My name is Katie Babin, and I'm excited to start my 9th year teaching Special Education in Katy ISD. I graduated from Texas Tech University (WRECK ‘EM) and recently completed my Master’s at the University of Houston-Victoria. I'm a Katy local, married to my husband Patrick for 5 years, and we have a 3-year-old son Joey who keeps us busy. Outside of school, I love watching Netflix, taking Joey to fun events, and preparing for Christmas year-round. I am looking forward to a fantastic school year!

Hello! My name is Becky Davis, and I am excited to be a Provider of Dyslexia Instruction at Shafer! I studied Early Childhood Education at Texas A&M University. This will be my 3rd year in Katy ISD as a Provider of Dyslexia Instruction. I have 18 years of experience teaching in private and public schools and homeschooling my own children.  I love helping children become successful readers and develop a love for reading. My husband Jared and I have 4 children. If we aren’t at one of their sporting activities we enjoy playing games and watching movies together.  

My name is Patricia Fanfani, and I am very excited to work as an In Class Support Special Education Teacher (ICS) here at Shafer. This will be my 8th year teaching and my first in special education. I'm originally from Venezuela and live in Katy with my husband and 2 kids. My goal is to support each student in learning at their own pace and achieving their full potential and I am thrilled to join the Shafer community. 

My name is Tiffany Harwell, and I am excited for another fantastic year at Shafer! I am a bilingual Certified Academic Language Therapist and this will be my 11th year in education. Teaching students with dyslexia and dysgraphia is a true honor, and I can't wait to continue our learning journey together! 

My name is Tania Hausmann. I am so excited to be the new ECSE teacher at Shafer. I love being a teacher and feel honored to serve as your child’s teacher this year. I have a total of 13 years in education in various and fulfilling roles such as ECSE teacher, Dual-Language Kindergarten teacher, Bilingual 1st-grade teacher, 2nd-grade teacher, Resource teacher, and my latest position as bilingual/ monolingual reading intervention/ dyslexia teacher for the last 3 years. I am so excited to be a member of the Katy ISD staff and even more thrilled to be welcomed into the Shafer Kingdom with outstanding staff, parents, and students. I have the distinct privilege of being a proud boy-mom. This year, my oldest son will be a senior at Seven Lakes High School, and my younger son will be a sophomore at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. For fun, Mark and I enjoy traveling, being outside, reading, and being lifelong learners. 

My name is Lauren Hayden and I will be teaching Resource here at Shafer Elementary! This is my 3rd year teaching and I couldn’t be more excited!! I graduated with my BS in Elementary Education along with a Special Education supplemental from Baylor University…Sic’ em bears! When I am not teaching, I go on adventures with my almost 2-year-old Labradoodle puppy. I’m so excited to be back serving my Shafer Silver Knights!

My name is Lindsay Hennings, and this will be my 14th year in education and 11th year here at Shafer. I graduated from Louisiana State University. Children are my passion. I believe all children are capable of amazing things and I want to be part of their journey. I can’t wait for a fabulous year with my students. 

I am Alex Holdford.  I have been working in Special Education for 12 years and 10 years in self-contained programs.  My wife is a band director and we have two children. In the free time I have, I enjoy playing TTRPG's with friends, podcasts, and volunteering.  I am so excited to return to this community and can't wait for another school year.  

My name is Amy Keim, and I can’t wait to start my 19th year teaching in Katy ISD! I opened Shafer Elementary in 2012 and have enjoyed getting to know our students and families over the years. We have the best community around! I’m looking forward to an incredible year with our Shafer Silver Knights!

With over a decade of teaching experience, I am passionate about fostering a love of learning in my students. I hold a Master's in Education from Boston University and have had the pleasure of teaching various grade levels and subjects, including 4th grade English and math, 6th grade English, and resource teaching. I have also served as a SPED director and dyslexia interventionist. This year, I am excited to support 5th grade students at Shafer. My goal is to help each student experience the joy of learning and to empower them to become independent and successful learners through self-advocacy. Outside the classroom, I am a proud parent to two wonderful children, George (6) and Cecile (11), and two lovable dogs, Marley and Archie Mo. I look forward to a fantastic year of growth and learning with my students!

My name is Shipra Prakash, and I cannot wait to begin my 10th year of teaching and my 4th year at Shafer Elementary with my amazing students. I have two children, a son in SLHS and a daughter about to start her undergrad at Columbia University in the City of New York. In my spare time I love reading books or watching TV, especially science fiction and thrillers!  In my classroom, I strive to foster a love for education while creating an environment where students feel safe, loved, and successful.

My name is Marisol G Salmones Vallejo and I am extremely excited to join this incredible community as an In Class Support Special Education teacher. I possess more than 19 years of experience in public education. Recently, I completed a master degree at Lamar University in School Administration. This is my 4th year in Katy ISD  and I look forward to a successful school year!

Hello! My name is Liz Webster, and I am excited to serve as a SPED In Class Support teacher at Shafer. I studied sociology at University of Louisiana and completed my teaching certification this year. This will be my first year teaching and my second year working at Shafer. I worked as a paraprofessional last year. Our family has been at Shafer since it opened in 2012. All of my three kids attended Shafer and we love being a part of the Shafer family. I am looking forward to a great year! 

My name is Deanna Whempner and this is my ninth year teaching YCAP in Katy ISD and fourteenth year in SPED!  I grew up in the Houston area and attended Texas A&M University where I majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in special education. I love working with students with autism!

My name is Deena Torres and this is my 16th year as a Speech Language Pathologist. I opened Shafer and love everything about this school. I’ve been married to Ray for 12 years and have 2 beautiful children-Hadley 6th grade and Liam 2nd grade. I love watching my students gain confidence throughout the year and using their new skills in the classroom. It’s going to be a wonderful year!

My name is Meggan Karsan and I am one of the Speech Language Pathologists at Shafer Elementary. I graduated with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Speech Language Pathology from Stephen F. Austin State University. This is my 8th year at Katy ISD. I have been married for 7 years and have two busy and beautiful children. Some of my favorite things are speech therapy, spending time with my family and friends, reading, and antique shopping. Let’s have a great year in speech therapy!

My name is Sara Mondziel.  This is my 3rd year at Shafer as the assessment clerk.  I have an undergraduate degree in biology and a master’s degree in marine science.  I have two children, one in 7th grade and one in 4th grade.  I can’t wait to start another great year at Shafer!

I am the School Psychologist with nine years of experience in Katy ISD, specializing in providing equitable opportunities for your students with disabilities. I hold a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, with a focus on school psychology. In my role, I offer evaluation, therapeutic support, and data analysis to ensure all students can access the education they need. I have been married for nine years and am a proud parent of two children.

I am a diagnostician, and I am so excited to join the Shafer family this year. Here in Katy ISD, I started as a YCAP para, then became a Resource/ICS teacher and later a team leader, and most recently an ARD facilitator. I completed my master's degree in special education with diagnostician certification from University of Houston Victoria. I was born and raised in Southern California, and we relocated just over six years ago to raise our two boys here.