Jasinia Frausto, Region 1
Canyon High School
Number of Years Advising: 5
Yearbook, Online

Bio
Jasinia Frausto has taught for nine years, five of those years advising high school journalism. She has a B.A. in Mass Communication from West Texas A&M University and later returned to WT to obtain her teacher certification. Before entering the classroom, she worked with non-profit organizations in marketing, communications and development for seven years. She leads the journalism program at her alma mater, Canyon High School, advising The Eagle’s Tale online news site, the Soaring Wings yearbook and coaching the UIL journalism team. Her scholastic journalism philosophy is that there is a place for every student who is willing to put in the work. She is the recipient of a 2024 TAJE Pathfinder Award.

Daniel Ryan Carr, Region 2
Ray Braswell High School
Number of Years Advising: 4
Newspaper (print), Yearbook, Online, Broadcast

Bio
Daniel Ryan Carr — who goes by his middle name, Ryan — has been a student publications and media adviser for the past four years. He currently serves as the journalism adviser at Ray Braswell High School in Denton ISD. A North Texas native, Carr was born in Denton and attended Saint Jo High School before transferring to Denton High School, where he graduated in 2015. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations from the University of North Texas’ Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism, graduating in August 2020. During his time at Denton High School, Carr was deeply involved in student media, serving as the Online Editor-in-Chief of The Horseshoe News, contributing to its print edition, and acting as both Senior Editor and Business Manager of The Bronco Yearbook — publications with more than a century of history at DHS. He credits much of his success to his high school journalism adviser and longtime friend, Rebecka Frey.

At Braswell, Carr oversees the Student Media program, which includes The Ambush Yearbook, The Bengal Beat Newspaper, BHS Now Broadcast, and braswellmedia.org. In addition to his journalism advising role, he serves as the campus Teacher Communication Committee representative, helps coordinate the school’s UIL invitational meet, manages the campus website, and oversees the school’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Karla Romero Paramo, Region 3
Frisco High School
Number of Years Advising: 5
Newspaper (print), Yearbook

Bio
Karla Romero Paramo graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2020 with a Bachelor’s of Journalism. She went on to advise the journalism program at North Garland High School, her alma mater, for two years. During that time, she advised the yearbook, newspaper and broadcast publications while teaching journalism and photojournalism. After that, she took over as the journalism adviser at Frisco High, where she’s been the last three years. There, she advises the yearbook and created the newspaper class, while teaching journalism and photojournalism.

Victoria Pearcy, Region 4
Redwater High School
Number of Years Advising: 4
Online, Broadcast

Bio
I have been in Education for 12 years. All 12 years have been in a Broadcasting A/V classroom. I started out at Texas High School in Texarkana, TX as an assistant to the A/V teacher and for the last 4 years I have been certified and I have my own Broadcast program at Redwater High School just outside of Texarkana. I also took the A/V classes throughout high school while attending many conventions related to Media. I have taken students to the Fall Fiesta three times and we also attend the National convention for the Student Television Network. I also received the Pathfinder award this year from TAJE.

Vanessa Martinez, Region 5
El Dorado High School
Number of Years Advising: 11
Yearbook, Online

Bio
Vanessa Martinez, M.Ed., CJE, advises The Legend Yearbook and AGO News at El Dorado High School in El Paso, Texas. She worked in multiple journalism and communication roles after graduating from UTEP in 2012 with a BA in Multimedia Journalism. She started advising and teaching journalism, design and commercial photography in 2014 and earned the JEA Rising Star Award in 2019. She also coaches the UIL journalism team, and helped several students qualify for state competition. The Legend has earned multiple CSPA Silver and Gold Crowns, ILPC Stars and NSPA Pacemakers, along with NSPA Design of the Year in 2020. In 2023, she earned her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from UTEP, with a concentration in Communication. She enjoys supporting teachers and students by sharing her experiences at various journalism workshops and conferences.

Melissa Perner, Region 6
Ozona High School
Number of Years Advising: 6
Yearbook, Online, Broadcast

Bio
Melissa Perner is a former newspaper owner/journalist turned educator. She loves educating students about journalism, broadcast, multimedia, and technology. Melissa recognizes the importance and significance educational technologies play in the classroom. Melissa has a desire to educate students on how to safely and productively use technology in their lives, as well as becoming more informed in digital citizenship, media literacy, and artificial intelligence. Melissa enjoys collaborating with fellow journalists, educators, and anyone willing to learn about incorporating technology in the classroom. Melissa holds a B.A. in journalism and English from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas and a M.Ed in Educational Instructional Technology from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. She currently teaches photography, graphic design, broadcast, and multimedia at Ozona High School in Ozona, Texas.

Shelby Nickells, Region 7
Rouse High School
Number of Years Advising: 5
Newspaper (print), Yearbook, Online

Bio
Shelby Nickells advises the newspaper and yearbook at Rouse High School in Leander, Texas. This year, under her instruction, the print newspaper reemerged after a five year break. She was also one of nine advisers to win a JEA Rising Star this year. Thanks to her passion for journalism, her program has doubled in size and dozens of her students have pursued journalism outside of high school.

Mike Tobias, Region 8
Port Neches-Groves High School
Number of Years Advising: 7
Newspaper (print), Yearbook, Online, Broadcast

Bio
Mike Tobias is the NDN Press advisor, the high school student media program and also the district communications director for Port Neches-Groves ISD. Tobias advises staffs of students in CTE classes, such as Commercial Photography, Graphic Design and Digital Design & Media. Ultimately, they’re charged with creating yearbook, newspaper (online and print), social media content and two weekly sports shows. Now in his seventh year of teaching, he came to PNG after 16 years of professional journalism experience, working in varying newsroom roles — most recently as the sports editor of The Beaumont Enterprise. Among his more memorable career moments are covering the area’s hurricanes and tropical storms, NCAA and professional sports — including Houston’s Texans, Rockets and Astros — and many nights of high school athletics. He has made a career living on deadlines and instills the same level of urgency in his students. When he manages to pull himself away from work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Paige, his daughters Addison and Andie and is an avid guitar and music enthusiast.

Megan Ortiz, Region 9
Kingwood Park High School
Number of Years Advising: 16
Newspaper (print), Yearbook, Online

Bio
I am in my 16th year of advising student publications. I currently teach at Kingwood Park High School and advise a newsmagazine, online news site and yearbook. I graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism and mass communications. I went on to cover the NFL and NBA for 10 years before going into advising. I am a 2024 Edith Fox King Award Winner (ILPC), 2024 Trailblazer Award (TAJE) and JEA Rising Star (2014). I have done critiques and judging for JEA, NSPA, ILPC and TAJE.

Sandra Casperson, Region 10
Robert Vela High School
Number of Years Advising: 12
Yearbook

Bio
Sandra Casperson is currently in her 17th year of teaching, but began advising journalism in 2012 with the opening of Robert Vela High School, the fourth high school in the Edinburg school district. She advises the Legacy, a 288-page yearbook. Yearbook journalism has been a part of Casperson’s life since her freshman year in high school. She earned a bachelor’s in journalism from The University of Texas-Pan American and entered the teaching profession in 2008. Casperson also sponsors Student Council and Quill & Scroll.

David Nathan, Private Schools Representative
St. John’s School
Number of Years Advising: 16
Newspaper, Online, Yearbook

Bio
David Nathan has been an English teacher since 1995 and is the Student Publications Adviser at St. John’s School in Houston where he advises The Review (newspaper and website) and Quadrangle (yearbook). He is a frequent presenter and judge at journalism conventions and was named a CSPA Special Recognition Adviser in 2025.

Beyond his teaching career, he has written numerous education and entertainment articles for publications including the Houston Chronicle. He has compiled and edited three books of baseball quotations, and his most recent book, Achieving Admission, came out in 2019. He once interviewed Jon Favreau, Peter Bogdanovich, and Reese Witherspoon when she was 15.