Melissa McCray, Ph.D. currently serves as the Director of Elementary Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development in the Rankin County School District in Rankin County MS. Her 30 years of service reflect time spent as a teacher, principal, principal coach, and an administrative coach. Dr. McCray’s passion lies in ensuring that every student has the most knowledgeable educator leading instruction in the classroom. She strongly believes in building the capacity of each teacher, paraprofessional and administrator she leads in professional development. Earning several school recognition awards by continually raising instructional expectations for Tier I during her tenure as principal has proven to be the hallmark of Dr. McCray’s consistent mission of excellence in education. She understands that excellence is a journey, not a destination. She brings this same dedication to her work today as she strives to empower all educators to achieve greater success as knowledgeable practitioners that ensure student success.

Melissa Beck has worked with teachers in numerous districts across Mississippi as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, English chairperson, literacy coach, and professional development provider. She has presented at the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium, Plain Talk about Literacy and Learning, National Conference on Student Assessment, and conferences across Mississippi. Melissa is currently the Literacy Assessment Coordinator for the State of Mississippi. In her role, she is responsible for the assessment components of the Literacy Based Promotion Act. She oversees the administration of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and the 3rd Grade Reading Assessment and collects data for K-3 statewide screeners.

Angy Graham brings over 28 years of experience in Mississippi’s public education system, serving in a wide range of instructional, administrative, and district leadership roles. Her career began in elementary education before advancing to leadership positions in academic support, assessment, and school administration across multiple districts.

She held key district-level roles in curriculum and instruction and ultimately served as Executive Director of Academics for Rankin County School District, where she remained until her retirement from public education in June 2025. Angy now serves as Executive Director at Magnolia Speech School in Madison, MS, where she continues to support student growth and academic success.

Mary Margaret Tuttle is a former classroom teacher and instructional coach with experience supporting educators at both the school and district levels. She serves as the ELA Elementary Curriculum Specialist for the Rankin County School District, where her work focuses on curriculum support, instructional alignment, and improving literacy outcomes for students.

In this role, she collaborates with teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators to support effective ELA instruction and curriculum implementation. She has presented a variety of professional development sessions for teachers and administrators across the district, providing guidance on instructional practices, curriculum use, and student engagement.