Support Staff

Ms. Colleen Allen

I have taught Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade and Reading Recovery. I am originally from New York and my husband is from England. We love to go and visit our families as often as we can. Of course, I love the visits to England! I have two girls who keep me busy. Both girls love to play soccer. Their names are Madelyn and Stella. Madelyn attends Brookwood High School and Stella attends Kennesaw State where she plays soccer. I enjoy spending time on the weekends with my family and friends. Go Rams!!!!

Ms. Winona Archie

Greetings, Trip Family!

My name is Winona Jones-Archie, and I am excited to introduce myself as a proud member of the RAM Family! With more than 30 years of experience in education, I have a deep passion for helping students learn, grow, and succeed. Throughout my career, I have learned that students thrive when they feel connected, encouraged, and supported. Creating a positive learning environment where every child feels valued, challenged, and inspired to reach their full potential has always been at the heart of my work.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of serving students, families, and educators across three metro Atlanta school districts in a variety of instructional and leadership roles, including classroom teacher, instructional coach, math instructional specialist, assistant principal, and Coordinator of Social Emotional Learning with Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Although I retired after three decades in education in 2024, my passion for working with students led me back to the classroom to serve as a Math Intervention Teacher here at Trip. This role holds a special place in my heart because I spent more than a decade teaching math intervention earlier in my career.

I earned my bachelor's degree from Clark Atlanta University, my master's degree from Central Michigan University, my specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University, and my leadership certification from the University of Georgia.

Outside of school, I am a proud wife and mother of two sons, both graduates of Gwinnett County Public Schools, and I am looking forward to welcoming my first grandchild this fall. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending quality time with family and friends, and encouraging others to become the best version of themselves.

It is truly a privilege to serve the students and families of Trip Elementary. I look forward to partnering with our outstanding staff, families, and community to ensure every student grows academically, socially, and emotionally. Here's to an amazing year filled with learning, growth, and success!
#GoRAMS 💙💛
 

Ms. Kristina Beck

Hello Ram Families! I am super excited to be working at Trip Elementary this school year!   I am originally from Youngstown, NY but have live in Chicago, Illinois, New York City and Dallas, Texas before moving to Snellville, Georgia in 2012.   I graduated from The University at Buffalo with a BA in Public Relations and Advertising.   After working in advertising for a couple of years, I realized my true passion was for teaching.  In 2006, I graduated with a Master's in early childhood education from Niagara University.

I love spending time with my husband Jeff and two children Ava and Hayden.  We love going on trips together, but we never leave home without our three dogs Penelope, Layla, and Luke.  This is going to be an AWESOME school year!

GO RAMS!!!!!!!!!

Ms. Marcy Brown

Hey! My name is Marcy Brown and I love teaching! I love kids so much I went back to school to become a teacher. I used to be an accountant but I couldn’t have as much fun as teachers do so I stopped. I have a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education along with my Gifted Endorsement and a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting.

My totally awesome husband, Paul, and I have 2 beautiful children: Aspen and Maverick. We love hanging out together as a family.

Ms. Christy Coyle

Ms. Chasity Dotson

Hello! I'm Chasity Dotson, the PBIS/ Behavior Coach. I support students in developing positive behaviors, building strong social-emotional skills, and making responsible choices. My goal is to help every child feel safe, supported, and confident so that they can succeed at school.

Ms. Mallory Duncan

Hello Trip family! My name is Mallory Duncan, and I am very excited to be a part of the Trip team and community. I am originally from South Georgia, and moved to Gwinnett County in 2018! I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Middle Grades Education for math and social studies from Georgia Southwestern State University. Additionally, I graduated with my Master's degree in Math Education from Kennesaw State University, and I have a Specialist degree in Instructional Technology from the University of West Georgia. I have taught special education in language arts and social studies in the past in middle school. I love the Atlanta Braves and the Georgia Bulldogs. I enjoy spending time with my husband, Matt, and our Goldendoodle, Bear. 

Ms. Deena Evans

Hello, my name is Deena Evans and I’m one of the speech-language pathologists here at Trip. I have been married for over 30 years and have 2 adult children who live in the area. We also have a 2 year old Labrador Retriever that keeps us busy! I received my bachelor's and master's degrees from Valdosta State University and my specialist's degree from Nova Southeastern University. I enjoy helping children improve their communication skills so that they may experience greater academic success and self-confidence.

Ms. Teisha Francis

Hello Ram Fam! My name is Teisha Francis! I am so excited to be a member of this dynamic faculty as a K-5 ESOL Teacher! I am originally from New Orleans, La. I attended college at the University of South Florida in Tampa and taught in Hillsborough County Schools for several years. I relocated to the metro Atlanta area in 2018 and have enjoyed teaching here in Georgia. I have taught children of all ages, from elementary, middle and high school….but elementary students are my favorite! I look forward to another awesome year here at Trip….It’s always a GREAT DAY to be a RAM!

Ms. Jennifer Geyer

I love teaching and want to inspire a love of learning in each of my students. I love seeing how much my students learn and grow over the course of the year. I have a master’s degree from the University of Georgia and am a huge Bulldogs fan. My favorite hobbies are reading and shopping. My husband and I live in Bethlehem with our children Kailey and Kaden. As a family we love going to the beach, playing games, watching movies, and just spending time together.

Ms. Aimee Litt

Ms. Casandra Lockley

Hello Rams! My name is Casandra Lockley.  I have experience teaching grades 1 through 4. I have a Master's in Reading, Gifted endorsement and ESOL certification. One of my favorite subjects to teach is Math. I fondly call my kiddos "Mathematicians." On a personal note,  I am married with two daughters.  I enjoy shopping on Amazon, eating Key Lime Pie, and spending time with my family.

Mrs. Linda Maunder

My name is Linda Maunder. I am a very proud mother of two amazing children, Nicholas and Kate.  My husband T.J. and I love to take the family camping.  We spend a tremendous amount of time at Stone Mountain Park either camping or hiking up the mountain.  We also love to visit the beach and spend time in the sun swimming and building sand castles.

Ms. Lisa McKenna

Greetings! Mrs. McKenna here! Welcome to Trip Elementary!

I grew up with a love for teaching and reading.  I still remember the days of playing school in my bedroom back in New Jersey when I was 5 years old.  My walls were my chalkboard, and my friends were my students.  I cherished all the teacher editions of textbooks that I could get my hands on.  So, it was no surprise to my family when I became a teacher. 

In 2002, I graduated from the University of Central Missouri and began teaching 2nd grade.

Then in 2003, my husband and I moved to Georgia, where I taught 1st grade for the Atlanta Public School District.

A move to Gwinnett County in 2004, brought me to Chesney Elementary where I taught 2nd grade and Computer Specials.

When we purchased our home in Monroe in 2008, I began teaching 1st grade at Trip Elementary.  As a charter member of Trip, I have been blessed with so many friendships with fellow teachers, parents and students!  I’ve been fortunate enough to teach both 1st and 5th grade here at Trip. 
 
One of the most memorable moments I’ve had was being selected as Trip’s Teacher of the Year in 2018.  It was such a privilege because the staff I work with is the best of the best!

My husband and I have truly embraced living in Georgia, with all its wonderful traditions and southern hospitality.  I’ve also become a huge UGA football fan, Goooo Dawgs! 

In my spare time, you can find me going to the movies (the previews are my favorite part), cooking, visiting the public library, reading on my back patio, or digging into a True Crime show!  We also love our two spoiled cats, Martie McFly, and Charlie. 

I hope to see you around Trip this year!

Ms. Deb Mercier

My name is Deb Mercier, and I LOVE teaching!! I have taught Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and I am now a Reading Recovery/ Literacy Lessons Reading Teacher, which is essentially a reading specialist who instructs grades 1-5. I attended the University of Georgia to obtain my Early Childhood Education degree and received my Master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. I am also ESOL certified, Gifted certified, and have my Special Education certification as well. I have three beautiful children, and two grandchildren, all of whom I am so very proud!! I am thrilled to claim Trip ES as my home school since it opened in 2008, and can not imagine teaching anywhere else! 😊

Ms. Briana Santos

Hey Ram Family! My name is Briana Santos! I am a K-5 ESOL Teacher here at Trip! I am very excited to be a part of the Trip Elementary team! I am originally from California. I moved to Atlanta in 2005 to attend Clark Atlanta University. After graduating, I decided to make Georgia my home! I later received my Master’s degree in Education Policy Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I have taught children of all ages, from toddlers in a private childcare center to high school students in DeKalb County Schools. I also enjoyed working as an Early Education Librarian here in Gwinnett County. I love teaching kids and seeing their worlds light up when they learn new things! I have four wonderful children of my own; Caden, Jeremy, and the twins, Isabella and Aubrielle. I enjoy spending time with family, traveling, and attending my kids’ sports games (especially baseball!). Let’s go Rams! 

Ms. Angie Skinner

Hi! My name is Angie Skinner. I 'm a product of Gwinnett County Public School and a graduate of Georgia State University. I've also taught at Norton Elementary and Cooper Elementary and have been teaching since 1993.

My husband David and I live in Loganville with our two children Makayla and Addison. We love going to baseball games, eating Mexican food, and playing games together. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, reading, and working in my yard.

Ms. Tomi Waldrop

Trip is an exciting place to work, learn and grow!!!  I am thrilled to continue to work at Trip, even after retiring!!  This year, I will enjoy and am so excited about my role as the Play 2 Learn teacher for our littlest learners. 

I am a Georgia native who grew up a short distance from here in Monroe, GA. My undergraduate college years were spent at Georgia College in Milledgeville where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. I taught in Walton County before taking off 14 years to spend raising my two delightful daughters.  In 2006, I returned to public school teaching after home schooling my children through elementary school. In 2012, I completed my Master's Degree through Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL and then immediately began my Specialist Degree at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee which I completed in 2013.  

I enjoy spending my free time working in my yard or meeting friends.  I especially enjoy playing, reading and just spending time with my grandchildren when I can!!! Otherwise, you may find me out and about at festivals or just having fun enjoying a nearby park walking or hiking. I am happy to be at Trip Elementary School again this year; the teachers, students, parents and administrators are THE BEST!

Ms. Shenay Williams

My name is Shenay Williams, and I am excited to be an instructional coach at Trip! I am married and have three amazing children. I received my BS in Broadcast Journalism from Florida A&M University and my MA in Elementary Education from the University of Central Florida. I hold my reading, gifted, ESOL, and coaching endorsements.