Officers
Patrice Brown, president of CSTA Alabama, is a Computer Science teacher at Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She just completed her 18th year of teaching and has found her passion in Computer Science. She is a member of the Governor's Computer Science Task Force and is excited about the growth of CS in Alabama.
Vice-President, Pam McClendon is currently a teacher leader for Exploring Computer Science (ECS) with the University of Tuskegee, Legacy Project and a Code.org CSP Facilitator with A+ College Ready. Pam has been teaching for 18 years. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree at Faulkner University and her Master of Education at Auburn University at Montgomery. She recently recertified for National Board Certification in Information Technology in 2019. Pam is a Career Tech Teacher and has taught a variety of business and computer science courses over the span of her career. In the last six years Pam has worked hard to earn the skills necessary to teach Computer Science courses as she strongly believes that every student in Alabama should have the opportunity to learn CS. She currently teaches Java, AP CSA, Intro to Computer Science and AP Computer Science Principles. She is a passionate teacher dedicated to impacting student learning in a positive way. Her goal is to continue to grow as a CS teacher and step out of her comfort zone and offer courses that will allow her students to take advantage of the many opportunities Computer Science offers.
Jamie Key, CSTA Alabama secretary, currently teaches at Enterprise Career & Technology Center, a campus of Enterprise High School, in Enterprise, Alabama. She initially started teaching CS 4 years ago with the introduction of AP CSP and has since built a successful CTE-Information Technology/Programming and Software Development program as the sole CS instructor at her school.
Rebecca Henderson, elementary representative, is a media specialist and has been at Tuscaloosa Academy for 4 years as their Technology Integration Specialist, teaching CS/STEM to preschool - 4th grade, 7th and 8th grade computer science, and middle school electives (Digital Storytelling and Design Thinking). She has developed a creative approach to technology to allow her students the opportunity to experience what technology can produce and how it can be applied to solve problems.
Michelle Phillips, middle school representative, is enrolled at the University of South Alabama currently working for her PhD in Instructional Design & Development. Her philosophy in education is a constructivist approach with a technology application. She believes learning should be student centered and should be delivered to the students in a manner that helps prepare them for the real world. Her passion is to create successful citizens with a well-rounded
curriculum and inspire a love of learning using fun deliveries. Her mission statement is:
“I will believe in every student and I will
help each child believe in themselves”
Dr. Jeff Gray, is the university sponsor and mentor for the Alabama chapter of CSTA.
Dr. Gray is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Alabama. He received his PhD from Vanderbilt University, and both a BS and MS from West Virginia University, all in computer science. His core research areas are in software engineering and computer science education. He currently serves as the co-chair of the Governor’s Computer Science Advisory Council. In 2008, he was named the Professor of the Year for Alabama by the Carnegie Foundation and became Alabama’s first Distinguished Member of the Association for Computing Machinery. He is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award. He counts his relationships with K-12 colleagues as the joy and highlight of his career. More details about Jeff’s work can be found at http://gray.cs.ua.edu