Collaborative Team

Pictured above front 2 rows l – r:  Brandy Sykes, Leah Gambrel, Amanda Pelnarsh, Atiya Mujassim, Jen Schaye, Caroline Harris, Amanda Miller, Karynn Roye, Stephanie Delgado, Michelle Vickery, Emily McMurray, and Christina Otwell.  Back 2 rows l – r:  Sarah Pogue, Abi Vences, Casey Brown, Joanne Molinyawe, Roland Quintero, Lauren Leopard, Amy Ertel, Susana Irus, Colea Podoloff, Tracey Currie LaFountaine, Samantha Wolchuk, and Faith Bland.

Heather Amitrani – This is my 6th year serving as a Physical Therapist with LTISD and my 16th year in the profession. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such amazing students and am passionate about helping each one reach their full potential. I have two children—a 3rd grader at BCE and a 6th grader at BCMS—who keep me busy and bring me so much joy. Outside of work, I love traveling, cheering on my kids at their sporting events, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Lanara Bird --  Hello! I’m thrilled to be the school social worker supporting WCHE this year. This marks my fifth year working with students in LTISD, and I’m honored to continue working with such a wonderful school community. I hold a Master’s in Special Education from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., as well as a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.  I’m passionate about helping students develop the skills and confidence they need to navigate challenges, build positive relationships, and reach their full potential. I’m also a proud LTISD parent to an amazing daughter and enjoy spending time with my wonderful husband and our family.

Faith Bland – Hi! I am Faith Bland!  Outside of working, growing, and molding our tiny humans into amazing beings, I enjoy traveling, eating different foods, and spending time with friends enjoying life as it comes!

Casey Brown - This year I am excited to be the LTISD Lead Assessment/ARD Facilitator and still have my office at WCHE! I am also the WCHE G3 ARD Facilitator.  I have my bachelors from Texas A&M University (whoop!) and my masters in special education (with a certification as an Educational Diagnostician) at Texas Tech University.  I am proud to work for Lake Travis ISD and have my own kiddo attend WCHE! Go Tigers!

Tracey Currie Lafountaine - Hi I’m Miss Tracey!  My husband of 31 years and I moved to Austin in 2021 from upstate NY to be closer to our grandson, Charlie, who is in 4th grade at WCHE. We have five adult children and three additional grandchildren back east.  Prior to moving to Texas, I owned a daycare/preschool for 15 years and was a teacher at Head Start. This is my fourth year as an Instructional  Aide, and I absolutely love everything about my job!  I’m truly blessed to work with the most amazing children, awesome families, and dedicated staff. I'm looking forward to another fabulous year with my WCHE Tiger family!! 

Stephanie Delgado - My name is Stephanie Delgado, and I'm a new special education assistant at the school.  I consider myself a positive and caring person.  I used to be a kindergarten teacher in Mexico, but my autistic son inspired me to focus on supporting children with special needs. I love creating an inclusive environment where every student feels valued. Outside of work, I enjoy playing volleyball and shopping with my daughter, Zara, and my son, Freddy, and I love spending time in nature with my older son, Fernando, looking for bugs and animals in general. I love science fiction series and movies like Star Trek, Dr. Who, and Harry Potter, and listening to old rock and Y2K music. I'm always looking for ways to grow and make a difference in a positive way in people's lives.

Lisa Ducote --  Hi!  I am one of your Diagnosticians here to help Tigers succeed.

Amy Ertel - This is my 2nd year working full time with our G3 kiddos. I’m looking forward to a great year working together to continue making WCHE an amazing place to be for all students.

Yvett Galvan -- I have been a part of this amazing district as a teacher and parent for 15 years. I have 25+ years of teaching experience in both elementary and as an English as a second language specialist.

Caroline Harris – Hi!  This is my fourth year at WCH, and I love the campus! Growing up in Chicago, I moved to Texas to pursue my undergraduate and Masters degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Baylor University. Sic' Em!   I am looking forward to another great year as a tiger!

Susana Irus – I am passionate about helping kids learn and grow.

Mallory Johnson --  I’m excited to be joining the WCHE team and to return to supporting LTISD as a school psychologist. This will be my 16th year in education. I earned both my undergraduate degree in psychology and my specialist degree in school psychology from Texas State University.

I’m passionate about being part of the problem-solving team and enjoy collaborating with teachers and families to better understand each student’s unique strengths and needs—and to help develop effective plans of support.

My husband, Jimmy, and I have three daughters who keep us busy and make life fun. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and cheering on my kids at their volleyball and basketball games or dance performances.

Wendy Johnson --  Hi!  I'm your Tiger Occupational Therapist.  

Lauren Leopard - This will be my 22nd year teaching, and I’m very excited to be joining the Resource Team this year!

Emily McMurray – I moved to Austin in 2012 from Chicago, Illinois. I am married to my husband, Matt, and have two children who attend school in LTISD.  My daughter is entering 8th grade at LTMS, and my son will be in 6^th grade at LTMS this year.  I also have two very spoiled dogs, a Goldendoodle named Hank and a Cavapoo named Cash.  Prior to becoming part of the Tiger Family, I taught preschool for 4 years.  The 2025-2026 school year will be my 6th at WCHE, and I'm looking forward to another great year as a Tiger.

Amanda Miller - Hey! I'm Amanda Miller and have lived in Texas for 11 years. I am married to my husband, Tim, and have 3 children.  My daughter is a 6th grader at LTMS, my middle son just graduated from  LTHS, and my oldest attends Texas State.  I’m looking forward to another exciting year.

Joanne Molinyawe – I am looking forward to another amazing year at West Cypress Hills! This will be my seventh year teaching, and I'm super excited! I earned both my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Elementary Education from Texas State University. I went on to teach 1st and 3rd grade in San Antonio. Then, I spent several years substitute teaching for LTISD before going back full time to the classroom.  In my spare time, I enjoy crafting and volunteering at Austin's city animal shelter.  I am married to Matt, and together we have a Junior, Alexis, who attends LTHS.  We also have 3 rescue pups! 

Atiya Mujassim --  My Name is Atiya Mujassim.  This  is my fifth year with LTISD. I am VERY excited to be back with the WCHE family, and I hope to make a difference in the lives of our G3 kids.  I have my MBA ( finance) from India, and  I hold SAP/DBA certifications from Oracle University.  I moved to Austin from Boston 9 years ago.  I am married and have 2 children who graduated from LTHS.  They currently attend classes at UT.  I enjoy spending time with my family.  In my spare time I cook, volunteer, and shop.

Christina Otwell - This will be my 4th year as a WCHE teacher, and 6th year teaching Special Education for LT school district.  I am happily married with two girls.  I enjoy teaching yoga and hiking in my free time.  I am greatly honored to be named by my peers as West Cypress Hills Teacher of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year.

Amanda Pelnarsh – Originally from Illinois, I went to undergrad at Indiana State and hold a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I went to graduate school at Lewis University where I earned my master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology. This is my third year with Lake Travis ISD.

Erin Phillips - I am the LTISD Music Therapist and am very happy to be housed on the West Cypress Campus.  I look forward to supporting our Tigers.

Colea Podoloff – My name is Colea Podoloff, and I am a proud mom of 2 children, Clara (Senior at LTHS) and Caleb (8th grade at LTMS) and have been married to my husband for 20 years.  I am thrilled to be returning for my 13th year in Lake Travis ISD and my 3rd year at West Cypress Hills Elementary.  My journey in LTISD has taken me from General Education to Special Education to Dyslexia Therapist, and I completed my CALT (Certified Academic Language Therapy) Certification through the Rawson Saunders Institute in Austin.  Student growth and success through a proven, research-based, multi-sensory approach to teaching essential language skills drives me to support WCHE through direct, explicit Dyslexia Intervention.

Sarah Pogue -- This is my first year on the West Cypress Campus, and I am very much looking forward to meeting our Tigers.  I am your ARD Facilitator.

Roland Quintero -- I work with our G3 Tigers, and look forward to meeting our Tigers and Tiger families.  This is my first year at West Cypress Hills.

DeLisa Rodriguez - With over 17 years of experience working with students of varying abilities, I am dedicated to creating inclusive, supportive learning environments where every child feels valued and empowered to succeed. I focus on meeting students where they are and helping them grow through engaging, meaningful, and motivating activities. My passion lies in helping each child reach their full potential in a safe, consistent space that encourages curiosity and celebrates individual strengths.

Originally from Oklahoma, with a few years in California, I’ve called Texas home for the past five years. I hold a B.S. in (Psych/Social) Family Studies and Gerontology from Southern Nazarene University and an M.Ed. from the University of Oklahoma. I’m a proud wife, mom to two amazing boys, and pet parent to two pups. Our family enjoys exploring the Hill Country, traveling, hiking, beach days, live music, dancing, and spending quality time with loved ones.

Karynn Roye -- My name is Karynn Roye, I have lived in the Lake Travis area since 2000.  This is my third year as an Instructional Aide, and I couldn’t be more excited!  I’ve been a part of the Lake Travis community for 25 years and love it here.  I have two boys—one at WCHE and one at LTMS.

Jennifer Aubele Schaye --  Hi!  I am so excited to be at WCHE for my 3rd year!  I am originally from Los Angeles, and I am a graduate of UCLA. Go Bruins!  I am happily married with 2 sons who attend LTISD schools. I love to read, to cook, and I love to bake.  My favorite hobby, however, is spending time with my family. I am also a dog mom to our rescue, Clyde, who has been a wonderful addition to our family.  Cheers to another wonderful year at WCHE!  Go Tigers!!

Brandy Sykes –  This will be my 9th year teaching and my 4th year teaching at WCHE!  I love being a part of the Tiger family! I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Midwestern State University,  and I am certified to teach PreK - 8th grade and Special Education. My husband and I are college sweethearts and have been married for 23 years!  We have four precious children that are my world...a recent LTHS graduate heading to college, 9th grader at LTHS, 7th grader at LTMS, and one at WCHE in 4th grade. We also have the cutest Mini Goldendoodle named Goldie! I love spending time with my family, traveling, baking, decorating, birding, going to baseball games, and watching movies. I am truly honored to have your child this year and absolutely love creating a classroom where everyone feels safe and loved.  Go Tigers!!

Madison Ueding -- I'm the Behavior Specialist assigned to our West Cypress Hills campus.

Abigail Vences – My name is Abigail Vences, and I’m proud to be a Lake Travis Lifer! I graduated from St. Edward’s University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and am currently working on earning my teaching certificate.  I’m so excited to be part of the WCHE family and look forward to growing alongside our amazing students and staff!