• Faculty & Experts at AMP

    Meet the dedicated agriscience educators, mentors, and industry professionals who inspire and guide students on their educational journey at AMP. Our team brings a wealth of agricultural expertise, passion, and real-world experience to provide an unparalleled agriscience education.

    AMP has established a collaborative learning environment where agricultural experts are our teachers, working together to provide our students with top tier education in plant science, animal science, food science, agricultural engineering, agriculture business, and natural resource management. Our state qualified faculty includes experienced agriscience experts who bring their diverse backgrounds in various agricultural fields into the classroom. They empower students to explore, experiment, and excel in diverse areas of agricultural science.

    Passionate Educators & Industry Leaders

AgriScience Program Director

Phone: 210-356-1400

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Heather Gafke

Howdy! My name is Heather Gafke and I'm incredibly excited to introduce myself as the new Director of the Agriscience Magnet Program (AMP). It is both a privilege and honor to step into this new role, and I am eager to dive in and get to know everyone. As a passionate leader, I firmly believe in leading with heart and enthusiasm. My goal is to cultivate a dynamic community that inspires our students to reach their fullest potential. I bring 13 years of experience in education and an unwavering commitment to excellence. I hold an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, a master's from Texas A&M International University, and I am currently pursuing my doctorate at Abilene Christian University. My love for learning drives me to inspire our students to be lifelong learners.

When I am not at work, you can find me cruising through life, one ocean adventure at a time. I dream of seeing all the beautiful blues of the ocean. I've been happily married for nearly 20 years and have two wonderful kids. Additionally, my niece and nephew are living with us. Just in case four teenagers wasn't enough to keep a lively pace at home, our two beloved Boxers add joy to our chaos.

I am truly looking forward to an exciting school year and the wonderful opportunities ahead for our AMP students. Please feel free to reach out to me - I would love to hear from you!

Duties & Responsibilities:

The AMP Director oversees a wide range of responsibilities to ensure the smooth operation of the program. These duties include managing the AMP discipline to maintain a conducive learning environment and tracking attendance to ensure student participation. The director is also in charge of the AMP budget, which involves allocating resources effectively across various needs. Building operations and campus safety are critical areas, requiring coordination of maintenance, custodial tasks, and implementation of safety and crisis plans. The director facilitates the use of the facility, including event setup and ensuring the grounds are well-maintained. Additionally, they oversee the Continuous Improvement and Innovation Plan (CIIP) and the Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS), play a pivotal role in organizing AMP events, and manage the School Assistance Fund (SAF) and Campus Activity Fund (CAF). The director also supports academic excellence by coordinating student teacher placements, maintaining teacher and AMP websites for effective communication, and developing the master schedule to optimize educational delivery.

  • Joshua Anderson

    Joshua Anderson cultivates life on a family-operated farm, alongside his wife and four children. As an educator, he's taught a variety of courses across the AMP pathways including Plant Systems, Animal Science, Environmental & Natural Resources, and the burgeoning Food Science pathway, focusing on Food Processing and Safety/Technology. He's also involved in introductory agricultural courses.

    Passionate about guiding students towards meaningful career paths or hobbies, Joshua actively engages in managing poultry projects, advising on research, and assisting in presentation preparations. His educational philosophy is to foster an environment ripe for exploration, encouraging a lifelong passion for learning. Joshua is dedicated to ensuring that students not only understand the curriculum but also expand their horizons regarding future career possibilities.

    Achievements

    • Coached and trained nearly 100 teams or individuals at the highest of state levels, with more than 20 of those teams having success at the national level.

  • Brittany Bowman

    Brittany Bowman, a local product of Madison High School and an enthusiastic FFA member during her time there, pursued higher education in agricultural leadership at Texas A&M University, followed by a master's in Agricultural Education. She brings a rich background of experience from her years in 4-H County Extension work.

    With several years dedicated to teaching, Brittany has always emphasized understanding her students as individuals, believing in the power of learning about their lives outside the classroom to foster positive relationships and engaging learning experiences. She encourages her students to strive for their best selves, equipping them for life beyond school with lessons in plant science and floral design. Her teaching philosophy includes a strong focus on accountability, mental and physical well-being, rooted in her own passion for agriculture that began with raising pigs in high school.

    Achievements

    • State Champion Floriculture team
    • State Reserve Champion Public Relations team

  • Katherine Dalton

    Katherine Dalton, known for her lively and engaging personality, is committed to excelling as an agricultural educator. Specializing in plant science and horticulture, Katherine views the synergy between classroom learning, Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), and FFA as crucial to a comprehensive agricultural education. A proud graduate of Tarleton State University, she earned her Bachelor of Science and later a Master's in Agriculture and Consumer Resources.

    Over a decade of teaching at Madison High School has reinforced Katherine's belief that education transcends mere academic instruction; it's about being a guiding figure for students. She blends traditional and modern teaching methods to captivate her students, aiming to be a mentor and a model of integrity. Katherine's ultimate goal is for her students to appreciate agriculture's critical role in everyday life, a mission that is reflected in the success of her students at various competitive levels.

    Achievements

    • State Champion Nursery Landscape Team – 2021
    • National Champion Nursery/Landscape Team – 2021
    • State Champion Agronomy Team – 2022
    • Gold Ranked Agronomy Team – 5th Place at Nationals – 2022
    • State Champion Entomology Team - 2023 
    • STAR AWARD Applicants
    • Multiple State Champions 
    • NEEF Grant Recipient

  • Janell McMullan

    Hailing from San Antonio, Janell McMullan found her calling early as a devoted FFA member, taking pride in showing pigs and steers. This dedication led her to Texas State University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in General Agriculture, alongside a certification for teaching.

    Janell's teaching career spans over two decades, with a significant portion dedicated to the NEISD. Beyond the classroom, she boasts a decade of experience in veterinary clinics. As a mother to two FFA-involved daughters, Janell's teaching ethos revolves around embodying the change one wishes to see globally. She’s committed to nurturing this mindset within her Animal Science students at AMP.

    Achievements

    • Champion and Reserve Champion at both national and state levels with the FFA Veterinary Science team
    • Third-place at the National FFA Marketing Plan competition
    • Leading teams to victory as National and State Champions in High School BBQ Cook-offs

  • Michelle Owen

    Michelle Owen first joined the AMP as a student teacher in the spring semester of 2023 as she was completing her clinical experience for her Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture Education at Texas State University. She also received a minor in Agriculture Mechanics while studying at Texas State and her subject expertise is in Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems holding certifications from the American Welding Society (AWS) in stick and gas metal arc welding. Ms. Owen was an active FFA member at Lytle High School where she raised and exhibited swine and built and competed with agriculture mechanics projects. She developed a passion for metal work at a young age by working along side her father in his workshop. 

    Before returning to the AMP, Ms. Owen taught manufacturing and welding courses at Canyon-New Braunfels High School. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that education is a transformative journey that empowers individuals to reach their fullest potential. She strives to create an inclusive, supportive, and stimulating learning environment where each student feels valued and motivated to engage deeply with the material.

    Achievements

    • AWS D9.1 - SMAW Certification
    • AWS D9.1 - GMAW Certification
    • AWS D1.1 Certification

  • Mackenzie Witzel

    Raised on a sprawling commercial cattle operation that stretches across Colorado and Kansas, Mackenzie Witzel has been deeply involved in 4-H and FFA, showcasing cattle, sheep, and swine. His leadership journey saw him serving as Colorado 4-H State Vice President and Colorado FFA State President. In college, his skills were further recognized on a Reserve National Champion Livestock Judging team.

    Mackenzie's academic path led him to Kansas State University, where he earned degrees in Agricultural Education and Animal Science. His professional experience includes teaching in Oklahoma and Kansas and serving as a Meat and Poultry Inspector. Since joining NEISD, Mackenzie has made significant contributions through supervising the Lamb Feeder Program, coaching, and teaching Agriculture business and Animal Science. His teaching philosophy is to blend theoretical knowledge with practical application, encouraging students to become advocates for their learning and future aspirations.

    Achievements

    • Holder of the 2009 Colorado FFA State Degree
    • Service as the 2010-11 Colorado FFA State President
    • Recipient of the 2011 American FFA Degree
    • Awarded the 2023 Honorary Lonestar FFA Degree

  • Cheree' Leita

    Cheree' Leita is a graduate of the AMP and Madison High School and it is the experience she had as a FFA member that was the catalyst for choosing to become an agriculture science teacher. Mrs. Leita pursued her higher education and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture Education from West Texas A&M University and later completed a Master's Degree in Agriculture Science through Texas A&M University - Kingsville. 

    Before joining the AMP, Mrs. Leita spent several years working for the Texas Agrilife Extension Service and served as an agriculture science teacher in the San Saba and Judson communities. After 14 years in the classroom, Mrs. Leita is taking on fresh opportunities this year and will be the lead instructor for the Plant Science program of study and providing dual credit courses for students enrolled in Horticultural Science.

    Achievements

    • Achievements coming soon