Brianna Hodges, 38 Digital learning is her passion bit and went and worked with non-profits.” She left corporate America in 2009 and became a middle school teacher and rianna Hodges may be the director of basketball coach. digital learning at Stephenville ISD, “I was in the classroom for six years and but she’s making a big impact all over I was an English teacher and a basketball the state and nation with her innovation in coach,” Brianna said. utilizing technology in classrooms. Brianna got her master’s degree in Brianna was raised in Stephenville, graduating in 1997, but hasn’t always been in the curriculum and instruction with a focus on instructional design in technology. education field. She worked in fundraising, When SISD began moving to its one-tomarketing and public relations right after she graduated from University of Texas at Austin one iChampion initiative, Brianna moved into her current position in 2015. in 2000. “That brought in a need for someone who During college she got involved in politics. was pretty versed in curriculum to see how “I worked for, at the time, Governor to use this computer in the classroom and Bush and Rick Perry as he was running for lieutenant governor,” she said. “So I spent a that’s where I came in,” she said. “I think I lot of time there and after I graduated that’s have the coolest job in the district because I when I went into a lot of fundraising and then get to work with students and teachers and families in the community and I get to see decided I needed to cleanse my soul a little By Autumn Owens
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students light up with knowledge.” In January, Brianna was named one of the top five K-12 administrators to watch in 2018. Brianna and her husband Brad moved back to Stephenville when her father passed away from pancreatic cancer. “I was just so comforted by the outpouring of support and from people I hadn’t seen in years and parents of classmates and people who just went out of their way to make us feel supported,” she said. “My husband and I sat down and realized that’s what home really means and that’s what community means, so it was a really natural way to make the decision to move back home.”
Brianna Hodges is the director of digital learning at Stephenville ISD and loves being able to support students, teachers and parents in the technology-driven society. Brianna and Brad have two children, Mason, 9, and Delaney,5. The Hodges attend the Cowboy Church of Erath County and outside of school, Brianna is a board member of the Zonta Club. “We get to support the community in so many ways,” she said. “It’s wonderful and a great organization.”