrating innovative teaching strategies and mentoring her team. She organizes professional development, fosters collaboration, and ensures students and teachers feel supported. Heather inspires her colleagues, transforms student outcomes, and sparks student passion for learning, especially in Food Science. Her efforts have strengthened team cohesion and elevated education quality. Heather uses Branching Minds to identify student needs, implement interventions, and train her team in data-driven strategies, aligning academic goals with career aspirations and improving outcomes."
— Mikeba Hill, Teacher
Mary Cornely
Interventionist
Buckeye Local Schools
"Mary is one of my Intervention colleagues and we have worked together at Edgewood High School for 25+ years. Mary goes above and beyond every day to meet the needs of our students. She is the epitome of professionalism and a role model for both work peers and students. She is an advocate for student rights and a mother bear when it comes to fighting for student achievement. Mary believes all students can learn and she is constantly finding new ways to meet the needs of our diverse learners whether the need is academic or behavioral. Mary is consistent and fair when it comes to behavior supports. With the help of Branching Minds she provides clear and concise documentation of student behavioral challenges and interventions. She is truly loved by our students and a safe haven for those in need."
— Sharon Nelson, Interventionist
Kim Schulz
Teacher
Encinitas Union School District
"Kim, our incredible MTSS Teacher on Special Assignment, is the heart of our school’s support system. She works tirelessly to create effective schedules, implement impactful reading and math programs, and lead intervention meetings—all while being a constant source of support for our staff. Her dedication has directly benefited my students and me by scaffolding instruction in small groups, training and guiding intervention staff, and ensuring we have the resources we need at any time. Kim’s passion for her work is evident in everything she does, especially in how she has helped us utilize Branching Minds to streamline our efforts, strengthening connections across grade levels and support staff year after year. Simply put, Kim is the best at what she does, and our school is beyond lucky to have her!"
— Amber Brown, Teacher
Christina Fraser
School Administrator
Oakmont Education
"Christina has shown incredible dedication to supporting both students and colleagues, always stepping up to provide guidance and solutions at Towpath Trail High School. Her proactive approach to MTSS in her building always ensures no student’s needs go unnoticed, and she continually goes the extra mile to make sure every child feels valued and supported. ALWAYS. Christina has dove deep into Branching Minds to identify key areas for growth, implement interventions, and monitor progress, when data is available and syncing which has transformed how she approach's student support as a team. Her commitment and innovative mindset have not only positively impacted her students’ success but have also inspired other teams to follow in her footsteps."
— Megan Caranna, District Administrator
Chris Field
Director of MTSS
St. Jude Catholic School
"Chris is our director of interventions and MTSS at St. Jude Catholic School. She retired from her public school setting and has been working for us in her 'retirement,' though she works harder and more effectively than just about anyone I've ever worked with. She has been the driving force for implementing a solid MTSS structure at our school and is excellent both with implementing structures and meeting individual students' needs. Branching Minds has been a game-changer for us as it takes a lot of workload off of her and allows her to better coach the rest of her staff to do interventions well and problem solve for each of our students. Chris is caring, mission-driven, hard-working, and professional!"
— Sr. Mary Andre, School Administrator
And so many more!
We celebrate all the MTSS Heroes who go above and beyond to support students and make a lasting impact every day.