Dr. Tory C. Hill
President
Dr. Tory Hill is the Sweeny ISD Superintendent of Schools. He is an educational leader who is passionate about creating personalized learning experiences that empower students to create their future.
Prior to Sweeny, Dr. Hill served as an Assistant Superintendent for Instructional and Administrative Support for Katy ISD. In this role, he supported campuses in providing unparalleled learning experiences for each student through the use of engaging strategies and technology integration. Dr. Hill returned to Katy ISD from Clear Creek ISD where he served as the Executive Director for Professional Learning. While in Katy, Dr. Hill served as the principal of Mayde Creek Junior High, assistant principal and instructional principal at Cinco Ranch High School, and teacher at Mayde Creek Junior High. He also taught high school social studies in both Georgia and Florida.
Dr. Hill holds a Doctoral Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University. He also received a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Florida A&M University and a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Southern University.
Dr. Elaine Bailey
Immediate-Past President
Dr. Elaine Bailey, CEO of AJNJ Educational Enterprises, retired after completing 34 years in the field of education. As a graduate of Texas Southern University, she began her teaching career in the Houston Independent School District, where she remained for thirteen years.
The remainder of her career in education was spent in the North Forest Independent School District, where she held a multitude of administrative positions. Dr. Bailey is a charter member of both the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators and the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators and she has been a “Life” member of the National Alliance of Black School Educators for more than twenty years. She has served as President of her local affiliate and of the state affiliate, as well as the Southwest Affiliate Representative for national.
Dr. Bailey is deeply committed to the ideals of HAABSE, TABSE, and NABSE and she believes that each of us should make ourselves a committee of one for the purpose of ensuring a quality education for every child in this nation.
Dr. Kwabena Mensah
President-Elect
Dr. Kwabena Mensah is currently serving as an Assistant Superintendent in Fort Bend ISD where he supervises 16 elementary schools. Dr. Mensah received his M.Ed in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. In 2013, he completed his Ed.D in Educational Leadership from the University of Houston.
Dr. Mensah has been recognized as a leading transformational educator in Texas. Mensah has received multiple awards for his work transforming schools, increasing student achievement, and building robust school cultures. Recently, he was honored as Katy ISD Principal of the Year, Texas Alliance of Black School Educators (TABSE) Principal of the Year, and Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) National Distinguished Principal Finalist. Additionally, his campus was named a TABSE Demonstration School and honored by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
LaTasha Bishop
Recording Secretary
LaTasha Bishop is a kindergarten educator in Katy Independent School District. In just her second year of teaching she became her school's 2016 HAABSE teacher of the year. Ms. Bishop was a finalist and 2nd runner up for overall elementary schools in the Houston area. She is a graduate from Nicholl State University where she was a student athlete. Ms. Bishop has two siblings and her parents still reside in her native city of San Antonio. In her leisure time you can find Ms. Bishop still in her classroom preparing creative activities/lessons/environments. In addition, she is a passionate Dallas Cowboys fan.
Ashley Johnson
Corresponding Secretary
Ashley Johnson currently serves as elementary assistant principal in Klein ISD. Her journey as an educator started off as a student at the University of Houston earning her Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2007. Later, she received her Master’s degree in Education Administration from Lamar University in 2014. Ms. Johnson has been in the education field with multiple titles including educational aid, teacher, ESL Coordinator, Instructional Specialist, and administrator. She has also won awards for her leadership efforts including ESL Teacher of the Year in 2014 and most recently, the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators Assistant Principal of the Year in 2018. In addition to being a dedicated HAABSE member, Ms. Johnson is also a member of TABSE and has a chairman role on the state conference planning committee.
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Dr. Beverly Dancer
Financial Secretary
Dr. Beverly Rivers Dancer is a NABSE Life Member and served on NABSE’s Board of Directors for four years representing the Local School Administration Commission and serving as National Membership Chair. She is a Charter Member and Past President of the Jefferson ABSE. Dr. Dancer has served HAABSE as Corresponding secretary, Standing Committee Chairperson, Network-Marketing Chairperson, and Chairperson of the Silent Auction for the Teacher of the Year Recognition Ceremony. She specializes in Special Education and is an experienced Teacher, Assistant Principal, Title 1 Coordinator, and Principal. Dr. Dancer has conducted several professional development workshops for NABSE, HAABSE and TABSE as well as being very active in recruitment and retention of HAABSE members. Dr. Dancer is currently employed by Houston ISD.
Dr. Beverly Dancer is an active member of the Houston NAACP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Texas Southern University Alumni Association, and the Who Dat Nation of Houston Social & Pleasure Club.
Karen Sparks
Treasurer
Karen Sparks currently is a Restorative Practices Coordinator in Katy ISD and a motivational speaker. She is affiliated with the Institute of Restorative Justice at the University of Texas as a collaborator and a lead trainer. Karen received her BA in Social Work with a minor in Sociology at Grove City College in Grove City, PA and her Masters in Educational Leadership at Lamar University. She taught Strategic Reading at Morton Ranch High School in Katy ISD. She was a 2014/15 Katy Foundation Grant winner, Teacher of the Year for Morton Ranch High School in 2014 and was a finalist for H.E.B. Teacher of the Year for 2016. She was also named the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators Teacher of the Year for 2016. Karen was featured in the Katy Magazine Dec/Jan 2015/2016 issue as a Life Changing Educator and Katy Magazine’s Top 10 People of 2016. Karen is passionate about students receiving their civil rights through education and is honored to serve HAABSE.
Jerrell Purvis, Jr.
Parliamentarian
Jerrell Purvis, Jr is a native of Houston, Texas. He received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Texas Southern University and a Master’s degree from Prairie View A&M University. As an employee of North Forest ISD for over thirty years he has been a teacher, counselor, assistant principal and principal. He retired from NFISD and is currently an advisor at Houston Can Academy Hobby.
Julia Andrews
Historian
Julia Andrews is a School Culture and Climate Specialist for Harris County Department of Education in the Center for Safe and Secure Schools Division. Julia has been in the education field for fifteen years as an elementary classroom teacher, middle school classroom teacher and a middle school assistant principal.
Julia received her B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa majoring in Elementary/Middle Level Education and a Master’s Degree from Prairie View University majoring in Education Administration Julia is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators where she serves on the executive board and serves on the state conference planning committee for the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators. Julia has been selected as a Teacher of the Year Nominee three years in a row for her work in Houston ISD and honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Educator in Houston.
Julia enjoys volunteering in the Houston community, working out and spoiling her dog, Carter.
Dr. Brenda Emanuel-Dearmon
Chaplain
Dr. Brenda Emanuel-Dearmon has been in education for 35 years. She served nine years as a classroom teacher, five years as an instructional facilitator, eleven years as a campus administrator, and ten years as a central office administrator in the Sheldon Independent School District located in Houston, Texas. She is currently the Director of Federal Programs & Grants in Sheldon ISD.
Dr. Dearmon received her baccalaureate and master’s degrees from the University of Houston main campus. While attending the University of Houston, she also obtained certifications in supervision, mid-management, and early childhood education. She completed her Superintendent Certification at Stephen F. Austin University and her doctoral degree at Lamar University.
Dr. Dearmon is committed to establishing programs that help to create a stronger school culture for teaching and learning while improving student academic performance. When she is away from her duties in Sheldon ISD, she enjoys reading, traveling, and just spending quality time with family, her husband, her three children, and her granddaughter.
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Cameron C. Wells, Jr.
Historian Emeritus
Mr. Wells is an original HAABSE member and TABSE Founder. He is a retired Houston ISD ROTC instructor and administrator. Mr. Wells and his wife, Ernestine, a retired Houston ISD Counselor, have provided tremendous service to HAABSE, TABSE, and NABSE for over three decades.