Our Board

VP, West Region

I am honored to serve as Vice President of West Tennessee! As I entered my master’s program at the University of Kansas, I knew that I wanted to have a positive impact on intellectually gifted students and be able to share my knowledge and expertise with teaching peers. As a former gifted student in the CLUE program, I pride myself on both writing creative curriculum and building relationships with the students, families, and teachers I work with. As a sixteen-year CLUE teacher veteran, I was honored to be the 2024 TAG Teacher of the Year. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my two children and family.  I also have two miniature schnauzers and open her home to foster schnauzers who have fallen on hard times.  I am an avid member of Cyclebar and active in the Jewish community.

VP, Middle Region

Amber Elkins is a gifted educator and leader dedicated to advancing services for exceptional learners. A two-time graduate of Lipscomb University, she holds a B.A. in Middle School Education and an M.Ed. in Gifted Education and Advanced Academics. Amber began her career in Metro Nashville Public Schools, where her work with GATE and Honors students in ELA sparked her passion for gifted education.

She later joined Williamson County Schools as a gifted teacher in the middle grades and taught advanced coursework for elementary students through Vanderbilt University’s Programs for Talented Youth, where she also served as Head of Teaching and Learning for SAVY.

Currently, Amber is the Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Specialist for Williamson County Schools, supervising K–12 gifted educators and initiatives for high-ability, neurodiverse learners. An award-winning educator, she has received the Blue Ribbon Teacher Award (2020), the TAG Horizon Award (2023), and been recognized as the Tennessee TSA Middle School Advisor of the Year (2025). Her professional interests include neurodiversity, gifted females, and twice-exceptional students. She is passionate about elevating gifted education and promoting meaningful, research-based identification and services across Tennessee.

VP, East Region

Bio Coming Soon!

Co-President Elect

Gabrielle M. Howell has over eight years of experience in education and currently serves as a gifted specialist for Murfreesboro County Schools, where she is passionate about expanding stakeholders’ knowledge of gifted identification and programming while creating inclusive learning environments. Gabby was a Tennessee Association for the Gifted (TAG) presenter in 2024 and received the 2022 TAG Horizon Award for contributions to gifted education. Her work centers on empowering both educators and students through creativity, equity, and purposeful challenge. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, an Ed.D. in Leadership and Organizational Change, a K–12 Gifted Endorsement, and an Inspiring Administrators License. Currently, Gabby is pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies and intends to conduct research on biases in Gifted Education.

Co-President Elect

Serving as Co-President Elect, Amanda McBryar is passionate about advocating for gifted students across the state of Tennessee. A Nashville native, Amanda has dedicated the past 12 years to education, beginning her career as a gifted cluster classroom teacher before transitioning to her current role as a Gifted Specialist with Murfreesboro City Schools.

Amanda is deeply committed to supporting and empowering gifted learners, with a special focus on identifying and nurturing talent among underrepresented populations. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Middle Tennessee State University, as well as her gifted endorsement from Lipscomb University.

Outside the school walls, Amanda enjoys spending time outdoors with her family—hiking, boating, and camping with her husband of 11 years and their two young children.

Past President

 Emily Hollett is an award-winning gifted educator who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She has taught all elementary grades throughout her career and has been in gifted education since 2014. Working with Anna Cassalia, she has authored numerous units written for gifted learners, one of which was awarded a Curriculum Award from the Tennessee Association for the Gifted ("Views from the Zoo", 2021). Most recently, Emily and Anna have published a five-book series of Integrated Lessons in Higher Order Thinking Skills (Routledge, 2022), targeting gifted learners in the upper elementary grades. Emily and her husband are also the parents of gifted children, and Emily is passionate about advancing access to excellent curriculum and services for all gifted learners.

Past President

Anna Cassalia is a gifted educator and author dedicated to ensuring learning opportunities for all students to reach their highest potential. For   the past 20 years, she has honed her craft in gifted education, writing curriculum, and presenting her work at both   state and national conferences. Anna has authored multiple articles published in journals such as Gifted Child   Quarterly, Teaching for High Potential, Creative Learning Today, and Tapestry of Knowledge.  Working with Emily   Hollett, she has authored numerous units written for gifted learners, one of which was awarded the Curriculum Award   from the Tennessee Association for the Gifted ("Views from the Zoo", 2021). Most recently, Anna and Emily have   published a five-book series of Integrated Lessons in Higher Order Thinking Skills (Routledge, 2022), targeting gifted   learners in the upper elementary grades. Anna is passionate about advancing excellent curriculum and services for   all gifted students.

Treasurer

Dr. Heather Knox is the Lead Gifted Specialist for Murfreesboro City Schools. She has been in education for 10 years and has been teaching gifted students for over 7 years either in the role of Gifted

Specialist or as a Gifted Cluster Teacher. In her current position, Dr. Knox works in conjunction with Middle Tennessee State University where she serves as the lead educator in the MTSU-MCS Gifted Academy that provides teachers with the Tennessee Gifted Employment Standard. She also provides coaching and professional development to teachers on providing effective gifted instruction both in Murfreesboro City Schools and in other Middle Tennessee professional development opportunities . Dr. Knox’s work has been published in Tennessee Association of Middle School Journal and Gifted Child Today, where she currently serves as a peer editor. In 2018, Dr. Knox won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and won the Murfreesboro Education Association New Teacher of the Year in 2016.

Outside of her professional career, Dr. Knox also serves on the board of Stones River Manor, a non-profit Senior Living Community, and as Treasurer of the Darren Welker Servant Heart Fun, a non-profit organization facilitating mission, benevolent, and service opportunities

Secretary

Bio coming soon!

Parent Liaison

Michelle Naef has been teaching CLUE since 2017. Her favorite grades to teach are intermediate, 3rd-5th. Fifth graders are always a special challenge that she welcomes!

She loves expanding the minds and experiences of our gifted students. In addition to teaching, Michelle also serves as a CLUE Mentor teacher. In that role, she works as a first point of contact between other CLUE teachers and the CLUE office, assists with paperwork/IEP questions, and helps to train new CLUE teachers.

As the parent of a twice-exceptional gifted student, Michelle feels a special connection to the parents of her students. She enjoys discussing and offering advice regarding middle school transition, the challenges gifted students face, and ways to help 2E students succeed. Advocating for her students is her priority.

In her free time, she enjoys dog training, gardening, and cooking for her family. Michelle has a BA in Philosophy from Towson University in Maryland and an MA in Philosophy from University of Memphis. After working in the non-profit sector for several years, she earned her MAT from Christian Brothers University and began to teach. She then returned to CBU for gifted training. In addition to her love of teaching literature and novel studies to her CLUE students, she thrives on integrating STEAM into her classrooms. Her students can regularly be found engaged in science experiments or creating art pieces to express their understanding of the concepts discussed in texts.

Advocacy

Michelle Sutton is an accomplished educator with 27 years of dedicated service in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. For the past 16 years, she has taught in the district’s CLUE (Creative Learning in a Unique Environment) program, where she cultivates gifted and talented students’ critical thinking, creativity, and love of learning.

A passionate advocate for gifted education, Mrs. Sutton has played an active leadership role within the CLUE department, helping to shape curriculum and program initiatives that enhance opportunities for advanced learners. As a member of the Tennessee Association for the Gifted Executive Board, she is committed to advancing equity, awareness, and support for gifted education across the state.