Meet Our Leadership Team
Get to know the dedicated individuals leading ACET and driving our mission forward.
Valarie Buhidar
Laura Witte
Brande Bass
Dr. Leslee Schauer
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Welcome to ACET
A Warm Welcome from the ACET President! 🎉
I am absolutely thrilled to be serving as President of the Association for Compensatory Education in Texas (ACET)—an truly outstanding organization dedicated to advancing education across our great state!
A Message from our Executive Director
A Warm Hello to our Members!
My name is Laura Witte, and I am the new Executive Director. I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve you! My background is in both education and law and includes a Bachelor of Arts from Sam Houston State University and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s Law School…
Meet Our Officers
Officers serve on ACET’s Executive Council and lead our organization with their expertise and knowledge. Officer terms vary, but all elections are held at ACET conferences.
President elect
Brande Bass
Hi Everyone! I am the Director of Federal and State Programs for New Caney ISD. I have been a proud ACET member for 16 years! In 2017 I began presenting at ACET conferences and my first presentation was on EDGAR.
I have served as Regional Director, Alternate Regional Director, Chair for the Awards Committee, on the Scholarship committee (still serving), on the Program Planning Committee and currently as the Parliamentarian. I have also served as president for many clubs and organizations in my community for nearly 20 years. I believe with that experience I can well serve the ACET membership as President-Elect.
Vice President of Membership
Sherry Harris
Dr. Sherry Harris has over 38 years of leadership experience. Her experience includes being an officer in the U.S. Army and a senior IT manager at the high-tech giant Dell prior to transitioning into public education, where she has served the last 20 years. She completed her doctoral degree with a research project on Parent and Family Engagement. She holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BS from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. She loves assisting others in being successful with their federal grant requirements and has been working in this area for the last 5 years. She has been an instrumental member of ACET for several years as a Pre-conference, ESSER, PFE, and Virtual Academy presenter; served as an assistant regional director; and served on the program planning committee. Her goal is to passionately serve You by increasing and benefitting membership.
Learn about Membership News & Updates
Treasurer
Paul Covey
Paul Covey has worked in education for 36 years and is currently the Director of Federal and State Programs in the Ysleta ISD in El Paso, Texas. In this position, he manages ESSA Title programs, SCE Funds, and past ESSER funds. He also mentors principals in creating and managing all facets of campus budgets.
Previously, Paul was a campus administrator for 22 years, serving as principal for 16 years. During that time, he was recognized as Texas Computer Education Association’s State Administrator of the Year and received the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding Leadership from the Department of Education. He was also the principal of a National Blue Ribbon School. Paul holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Paul is currently a facilitator for the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has served on the state board of the Texas Middle School Association, and serves as Regional Director for the Charles Butt Foundation, where he recruits administrators to join Raise Your Hand Texas and become involved in educational advocacy.
Secretary
Amber Reed
Dr. Amber Reed serves as the Program Coordinator for the EANS/GAPS grant at Region 10 Education Service Center. With more than 20 years of experience in education, she has held various roles, including Special Education teacher, Behavior Intervention Specialist, and leadership positions at both campus and district levels. Dr. Reed firmly believes in providing equitable, high- quality education for all students, and her extensive experience has reinforced this belief. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from Abilene Christian University, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Dallas Baptist University, and a Doctorate in Supervision, Curriculum, and Instruction from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Dr. Reed, a product of Dallas ISD, is dedicated to serving her community and ensuring that every student has access to the necessary resources for success. Additionally, she is a strong advocate for excellence in education across Texas and is passionate about the mission of ACET.
Parliamentarian
Demetric Wells
Demetric Wells is a dedicated educational leader and former athlete, graduating from Kilgore High School and playing college football at Texas State University. He holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Houston–Victoria. Wells began his career in education as a teacher and coach in Victoria ISD before moving into administration with Edna ISD, where he served as Assistant Principal, Middle School Principal, and High School Principal. He later became Principal of El Campo High School and currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of El Campo ISD.
NAFEPA Representative
Dr. Tami Knight
Tami Knight began her career as an elementary teacher, spending ten years in self-contained, multi-age, and departmentalized classrooms. Those early experiences in the classroom fostered her deep commitment to supporting educators and students across all levels.
She went on to serve as an Instructional Specialist for six years while completing her master’s degree, then joined ESC Region 15, where she has proudly worked for the past eleven years. During her time at the ESC, Tami completed her Ph.D. while helping districts implement and manage federal programs under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). She is passionate about collaboration and empowering educators to improve outcomes for all learners.
In addition to her ESC work, Tami serves as an adjunct instructor at Angelo State University, teaching graduate courses in Curriculum and Instruction.
View NAFEPA News & Updates
Executive Council
Each region elects an Executive Council representative every two years. These representatives serve on ACET’s crucial leadership body and help plan upcoming events and offerings for ACET membership. Click on your region’s executive council member to learn more about what is happening in your region.
Region 2
Buffy Longoria
Gregory-Portland ISD
Region 3
Brandy Beal
El Campo ISD
Region 4
Tranita Carroll
Spring Branch ISD
Region 5
Aleen Brady
Port Arthur ISD
Region 6
Dana Boyer
Conroe ISD
Region 7
Sharon Smith
Pine Tree ISD
Region 8
Codi Grubbs
ESC Region 8
Region 9
Sherri Booker
ESC Region 9
Region 10
Vanessa DeLacretaz
ESC Region 10
Region 11
Leigh Cook
Keller ISD
Region 12
Ellen Hogan
ESC Region 12
Region 13
Sibyl Lee
Round Rock ISD
Region 14
Carrie Atchison
ESC Region 14
Region 15
Monica Diaz
ESC Region 15
Region 16
Dr. Kelly Porter
Pampa ISD
Region 17
Camie Holcombe
ESC Region 17
Region 18
Angie Balderrama
ESC Region 18
Region 19
Luis Guerra
Tornillo ISD
Region 20
Ricardo Gomez
Northside ISD
Join ACET today and gain access to invaluable information and professional development opportunities to manage your grants with ease and compliance.