Bridge Builder Academy

BBA Staff

TEACHERS & STAFF

Adam Brackin, Ph.D, Executive Director

"Doc" Brackin is a Texas certified English and Art teacher with a Masters in Gifted Education. His two Bachelor of Arts degrees are in English and Art, and he has taught for many years in both traditional public and private schools - as well as various learning and tutorial centers. He earned his Ph.D in "Humanities: Aesthetic Studies" with a focus on Art and Technology at UT-Dallas where he is currently teaching as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Emerging Media and Arts & Technology. He is a game lover, published writer, and the Writer/Creator of various Alternate Reality Games, and proudly hosts the BBA "Strategy Game Club" every week.

Lisa Brackin, B.B.S., Program Director

Lisa has her Bachelor's in Behavioral Science with Texas Special Education Certification. For many years she has studied and taught in nearly every type of special classroom, and various alternative therapies and techniques such as "mileu style" teaching and play based, child-centered learning. She has specialized in Autism solutions and Early Childhood Language Intervention. Her specialized techniques and expertise cover both traditional and cutting-edge methodologies, and she is the creator of the BBA LIP program. Lisa is currently working towards a Graduate degree in brain sciences at UT-Dallas.

Anne Brackin, Ph.D, Office Manager

Anne has an MA in Social Science from Azusa Packfic University,  and a Ph.D in Communication from the University of Arizona. Anne has lived in many states across the U.S. as well as overseas, working as a teacher, librarian, and administrator in the nonprofit sector. Anne is married with one son and daughter-in-law.

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Jennifer Adams (Elementary and Middle School Teacher)

Jennifer received her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Texas Tech University, and her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented Education from UNT. She taught third, fourth, and fifth grades in Plano ISD for nine years and has also tutored many students over the last decade. In addition to her passion for teaching, Jennifer loves spending time with her family, reading, home decorating, trying new recipes, and volunteering at church.

Vanessa Bailey (Elementary and Middle School Teacher)

Vanessa is currently working on her Masters degree in School Counseling at Amberton University. She has a Social Work degree from the University of North Texas, and is certified to teach special education K-12. She has taught special education for Dallas ISD, Killeen ISD, and Lewisville ISD. She has worked with students on the autism spectrum, students with behavioral challenges, and students with learning disabilities. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going to church, and working on her masters degree. Also, she was just married this summer on June 14, 2008!

Dr. John L. Brackin (Secondary Teacher)

John has taught on the elementary, junior high, high school and university level.  He holds two masters degrees and a doctorate.  He has a multi-cultural background having visited 12 different countries and lived in the Philippines, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.  He is English as a Second Language and GED certified.  As a graduate of the Instituto de Lengua San Jose, Costa Rica,  he teaches Spanish among his many other subjects.

Teresa Bronsky (Elementary Teacher)

Teresa graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a BS in Elementary Education and Generic Special Education. She has taught in a variety of classroom settings over the past 22 years while working with general education students and special education students. She has training in leaning styles strategies, gifted and talented, strategic reading, Handwriting Without Tears, Crisis Prevention, ESL, social skills, and Love and Logic. Her passion is helping children to not only learn but to love to learn. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading and traveling.

Judy Gordon (Elementary and Reading Intervention Teacher)

Judy has a BS from Kansas State University; an MA from  UNT; a Reading Recovery certificate from TWU; and is certified for ESL and First Steps in Literacy. She taught 2nd-5th grade in Kansas for 5 years; 2nd & 3rd grade in Houston for 2 years; 4th grade, Title 1 Reading, Reading Recovery, and ESL for Lewisville ISD for 20 years; then taught 6th, 7th, & 8th grade ESL for Dallas for a year. Judy once won Junior Queen of Kansas at the state horse show on her quarterhorse. She has even spent a summer at the University of Hawaii, taking golf, hula, surfing, and scuba diving!

Valerie graduated from California State University, Northridge with her B.A. in Liberal Studies. She has seven years of teaching experience in the elementary general education classroom. Her teaching adventures began in the Los Angeles Unified School District and then on to Plano ISD when she moved to Texas in 2006. She cherishes spending time with her husband and son. Also, enjoys playing scrabble and  loves to go scuba diving!

Jim graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). He earned his Masters in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. After a long career in Engineering and Engineering Management, Jim decided, three years ago, to pursue one of his first loves, teaching. Originally from Indiana, Jim has also lived and worked in Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo and Bergen, Norway; Paris and Lyon, France; Boca Raton, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado and finally Dallas, Texas. Jim is married, has one son and in his spare time enjoys playing with his grandson, gardening, sailing, working on projects around the house and on his cars.

BBA HIRES ONLY THE BEST AND MOST QUALIFIED STATE CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT TEACHING  THEIR STUDENTS. MOST OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS AND SKILL AREAS, AND WE TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR GREAT EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION!