Contact Us

Principal Investigator
210-567-2568
EvansTM@uthscsa.edu

Teresa Evans, Ph.D.

Dr. Evans received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Psychology from Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. Ms. Evans continued her education, here at UT Health San Antonio, completing her Ph.D. in Neuroscience in 2014. Her academic career as a biomedical scientist has provided her with an excellent basis for fostering her desire to promote scientific research, communication and outreach through innovative educational programs. She has built a breadth and depth of knowledge of the development and execution of course curricula and assessments, scientific communication and career and professional development programming for scientists and K-12 educators. Ms. Evans is an active member of academic and community-based programs in these areas, including the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Public Outreach Committee and the non-profit organization that she co-founded, San Antonio Science.

Dr. Evans came on as Principal Investigator at Teacher Enrichment Initiatives in 2018, and it has allowed her to accomplish her immediate goal to apply her skills and network to develop new approaches to foster professional development within the K-12 teacher community. Through efforts supported by an American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology seed grant, awarded to her during her graduate training, she has recruited graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (trainees) to participate in SEPA sponsored science outreach events.  At these events, teachers and trainees were able to learn valuable communication and teaching skills from each other. It is in part through these efforts that she has become actively engaged in the Teacher Enrichment Initiatives program.

Research Coordinator/
Webmaster
210-567-2568
GrimesK@uthscsa.edu

Kandi Grimes, B.G.

Ms. Grimes received her Bachelor of General Studies degree with minors in Business and Psychology from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA.  She has been with the Teacher Enrichment Initiatives (TEI) program since 2005.  Ms. Grimes is responsible for project coordination, administration and accounts management for the TEI project which includes training programs, annual report preparations, and grant applications. She coordinates with the TEI Graphics Specialist to ensure that the TEI web site is operational and well maintained. She assists with the coordination of data collection, coding, and data entry for the evaluation of the TEI programs.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two children and watching movies.

Graphics Specialist
210-567-2256
Fordtran@uthscsa.edu

Chase Fordtran, B.A.

Mr. Fordtran received his Bachelor of Arts in Computer Graphic Arts from the University of the Incarnate Word, and has been with UT Health San Antonio since 2007, and with Teacher Enrichment Initiatives since 2010. He is responsible for all graphic design, social media content, and production of health curricula and promotional documents. Mr. Fordtran coordinates with the Research Coordinator, Ms. Kandi Grimes, to ensure that the TEI web site is operational and well maintained. He acts as a liaison between project staff and other process/production providers and an information resource in matters related to design practices and specialized computer graphic hardware and software. Mr. Fordtran provides staff support for organizing training programs. He is responsible for coordinating the printing production of curricula with the UT Health SA Printing Services.

When Mr. Fordtran isn't working with TEI, he enjoys spending time with his dog and 2 cats, exploring the San Antonio area, and spending time with friend's and family.

Educational Development
Specialist (EDS)
210-567-4477
RiggsR@uthscsa.edu

Rosemary Riggs, M.A.

Ms. Riggs is the Program Director of the Teacher Enrichment Leadership Academy (TELA), formerly known as the VBTA, and is the main liaison between participating school districts and UT Health SA. Ms. Riggs develops and conducts in-services and trainings for teachers. She works one-on-one with teachers on curriculum development, lesson planning, and adaptations of the materials. Ms. Riggs assists with the analysis and interpretation of the evaluation materials and coordinates with the teacher writing teams to revise the materials.