President

Tammy is a strong believer in the Catholic school education. She is a proud mom of three great girls, who all graduated from JLCCS. All three girls have grown into very successful young women. Her youngest even graduated Valedictorian from her Stem High School.

Tammy was born and raised in Corsicana. She is a very successful realtor for Ebby Halliday Realtors. She is the team lead for The Carter Hillock Group. Over the past 25 years as a realtor, she has received many great honors including D Magazine Best of the Best Realtor DFW three year in a row, Dallas Real Producers , and top 1% Nationwide. She is extremely involved in the community, and is a member of several boards including the Hope Center, Navarro County Board of Realtors, Corsicana Chamber of Commerce leadership, and the Texas A & M moms club. She is also a proud sponsor of the Navarro College Scholarship and Dancing for the Stars, and the American Cancer Society.

Father Juan Carlos was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Dallas in 2014. He arrived in Corsicana in July 2019. He is honored to be the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish and James L. Collins Catholic School. He is originally from Bogotá, Colombia. His parents ensured that he and his siblings received a good education, so they attended Catholic schools in Colombia. Then, he studied Industrial Engineering. After college, he entered the Redemptoris Mater Diocesan Missionary of Dallas to be formed as a missionary priest. Catholic education has been essential in his life because he has seen the fruits of an excellent academic foundation and a solid personal and spiritual formation.

He likes JLCCS because of the students' enthusiasm, the teachers’ love of their profession, the parents’ involvement in their children’s development, and the staff's dedication.    

One of his favorite saints is Saint Joseph because he had a significant role in the life of Jesus Christ. One of his preferred Bible quotes is when they called Bartimaeus, a blind man, to go to Jesus after crying out to get Jesus’s attention, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” The disciples said to Bartimaeus, “Take heart; get up; he is calling you.”  (Cf. Mk 10: 46-52)

Duane was the owner of Fangman and Company for twenty-two years. He and his wife, Liz, moved to Corsicana in 2019. Duane loves Catholic education and was excited to join the council.

Kasey and his wife, Emily, have lived in Corsicana since finishing their degrees in 2020. Kasey works as a Trust Officer in the Wealth Management department of Community National Bank & Trust of Texas. This has provided him an opportunity to help build strong communities. Kasey is a lifelong learner and proud graduate of Navarro College, Oklahoma State University, and East Texas A&M University. Joining the James L. Collins Catholic School Advisory Council is one of the many ways he looks to serve the children of Navarro County and enable them through religion and education.

Kim moved to Corsicana in the first grade and attended CISD schools until high school graduation. She met her husband, Chad, when they both attended Corsicana High School. After graduation, Kim attended Navarro Junior College before transferring to the best university in the state, Texas A&M. After graduating Texas A&M as a member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 1996, she was accepted to graduate school at the University of Houston - Clear Lake. She graduated with a master’s degree in clinical psychology in 1999 and moved back to Corsicana to work on the requirements for her Professional Counselor license.

Kim worked for the Texas Youth Commission in Corsicana for 6 years, achieving her LPC in 2003. After working briefly in the foster care industry, she went to work for the Navarro County Child Advocacy Center as the Director of Mental Health Services. While at this job, she reconnected with Chad and they married in 2008. She made the leap into full time private practice in 2009 and became a Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervisor, supervising LPC interns to become fully licensed. Kim and Chad welcomed their only child, Lauryl, in 2011.

Kim has been involved at JLCCS since Lauryl entered Kindergarten in 2017. She has served as room mother and as a member of the PTC. She served as the Vice President of the PTC for the 2021-2022 school year. She has served as President of the PTC for the past two years.  She has chaired and co-chaired several PTC committees and clubs at JLCCS. She and her family attend First Baptist Church in Corsicana.

Mateo Garcia resides in Northern Ellis County with his wife, Brittany, and their three children, who are all students at Collins Catholic School.  Mateo began his career at Atmos Energy Corporation in 2010 and has been serving as the Operations Supervisor for Corsicana since 2021.  Throughout his career he has served on numerous committees and teams, helping to maintain a culture of safety and wellness, and has volunteered in the communities he has served in. 

Mateo and his family attend St. John Nepomucene in Ennis where he has served as Eucharistic Minister, Mass Reader and CORE member for Life Teen alongside his wife, Brittany.  Mateo enjoys mentoring the youth in his community and has been blessed to be able to sponsor the Blue Knights Boys Club at Collins where he helps introduce the youth to the life of virtue and faith.

Mateo joined SAC in 2024 and is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the growth here at JLCCS and is committed to supporting Catholic education.

Andrea Martinez, a proud native of Corsicana, Texas, has always cherished her roots and the values instilled in her from an early age. Born and raised in this charming town, Andrea’s journey began at James L. Collins Catholic School, where she attended from Pre-K through 8th grade. This formative Catholic education not only shaped her academically but also laid the foundation for her deep faith and commitment to service.

Today, Andrea is a devoted mother of four children, one of whom follows in her footsteps by attending James L. Collins Catholic School. Witnessing her daughter's growth in the same nurturing environment she once thrived in brings Andrea immense joy and a renewed appreciation for the lifelong impact of a Catholic education.

Professionally, Andrea has carved out a  career as a bilingual Realtor, helping families find homes and build futures. Her ability to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds has made her a trusted and sought-after professional in the community.

Beyond her career, Andrea’s heart is firmly anchored in service. She volunteers her time at the Corsicana Animal Shelter, providing care and compassion to animals in need. A parishioner at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Andrea remains actively involved in her faith community, contributing her time and talents to support its mission.

Andrea is passionate about the positive influence a Catholic education has had on her life and takes pride in seeing its transformative impact on her daughter's journey and in the near future her other three children. Through her work, volunteerism, and faith, Andrea Martinez exemplifies the values of love, service, and dedication, making her an inspiring figure in the Corsicana community.

Benjamin Pérez Jr., born and raised in Corsicana, Texas, has been dedicated to the field of education since 2011, bringing over a decade of experience to his current role as a bilingual educational diagnostician. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree from Lamar University.

Throughout his career, Benjamin has focused on identifying and supporting the unique needs of bilingual and special education students, striving to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed academically and personally. 

Benjamin is an active member of the Neocatechumenal Way, a Christian initiation that has deepened his faith. This involvement has further strengthened his dedication to Catholic education, which he values for its emphasis on faith, community, and holistic development.

As a Roman Catholic, Benjamin finds great joy in fostering environments where students grow both academically and spiritually, embodying the principles of faith-centered education. This commitment is shared by his family, with his wife, Erica Pérez, serving as the Spanish teacher at James L. Collins Catholic School, where their daughter is also a student.

Todd and his wife, Cynthia, moved to Corsicana from the Houston area in 2018. Todd worked for Exxon Mobile for 33 years in Baytown. His favorite thing about JLCCS is seeing how the students grow in their Christian values.

Danielle (Abay) Wallace graduated from James L. Collins Catholic School in 1988. She was awarded the Sisters of Charity scholarship. She is a 1992 honors graduate of Corsicana High School and was awarded a full Collins Scholarship.

Danielle graduated with a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Dallas in 1996. She continued her graduate education at the University of Tyler and earned her MA in English.

Danielle has been an educator for almost 24 years and has taught grades 9-12. Additionally, she has been an adjunct faculty professor for Navarro College since 2017.

Cara Wilson, a proud Corsicana native, shares her life with her husband, Trey Wilson, and their three children: Caraline, Woodrow, and Walker, who are all students at Collins Catholic School. For the past decade, Cara has served as the Executive Director of the United Way of Navarro County. She reflects on her work with gratitude, stating, “Serving this community has been a true blessing. Witnessing innocent suffering points us to Christ. It has been an incredible and humbling calling to use my gifts to fund and mobilize programs that support our most vulnerable citizens.” Cara and her husband actively volunteer in various capacities at Collins Catholic School. Her most cherished role is leading the Little Flowers Girls Club. She passionately believes, “If we equip these young ladies with the truth that they were created intentionally by God, for a purpose, they will discover their mission and grow into the women God created them to be.”