Convention Co-Chair

Becky Busby

Jessica Cook

Laura Gary

Corey Gray

Cathi Selph

President-Elect

Jessica Sevin

Secretary

Olethia Calhoun

Chasidy Hulett

Sallie Robinson

Candidates for Convention Co-Chair

Becky Busby

Becky has been an active member of GAGC for 6 years. She has attended and presented at GAGC for several years. Becky feels that the conference has been such a wonderful experience for teachers of the gifted to network with other gifted teachers throughout Georgia.

Becky is currently an elementary teacher for 26 years in Liberty County. During that time she has taught gifted cluster for 3 years and gifted resource for 17 years. She also had the opportunity to teach other educators across two districts the gifted endorsement courses for her RESA. Working with teachers is Becky's passion due to the fact she feels she can make a bigger impact for gifted students by working alongside gifted teachers to make them advocates for our learners. Gifted learners deserve every opportunity to expand upon their gifts and talents. Becky would love to have the opportunity to work with more gifted educators and help create authentic learning experiences for our gifted students. Georgia has so much potential to grow and support gifted learners and she would love to be part of that movement. Working with teachers is a passion of Becky's because of the unique opportunity to raise awareness for gifted learners and build enrichment opportunities.

Becky's leadership, organization, and proactive nature are essential when being part of the GAGC convention. The experiences obtained within the classroom, community, and across Georgia lend towards making her an excellent candidate for this position. Becky Busby's tireless efforts to make a difference in the area of gifted in the state of Georgia is the very reason she would be an asset to the GAGC Executive Board as the Convention Co-Chair.

Jessica Cook

Jessica has been an active member of GAGC for 1 year. As the GAGC Regional Representative for First District RESA, she plays a vital role in promoting initiatives that enhance gifted education statewide. She has attended GAGC and has volunteered at the convention and is wanting to get involved with GAGC at the next level.

Jessica currently serves as a gifted resource teacher in Liberty County. As an exemplary teacher she embodies a passion for excellence, creativity, and student centered learning. She is known as a master of differentiated instruction meeting the diverse needs of the students. Jessica loves all things gifted and was recognized as Liberty County’s Teacher of the Year for 2025. Beyond her exceptional teaching, Jessica's service to children and her community further highlights her dedication to education and the whole child. As the Delivery Manager for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, she works tirelessly to provide beds for children in need, ensuring their physical well-being. This work exemplifies her belief that education extends beyond academics to address the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Mrs. Cook’s contributions to gifted education are equally noteworthy. Her leadership ensures that the voices and needs of educators, students, and stakeholders are heard and addressed, furthering the mission of GAGC.

Jessica's dedication, creativity and unwavering commitment to her students and community make her a standout educator. She models lifelong learning, good citizenship and professionalism for her students inspiring them to achieve their fullest potential. Jessica Cook's tireless efforts, both inside and outside the classroom, make her an excellent candidate for Convention Co-Chair.

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Laura Gary

Laura has been an active member of GAGC for 9 years. She attends GAGC and has presented information regarding resources created by the Coalition for Access and Equity. Laura serves on the resource working group as part of the Coalition for Access and Equity where they developed as survey for gifted coordinators along with an instrumentation infographic for schools and districts in Georgia. This resource is to support gifted leaders in a way to evaluate the programs in their district.

Laura is currently working as a middle school gifted specialist at Beacon Hill Middle School as part of the City Schools of Decatur. As a member of the Coalition for Access and Equity she has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to promoting gifted education and advocating for gifted students both in her district and across the state. From her own ongoing education, participation in the Torrance Center’s Creativity in Education Roundtable, and years of serving as both a gifted teacher and school leader for gifted education, she has the experience and knowledge of best practices in gifted education. While teaching middle school, she coached a Community Problem Solving team to develop and promote service, leadership, collaboration and problem solving skills. She developed and continues to refine varied and engaging curriculum for gifted resource classes in sixth, seventh and eight grades. Recently, she has joined the Network for Emergent Socio-Scientific Thinking (NESST) housed in the Smithsonian Science Education Center Institute. It is a global network committed to transforming STEM education for sustainable development.

Laura demonstrates excellent communication skills through regular meetings with parents, as well as ongoing collaborative work with colleagues, to support gifted and talented learners and develop high-quality learning experiences. Her dedication as an advocate for gifted education is unwavering. Laura Gray demonstrates passion and organization to be an asset to the GAGC Executive Board as Convention Co-Chair.

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Corey Gray

Corey has been an active member of GAGC for one year. During this time he has participated in the Coalition for Access and Equity Zoom calls. With a strong commitment to the organization's mission, Corey is enthusiastic about expanding their contributions and serving GAGC in a greater capacity this year. He has presented at NAGC and is currently chairing the committee for Special Populations within NAGC.

Corey serves as a middle school gifted educator and is a dedicated advocate for Georgia’s gifted and talented learners. He has transformed his school's gifted program by embedding Torrance's Future Problem Solving (FPS). This implementation has provided an avenue to encourage other teachers to obtain their training in both Future Problem Solving and completing the gifted endorsement. As an advocate for gifted education, Corey supported an independent school in Atlanta in redesigning its accelerated and honors programs to align with the principles found in public schools. Corey is a dedicated advocate for Georgia’s gifted and talented learners, contributing through scholarly and practical publications in Teaching for High Potential, Parenting for High Potential, and Roeper Review.

Serving as the Program Chair for the Special Populations Network within NAGC, Corey leads the selection and evaluation of session proposals for the NAGC 2025 convention. As Convention Co-Chair, Corey will bring his expertise from NAGC to elevate GAGC's reputation as a premier state convention, attracting participants from around the world and setting a standard of excellence in the field of gifted education. Corey Gray's experience will make him an asset to the GAGC Executive Board as Convention Co-Chair.

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Cathi has been an active member of GAGC for 12 years. She attends both GAGC and NAGC gifted conferences each year and has presented numerous times providing attendees with a focus on creativity, resources to use in classrooms as well as ways to advocate for gifted students. While at the conference she has volunteered at various levels. Cathi also supported the Houston County Gifted and Talented Association as a board member from 2012 until its disbandment in 2021. During this time she was instrumental in organizing annual events and fundraising opportunities. This organization was one of the largest in the Georgia. Cathi was also awarded the Margret Bynum Scholarship in 2023 and is excited to serve as a Regional Representative for Middle Georgia RESA.

Cathi is an outstanding spokesperson for gifted learners. As the District Gifted Lead Teacher for Houston County, Cathi takes on several critical responsibilities that align perfectly with the GAGCs mission by raising awareness of giftedness, promoting differentiation along with teaching the Gifted Endorsement for Houston County. While teaching in middle school, Cathi served as the coach for Science Olympiad. She also provides professional development to schools on the characteristics and needs of gifted learners while advocating for gifted differentiation to address student needs through acceleration, enrichment and individualized learning plans. She had the unique experience of participating in Confratute for three years at the University of Connecticut. She has also attended training in the Student Enrichment Model with Joe Renzulli and Sally Reis, Depth and Complexity training with Sandra Kaplan, Creativity training with Ron Beghetto and Differentiated Instruction with Jan Leppien. The opportunity to train with icons in the field of gifted education provides her with the vast knowledge and training needed to be a leader of gifted education in her district. Cathi currently provides professional learning for all gifted lead teachers at 38 schools in the district and supports 8 Title I schools with Talent Development.

Cathi’s unwavering dedication to advancing gifted education has made a lasting impact on the community. Her ability to lead, advocate, and inspire others ensures that gifted students in Houston County receive the support and opportunities they deserve. Her extensive experience, proven leadership, training and passion for gifted education will undoubtedly enhance the success of GAGC and its mission. For these reasons alone, Cathi Selph will be an asset to the GAGC Executive Board as Convention Co-Chair.

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Candidate for President-Elect

Jessica Sevin

Jessica has been an active member in GAGC for the last 10 years. Over that time, she had the opportunity to attend and present at GAGC and actively network with other members in attendance. She is also a member of NAGC and has attended their conferences. She has presented at various Gifted conferences, sharing insights and strategies for fostering growth and success in gifted students. At the Georgia Gifted Curriculum Consortium at St. Simons in January, she presented the work both she and her team did in Fulton County with Making Internships/Mentorships Work. This year, she encouraged her internship Advisors to present at GAGC, helping to foster collaboration and sharing of knowledge. Jessica is also an active participant of the Gifted Advisory Committee as a member of the Testing and Eligibility working group.

Jessica is the new Supervisor of Advanced Learning in Cherokee County after working as the Coordinator of Advanced Studies in the Fulton County School System. She has been a passionate advocate for gifted children throughout her career, with 14 years of experience as a gifted educator and 20 years in education. Additionally, she has taught the Gifted Endorsement program through Metro RESA, helping to train and inspire other educators to better support gifted learners. Her advocacy extends beyond the classroom, as I have held parent workshops to educate families about the unique needs of gifted children and how they can best support their development. Beyond these efforts, Jessica has worked to ensure gifted education is a priority within our schools by advocating for program enhancements and resources. Whether through developing strong community partnerships, promoting professional development for educators, or ensuring that gifted students receive the individualized support they deserve Her commitment to these students remains unwavering. She strives to make a lasting impact, ensuring they have access to the opportunities and challenges that foster their intellectual, emotional, and social growth.

Jessica's eagerness to advocate for gifted education is a primary goal to continue growing GAGC's memberships and expand the benefits and resources available to educators. Her successful implementation of the high school internship program and sought out innovative ways to better serve gifted students in her community, which reflects the proactive approach to meeting the needs of students. Her deep passion for advocating for gifted students and her commitment to advancing the field of gifted education is a top priority which is evident in every position she has held from classroom teacher to now the leader of gifted in her district. With 14 years of experience as a gifted educator and leadership roles in two large counties, she will bring a fresh perspective to the table. Her experiences in both Fulton and Cherokee have provided a broad understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in different educational settings, which will allow her to effectively support and grow GAGC's initiatives. For these reasons, Jessica Sevin will be an asset to the GAGC Executive Board as President Elect.

Olethia Calhoun

Olethia has been an active member of GAGC for the past 4 years. She has also served on the Gifted Advisory Council where she has shared her opinions on critical issues, discussions, and planning for topics in Gifted education where she serves on the resources and service delivery model working group. She also serves as a mentor coordinator to new gifted coordinators in surrounding districts and she has volunteered during both GAGC and NAGC conferences for the past few years and also represents GAGC as a Regional Representative.

Olethia serves as the Director of Gifted Education and Fine Arts Coordinator and AP Placement for Houston County School System. As the gifted director and teacher she has consistently advocated for gifted students through both direct action and strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing their educational experience. She has led efforts to implement specialized programs that challenge students while also fostering creativity and critical thinking. In addition, she have actively collaborated with other educators, parents, and administrators to raise awareness about the needs of gifted students, making sure these students receive the support they need to thrive. Whether it's through securing funding for enrichment programs or providing professional development for teachers to better understand gifted education, Mrs. Calhoun has been a strong and tireless advocate for ensuring that gifted students are given the tools they need to succeed, and she develops and implements professional learning for Teacher Leadership Summits for her district. Her efforts and ongoing commitment to advocating for gifted students is a priority across both her district and RESA area.

Olethia has a deep commitment to fostering educational excellence with her understanding of the unique needs of gifted students. Leading her district in gifted and advanced learning over the past four years, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, guiding teams in her district to develop innovative, research-backed strategies to support high-achieving learners. Her passion for advancing gifted education and her proven track record make her a natural fit for this important role while working a a mentor for new coordinators. Olethia Calhoun brings experience from both the classroom and the district level which would make her an asset to GAGC Excitative Board as Secretary.

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Chasidy Hulett

Chasidy Hulett has been an active member of GAGC for the past nine years. She has presented at the GAGC Convention and also nominated students for the distinguished elementary student award. She has attended the convention most years since joining the organization. Chasidy also volunteers her time at the GAGC Convention. She has assisted with app for convention. She is constantly giving information to peers and parents about joining the organization and the many benefits of membership as she represents North Georgia RESA as a Regional Representative.

Chasidy currently serves as the District Gifted Lead Teacher in Murray County. Chasidy bring a different perspective as a non traditional teacher where she worked as a corporate trainer for Mohawk Industries. While at Mohawk, she developed and implemented several training programs for Mohawk executives. Providing training opportunities to her district stems from her previous experience. As a teacher of gifted she added to her repertoire as a certified trainer for Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Chasidy brings enthusiasm and attention to detail into any project she takes on. If obstacles present themselves during a project, she is able to find great solutions through creative problem solving and collaboration with team members. Implementing professional development in the area of gifted is a passion. This experience also is evident in her classroom along with her experiences as the Lead Gifted Teacher for her district in which she led Murray County in developing a talent development program.

Chasidy’s experiences in education along with her community involvement and previous work in the corporate world are just a few of traits maybe we could add: traits that would make her a contributing member of the board. She is a community leader and brings enthusiasm and attention to detail into any project she takes on. If obstacles present themselves during a project, she is able to find great solutions through creative problem solving and collaboration with team members. Chasidy Huellet's experiences in education, her community involvement and her previous work in the corporate realm make her an asset to the GAGC Executive Board as Secretary.

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