Our Faculty and Staff

Abigail E. Comber

I have been a classroom teacher for 16 years and have been with Burris since 2008. My education research interests include secondary education curriculum and instruction with emphasis in project-based learning and student-centered activities; stakeholder and community involvement in schools; professional development as adult learning; student ambassadors and school discipline.

Brandi Hankins

Megan McMullen

Within my first week at Burris I realized I needed to be in an educational environment for the rest of my life. I am currently a sophomore at Ball State working on my undergrad in elementary education. It took a long time to get here but it’s worth it. I cannot wait to have my own classroom and only dream of being half as amazing and dedicated to my students as our teachers at Burris.

Robert Marra

Dr. Marra holds a Doctorate of Education from Ball State University, a Masters of Science degree in Education from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science from Buffalo State College. He has over 30 years of experience advocating for children services.

Lucas Reese

Rob Jones

Jaami Bailey

Heather Abernathy

Burris has enriched my teaching in ways I never thought possible! I love soliciting feedback from students and I consider them co-creators in our curriculum and learning. We grow together as readers, writers, and students of the world. My courses follow a workshop model with an emphasis on choice, writing groups, book clubs, and conferences. Encouraging students to take creative risks in their work and to develop their own voices are my favorite aspects of teaching English at Burris.

Nathan Bailey

Michael Abernathy

Brad Canada

I have taught high school social studies for 15 years.  Since 2005, I have taught Economics, U.S. Government, and U.S. History at Burris.  I enjoy giving students hands-on experiences through field trips.

LeighAnne Canada

I am in my 15th year of teaching.  This is my 5th year at Burris.  I have taught in all grades 1 through 6.

Leah Chandler

I have taught in a variety of settings – from an after-school program for at-risk kids to a small town junior/senior high school, and now Burris Laboratory School. No matter where I teach my goal is the same, to create lifelong learners who value the written word and think deeply about what they are reading, who are able to communicate their thoughts and opinions with clarity and conviction through writing and speaking, and are prepared to contribute to the conversation in the world around them.

Brad Clark

Bethany Clegg

I am an Indiana licensed K-12 physical education, health and high ability teacher. I am a Nationally Certified Adaptive Physical Education educator. I seek opportunities to grow as a teacher and have demonstrated leadership in my profession by being a past President of the Indiana Society of Health and Physical Education.  I am a recipient of the 2018 Walter Daly Excellence in Teaching Award.

Matthew Garringer

This is my second year at Burris as well as my second year of teaching overall. I enjoy finding new ways to incorporate technology in the classroom and to present old concepts to students in new ways. I love the educational environment here at Burris. It is a privilege to work with such great teachers and administration: it makes my job much easier!

Sarah Gaither

I have worked at Burris for a total of 11 years. My current role is Title 1 Instructor, which means that I work with struggling students in reading and math.

Felicia Gray

I have been an educator for 20 years, teaching at primary, upper elementary, and university levels. The majority of my career has been spent in elementary grades 1 and 2 teaching high ability and general education students at several schools in Muncie.

David Harman

I teach both Health and Physical Education from a wellness standpoint emphasizing the whole person. I currently coach Volleyball (assistant), Ladies Basketball, and Track and Field.

Courtney Harnish

I am an alumna of Burris Laboratory School and it is such a gift to come back and serve the current students here. I have a passion for helping all students find their talents and strengths. My role is to support students academically, social-emotionally, and to encourage them to think about and prepare for their futures. I love helping students achieve their goals and beyond!

Michelle Harris

I have been an elementary educator for 19 years with experience in second and third grades. I have an undergraduate degree from Indiana University and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Ball State.

Lisa Haughn

This is my 6th year teaching at Burris. I enjoy working with students through Math Bowl, Japanese Exchange Program, Camp Crosley, and on a daily basis in fourth grade. I am proud to be Burris Owl and I am looking forward to many more years teaching at such an awesome school!

Laura-Lea Hughes

Books and technology are my passion. I believe that when students are given the ability to explore what is of interest to them in a structured but open classroom, the sky is the limit!

Scott H. Jackson

I am a graduate of Indiana State University with B.A. in Music Education. I have been an educator for 18 years and have taught Choral, Band, Orchestra and Elementary classes in my tenure. I enjoy playing piano professionally in different bands in Central Indiana and am grateful for my daughter Viola. I believe that embracing music will create a lifelong joy and discipline in all facets of life.

Eli Jones

The 2018-2019 academic year will begin my third year at Burris and my third year teaching overall. I take an active approach to social studies. My goal is for students to not just know history, but for them to do history so that one day they will change history.

Becky Juday

I have taught 5th grade for seventeen years. In my classroom, students “own their own learning” by engaging in hands-on experiences as often as possible.

Tara Karnes

During my 18 years of teaching, my goals have continued to include collaborating with parents to inspire a love of learning in my students. My wish for the children who come through my class is that they will always be kind, rise to difficult challenges, and become problem solvers.

Lainey Marshall

I have been teaching math at Burris for almost 5 years now, and there is no place that I would rather be. I love working with an amazing group of colleagues to provide our students with an exceptional learning experience. I enjoy creating a positive classroom environment and helping students build their confidence with mathematics.

Michael E. McClure

This is my fifth year teaching at Burris. I love working with all of the Burris students and I probably enjoy the adventures that we go on the most. Seeing students in different environments such as Camp Crosley, Japan, Conner Prairie, the statehouse, or even at events on campus reminds me how special our school is.  Burris is an example of education in action and I am so proud to be a part of that.

Amy Miller

As a former research scientist, my approach to teaching science is to integrate the lab experience in every situation possible. I believe that students learn through hands-on experiences and become more engaged when given the opportunity to do science. My goal is to have students leave my classroom as capable science learners possessing critical lab skills needed at the next level.

Megan Miller

I have completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, both in Speech-Language Pathology, at Ball State University. I began working at Burris in 2016. My job as the speech-language pathologist at Burris is so rewarding!  I thoroughly enjoy getting to know my students on an individual and small group basis. I love to see my students gain confidence when they are able to communicate more effectively as we work together to improve their speech and language skills.

Evelyn Mocherman

Since joining the Burris Faculty in 2014 as a member of the Mathematics Department, I have loved being in an environment where students and faculty support and encourage each other through both struggles and successes! Some of my most rewarding experiences in teaching have been watching students push through their mental block when it comes to understanding mathematical concepts. It is a privilege to be a part of the moment when a student realizes they can put into practice the skills we have learned together to solve what used to be an unsolvable problem, building confidence in their own abilities.

Elisabeth Ohly-Davis

This is my 21st year as a school Orchestra Director, and I am thrilled to join the Burris staff with experience that ranges from starting beginning string players of all ages to students auditioning successfully for music majors in college. Orchestra is a vehicle for excellence, and students will have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership, creativity, and service in the program. In my spare time, I play the viola, hike epic trails around the world, raise alpacas, and knit items with yarn from their fiber.

Stefanie Onieal

I have been an educator for over 20 years. My experience includes teaching Special Education, Reading Recovery, grades 1-4, technology literacy specialist and math coach.

Danielle R. Phelps

This is my 15th year teaching elementary art and my 2nd year teaching middle school. Teaching art is truly my passion and it is a pleasure to educate and influence the future artists at Burris every day.

Corby Roberson

I have worked with students in a variety of capacities for the past 30 years of my life, and I can’t imagine anything else I’d rather do for work. Being an advocate for and learning in collaboration with LGBT+ and BIPOC students is the most exciting part of my profession. When I am not teaching and learning at school, I am usually outside trail running, cooking delicious vegan food, playing with my dog, or reading nonfiction texts about random subjects. Being back at Burris is an unexpected, yet very fortunate turn of events in my life.

Emily Shepherd

I have been a teacher at Burris since August 1999. I believe it is important for students to be able to construct their knowledge about mathematics.

Kelly Sloan

I have been teaching elementary for many years. I feel all students can learn and excel when given challenges and high expectations.

Carmen Lili Stokes

I have been teaching visual arts for 18 years. I am honored to teach students from grades K-12 visual communication and to work closely with the David Owsley Museum of Art.

Blake Turner

Jenny Wood

I have a variety of teaching experiences from rural to urban, from small town advanced placement to city alternative schools. One thing all students have in common is the desire to be cared for. This premise is always in the forefront of my mind.