Meet Our Faculty & Staff 2024-2025

Hello! My name is Jahmarkus Rabb! I am excited to begin my 1st year as an Assistant Principal at Mary B. Austin! This is my 13th year in education. I have taught 2nd, 4th and 5th grades at Ariel W. Holloway Elementary and Council Traditional School. Last year, I served as the OMI Math Coach at Orchard Elementary. In addition to my work as an educator, I also serve as the pastor of the Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Prichard, AL. I enjoy traveling, going to the beach, reading the Bible, and spending time with my family & friends.

Hi! My name is Brittni Burch, and this will be my 10th year teaching. This is my second year teaching Kindergarten at Mary B. Austin. Before teaching at MBA, I taught Pre-K for 8 years. My husband and I have been married for 9 years and we have a precious little girl named Sophia. During my free time, I love being outdoors, spending time with my family, volunteering at our church, and crafting.

I am thrilled to meet you and can’t wait for another wonderful year at MBA!

Hi there! My name is Melanie Elliott, and this is my 4th year as a teacher. I received my bachelor's and master's degree in K-6 from the University of South Alabama. I am dual certified in Elementary and Special Education. I'm so excited to be teaching Kindergarten at Austin Elementary! I've heard so many wonderful things about the MBA community and am fortunate to be joining.

When I'm not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband, William, our daughter, Sadie, and our fur babies, Homer, Harley, and Hank.

I can't wait to get to know all of you and have a wonderful year together in Kindergarten!

My name is Wendy Lynch and I have been teaching elementary school for 24 years. My husband and I have four beautiful children: Brooklynn, Brittni, Branden, and Brodey. We also have three handsome grandsons: Cayson Paul, Beckham Hayes, and Callen Brooks. I enjoy watching my boys play baseball, spending time at the beach, and spending time with my family outdoors.

I am looking forward to a wonderful and fun filled year. I hope you and your child are just as excited about this year as I am. We can make this year the BEST it can be by working TOGETHER!!

My name is Mrs. Andrea Williams and I am thrilled to be teaching Kindergarten at Mary B. Austin this year! My husband and I moved here this summer from Michigan and I am excited to join the amazing Mary B. Austin community. I earned my degree in K-6 Elementary and Special Education and this will be my ninth year of teaching. I enjoy reading and playing with my labradoodle on the weekends. I am so happy to be here and am looking forward to a year filled with fun and lots of learning!

Hey! I am Mrs.Abbie Bouler. I am so excited for this new school year as an Austin Innovator! I am a first-grade teacher. I graduated from the University of Mobile with my Degree in Early Childhood Education. Outside of school, I enjoy teaching dance and being out in the sun!

Hi! My name is Rachael Carter and this is my 10th year teaching fulltime. I have worked part-time teaching reading intervention for a number of years before moving into full time reading intervention for the last 2 years at Austin. I’ve also taught 5th grade, Kindergarten, and a Pre-1st transitional class. I am very excited to be returning to the classroom in 1st grade! I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University. My husband and I have three children; Caroline (16), Jake (14), and Lane (9). We love camping and spending time outdoors! I am excited and looking forward to teaching our Austin Innovators this year!

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Landry, and I am so excited to be joining the Mary B. Austin family this year! This will be my third-year teaching and first-time teaching 1st grade. When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with family, cooking, reading, and traveling. My husband and I have the cutest goldendoodle named Poppy who is always keeping us entertained. I am looking forward to a great year in 1st grade!

Hi families! My name is Ashley Roe, and I am excited for another school year at Mary B. Austin! This will be my 10th year teaching and my 2nd year at MBA. I have taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Kindergarten, and 1st grade. In my spare time I love going to the beach, spending time with my family and friends, reading a good book, and going on walks with my chocolate lab, Moby.

Hi, my name is Townsend Bessonen, and I am so excited for another year at Mary B. Austin! This will be my 7th year teaching, and my 2nd year at MBA. My husband and I just welcomed our first son in June, so we have spent the summer soaking in all of the precious moments! I am excited to meet my new class and have another great year at Mary B.!

My name is Chasity Jackson, and this will be my fourth year teaching 2nd grade at MBA. I have a passion for creating engaging and educational experiences for children. I have a dual Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education. My goal is to ensure that every child feels welcome, supported, and inspired throughout our time together. I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for 28 years and we have five amazing children. I love spending time with my family, cooking, and traveling. I cannot wait to meet my new students as I believe this is going to be an awesome school year as we learn and grow together!

My name is Grace O’Toole and this will be my fourth year teaching at Mary B. Austin. I am from Chicago but moved to Mobile after graduating from Spring Hill College. In my free time, I love to go to the beach, read, and bake. I am excited for a great year in 2nd Grade!

My name is Emily Reed, and I am excited to be joining the 2nd Grade team at Mary B. Austin. I have a Masters in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama. This will be my 21st year teaching and my 6th year teaching at Mary B. Austin. My husband Jeff and I have two daughters who attend Mary B. Austin, Lucy (3rd) and Molly (1st). We are looking forward to a great year together!

Hi! My name is Sarah Buhmann, I grew up in Dallas, Texas. I graduated from Spring Hill College with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education in 2023. This is my second-year teaching third grade, and my second-year at Mary B. Austin. In my free time I enjoy playing golf, gardening, and spending time with friends and family. I am so excited for this school year!

My name is Rosalyn Hadley. I am a 2023 graduate of Spring Hill College. I am so excited to be teaching third grade at Mary B. Austin Elementary this year!

My name is Nancy Haywood and I feel blessed to be part of the Mary B. Austin family! This will be my 30th year teaching, with 13 here at Austin. I spent most of my career teaching 1st grade before moving to 3rd grade, which I love!!! I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master’s in Elementary Education with an emphasis on reading from South Alabama. Go Jags!! My husband and I have two wonderful boys, Mattox and Mason. I enjoy reading, traveling, family game night, and spending time family and friends. I am looking forward to meeting my new students and very excited for this school year!

My name is Kimberly Jackson, and I am super excited to be teaching 3rd grade this year at Mary B. Austin! I was born and raised in Mobile, AL. I graduated from University of South Alabama. My husband and I have three beautiful children. We enjoy traveling, movie nights, and spending time together.

Hi! I am Katie Browning, and this will be my 19th year teaching. I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education. I began my teaching career at MBA and have loved every second! My husband, Justus, and I have four children, Cannon, Ruby, Reese, and Luke. We enjoy camping, traveling, hiking, gardening, and spending time together!

My “roots to success” grow deep at MBA as my first teaching job began here in 2001. I taught fifth grade for 13 years, then switched to fourth grade where I’ve been very happy ever since. I have two daughters. The oldest is an attorney and the youngest aspires to be an orthodontist. I am very proud of them, as I am of all the precious learners whom God has placed in my care.

I was born and raised in Mobile, AL! I graduated from the University of South Alabama (GO JAGS) with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. This is my 18th year teaching and my FIRST year in 4th grade. I am extremely excited to learn and grow! My husband and I have two children, Kaleb and Blakely. We enjoy traveling, camping, and spending time together!

My name is Fay Dawson, and I am so excited to start my 9th year at Mary B. Austin! I am the 5th Grade Science and Social Studies teacher and I love all things STEM and history related. I look forward to making this year fun and engaging for my students. I am married to my best friend Earle, and we have three beautiful children- William, Ley, and McCrary. When I am not busy working with my classroom “children”, I love to watch my oldest son play basketball or drive my kids around to their various activities. In my spare time, I love to read, spend time with friends and family, eat delicious food and enjoy running. In fact, I spend most early mornings before work and weekends running and am currently training for my 2nd full marathon this fall, the Chicago Marathon in October! I ran the New York City Marathon last November. I hope to one day complete all 6 World Major Marathons. I look forward to seeing you all soon!

I am Monica Davidson, and I am very happy to be joining the staff here at Mary B. Austin. I have a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from the University of South Alabama, and I am currently pursuing my Masters in Elementary Education at South. I am looking forward to meeting all the students and families this year!

My name is Jennifer Squires and I am the 5th grade ELA teacher. I am entering my 19th year of teaching, and fourth year here at MBA. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degree from South Alabama, and pursuing National Board certification this year! I am a proud aunt to two beautiful nieces, Caroline and Livi, and mom to one spoiled pup, Luna. I am an avid reader and a huge Alabama fan. Don’t be offended when I greet you with a big ole Roll Tide! Looking forward to an amazing school year!

My name is Ramona Ardizone, I am the ARI Reading Specialist here at Mary B. Austin. This coming year will be my 37th year as an educator. My husband Brett and I have been married for 38 years and have 3 wonderful children. I love what I do and am so happy to be part of the Mary B. Austin family!

Hi Mary B. Austin families! I am Stephanie Bradford and I will be joining the MBA team as the School Counselor. I am a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and this will be my third year as an elementary school counselor with MCPSS. I received a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Auburn University in 2007 and a master’s degree in School Counseling from the University of South Alabama in May 2022. During the 2023-2024 school year, I participated in the inaugural MCPSS Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) cohort, which recognizes excellence in school counseling at the state and national level. I have been a part of the Mary B. Austin family for seven years as a parent, PTA board member, substitute teacher, room parent, and volunteer. When I’m not at school, I enjoy spending time with my wonderful husband of 16 years, Austin, and our three children, Caroline (7th grade), Turner (5th grade), and Graham (1st grade). In my free time, you can find me reading, traveling, hiking, occasionally running, and going to the mountains as often as I can.

I am excited to work with the students, parents, guardians, faculty, and staff at Mary B. Austin. I look forward to meeting and connecting with you all soon!

I am looking forward to being your child's Innovative Lab teacher for the upcoming school year. I graduated with my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama. In 2019, after 20 years of teaching first grade, I made the change to the Technology Lab. I will be working with your child outside of their regular classroom environment and pushing them to think "outside the box" when it comes to solutions.

I have a wonderful, hard-working husband named Geoff, a beautifully smart daughter named Avery and a very vocal husky named Nimbus. When not at school, you can find me reading a book, traveling (we're currently at 33 states) or cheering on the Tide!

My name is Chasity Lambert. I have been a part of the MBA family for 22 years. I have been the librarian for 11 years. I love to see students excited about books and technology. I am married and have a wonderful 10 year old daughter and a 3 year old pup.

"I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book"(J.K. Rowling).

My name is Crystal Galloway and I have been teaching in Mobile County for 20 years. I hold a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Mobile and a master's degree in Gifted Education from the University of South Alabama. I currently teach at Mary B. Austin Elementary as the Gifted Specialist where I hold pull-out classes for identified gifted students in grades 3-5, support classroom teachers in teaching academically and creatively gifted children, and coordinate and present professional development on student engagement and meeting the needs of high ability learners. In my spare time, you will find me with my favorite grown-up/husband of 18 years, Bubba, a realtor with RE/MAX Partners, and my favorite kid/son, Eli, a seventh grader at Mobile Christian. We love spending time on the water fishing and boating, barbecuing, traveling, and of course being together!

Laura M. Hooper, M.S., CCC-SLP-Speech Pathologist at MBA. 2024-2025 school year marks 31 years with the MCPSS primarily serving preschool through fifth grade. Happily married 42 years to Tim, have four grown children and four grandchildren. Proud to say that my granddaughter, Elizabeth, just finished fifth grade at MBA, and my grandson, Hugh, will begin kindergarten this year at Austin. In addition, I am proud to have my daughter, Madison Praytor, be a part of the MBA team as one of our PTA art teachers. I am excited to collaborate with all of you this year to help my speech students become confident communicators.

Hi! My name is Haley Lee, and this is my second year as a Special Education teacher at Mary B. Austin! I'm from Tuscaloosa, and I graduated from the University of Alabama with my Elementary and Special Education degrees in 2013! I love reading, running, and playing with my two cats, Tonks and Luna! I love Mary B, and I'm so excited to start this school year!

Hello! My name is Alice McClain. I am excited to begin my sixth year teaching at Mary B. Austin! I have been married for 2 years, and we just welcomed our precious baby girl! When I am not at school, I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends on the water. I am excited for this school year!

Hi! My name is Tori Oetken. This is my 25th year teaching with MCPSS as a Special Ed Teacher, 31 years overall. I will be celebrating 31 years of marriage to my husband, and have 2 grown children. In my free time (hahaha), I own my own wedding planning business, Bella Victoria Event Planning, and Design, which tends to keep me quite busy.

My name is Keith Burt (Coach). I am a Physical Education teacher starting my 12th year at Mary B Austin. I am from Monroeville, Alabama, and graduated from Monroe County High School. I received my B.S. in Physical Education from the University of South Alabama. I am married to my beautiful wife Jackie and we are the proud parents of our two daughters Emily and Caroline.

Married to Geron Regan and have 2 children, Anna Louise & Joseph Cummins. I have been teaching PE for 25 years with MCPSS. I have been at MBA for 16 years. Love working with our students and the staff at MBA. Looking forward to a great year!

For twenty years at Mary B. Austin, I have serviced students, faculty, staff, and on special occasions families too. It has been with great pleasure meeting the nutritional needs of others through my commitment to the Child Nutrition Program here with MCPSS. In 2015, I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Mobile. I am excited for this school year as I continue teaching students about healthy meal choices.

Mary B. Austin is the place to BEE!

Mary B. is the place to Bee! This school term marks the start of year five. I truly enjoy providing service to the staff, visitors, and most importantly the students here at Mary B. I look forward to having an awesome school year.

My name is Kaylan Garrett and I'm one of the new CPN employees. I have two kids that will be attending Mary B. Austin also my daughter (McKenzie Kidd) 9 going to 3rd grade and my son (Kendall Miller Jr.) 5 going to kindergarten. I’m excited to be starting my new journey here at Mary B. Austin

I have had the pleasure of working with children for over 20 years. While working here at Mary B. Austin, I find joy in servicing students, faculty, and staff with the nutritional needs that keep the body healthy. Each day I strive to put my best foot forward to finish the day!

I am married with 4 children, a girl, 2 boys, and a nephew we have raised. I love college football (Roll Tide), saltwater fishing, reading, and traveling. You will usually find me laughing or with a smile on my face. I am excited to be at Mary B Austin and I am looking forward to serving the Austin Community as your school Registrar.

Hello, My name is Mrs. Asline "Denise" Johnson. This is my second year at Mary B. Austin ES as an attendance clerk. I enjoy doing arts and crafts in my spare time....

I will be starting my fourth year as a school nurse and my fourth year at MBA. I've been a nurse for almost 10 years. I've done memory care, special needs nursing, and I'm currently PRN for a local hospice. I have just completed my Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training, which I am very proud to have completed! I am also currently working on my Master's Degree in Nursing with a focus on Patient Safety and Quality Improvement and will complete that in April. I have been married for 25 years in October and have 3 children. We love to travel! Looking forward to another great year at Mary B!

My name is Ashley Spelton, and I am the Bookkeeper here at MBA. I have been with MCPSS for over 30 years, and I have been at MBA for 24 of those years.

My daughters and other family members attended MBA, and I am proud to say that I have grandchildren and other family members attending MBA this present day.

I believe that every day offers us a teachable moment to help motivate each other as administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, grandparents, and guardians of our children to overcome the day-to-day challenges to strive and achieve the desires of their hearts.

MARY B is the place to “BEE” living one day at a time and enjoying one moment at a time.

This is my 4th year working at Mary B. Austin as a custodian. I'm married to my wonderful husband and together we have 2 fur kids.

My name is Serena. I am eager to learn new things. I am well organized. I am an honest person.

Hi, my name is Theresa Agee. I am from Mobile, AL (born and raised). I graduated from Bishop States Community College in 2003, with an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education. I am dedicated to Mary B. Austin Elementary and have graced my role as a Paraprofessional for over 20 years. I am motivated and supported by my loving family, made up of 4 children and grandkids. Faith, Family, and Friends are the most important driving forces.

Hello Austin Family! I am excited to start my second school year with you all as a paraprofessional. I am so happy to be returning to this school. My husband and I have a 6 year old daughter who is my stepdaughter in 1st grade​‌ this year. She truly is the light of my life and brings our family such fun and laughter. Being able to see her everyday succeed in her academics is such a blessing. We love to have family movie nights, color, and get frozen yogurt. I personally love to read a good book on the beach, and spending time with my family.

Hello, I’m Tara McDonald. This will be my fourth year at MBA and my fifth year with MCPSS. I am a special education paraprofessional and I love every single one of my babies. They are a true JOY. I have two beautiful daughters Emaleigh and Addison. I enjoy beach days, time spent with my family, and boat days with friends.

Hi, I am Jessica Murphy, Special Education Paraprofessional. I'm a graduate of Springhill College and the mother of two adult boys Harold & Stephen. I enjoy working at MBA.

Hi, my name is Julie Bassett. I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Mobile. I have a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts, both in elementary education. I taught 2nd and 3rd grade and have provided math and reading intervention in the past, but for the last several years I have been a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I have two boys and my oldest will be a junior at the University of Alabama this fall while my youngest turned 16 this summer and will be a sophomore at UMS-Wright.

I am a retired teacher who is not ready to fully retire. I taught first grade for 28 years. I have a Bachelor's in Elementary Education from The University of Alabama and a Master's in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama. I am looking forward to being an Intervention teacher this year.

Mrs. Hicks has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from South Alabama with a focus in ceramics and painting. She also has a background in childcare, specifically on art in the classroom. As a former MBA parent, Mrs. Hicks has been part of the Mary B. Austin family for quite some time and is excited to continue teaching and being hands-on in the classroom.

I am Madison Praytor and I am excited to start my second year teaching PTA ART at MBA! I have three children and have been an MBA parent for seven years. Currently, I serve on the MBA PTA Board and have for three years. I am excited to bring art into the classroom again this year so that each child has the opportunity to tap into their artistic potential.

My name is Lisa O’Neill, I am so excited to be your art teacher this year! I am originally from New Orleans and have been living in Mobile since 2001. I will start my tenth year teaching for Mobile County this year, I have worked as both an art teacher and a classroom teacher. I also taught part-time for three years for Mary B. Austin’s PTA Art Program. I graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Spring Hill College with a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education. My husband Brian and I have two amazing children, Morgan and Patrick, who keep us busy. I love spending time with family and friends, learning, traveling, and being outdoors.

My name is Tiffany Le Reynolds and this is my second year as Mary B. Austin’s English as a Second Language teacher. I serve as the ESL teacher for Austin ES and 4 other schools. I am so thrilled to be back this year! In my short 7 years of teaching, I have taught 2nd/3rd grade, special education and now English as a Second Language. I am originally from Mobile, attended MCPSS for all 13 years of schooling and graduated from the University of South Alabama with my bachelor’s & master’s degrees in education. I enjoy traveling with my husband, reading, and shopping!

I will be at MBA second semester as the MCPSS Music teacher. On top of teaching music to grades K, 3, 4 and 5, I also oversee the Austin Singers and Honor Choir students for MBA.

Email: mswhigham@mcpss.com
Website: marybaustinelementary.com
Location: 150 Provident Lane, Mobile, AL, USA
Phone: 251-221-1015
Twitter: @MaryBAustin