Barbara James has been the Director of the Texas Homeless Education Office for over 14 years.  She has presented workshops at the local, regional, state, and national levels to over 12,000 individuals.  Barbara has also authored or co-authored numerous articles and publications on homeless education and has led efforts to produce two videos on educating the homeless.

Tim Stahlke provides training on homeless education laws, resolves school enrollment complaints, and assists McKinney-Vento grant recipients in his role as Senior Program Coordinator for THEO. Tim previously worked with urban renewal/youth intervention efforts in Kansas City and El Paso and with immigrant/refugee and human service initiatives in South Texas. Tim actively supports the National Association for the Education of Homeless Education Children and Youth, serves as Treasurer of the Texas Homeless Network, and is a construction coordinator for Austin Habitat for Humanity.

Patrick Lopez, a Senior Program Coordinator who has been with THEO since 1992, works to improve the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness.  Prior to his current position, he was at the Texas Education Agency’s Dropout Information Clearinghouse. Patrick’s professional interests include the relationships between poverty and education, the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness, and reading acquisition.

Jeanne Stamp, who has been with THEO for 2 months as a Senior Program Coordinator, has previously worked as a licensed clinical social worker, a marriage and family therapist, and an addictions counselor. She is board-approved to supervise clinical social work and has twenty-five years’ experience in child welfare and social services as a front line social worker, clinical supervisor, manager, trainer, and program director. Jeanne has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from The University of Iowa.

Janie Phillips is the Administrative Associate for THEO. Ms. Phillips has been working with the McKinney-Vento Program since 1989. Before she began with the McKinney-Vento Program, Ms. Phillips worked at the Texas Education Agency in the Migrant Education Program for four years.