ATPE State Officers

State President
Deann Lee, an ATPE member for 24 years, served the association as state vice president in 2011-12, state secretary in 2010-11 and state treasurer in 2009-10. She has also served as the chairwoman of the state Finance and Education, Policy and Curriculum committees and as a member of the state Best Practices, Educators Professional Liability Insurance Review, Legislative, ATPE Political Action, Public Information and Resolutions committees. At the region level, she has served as Region 8 director, president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and past president. She has been Paris ATPE’s president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, past president and Legislative Alert Network coordinator as well as a campus representative. Lee has also served as a state convention and Leader U presenter and panelist. Her ATPE accomplishments include being named a finalist for Secondary Teacher of the Year, earning William B. Travis and Stephen F. Austin ATPE-PAC honors, membership in the Ben Shilcutt Plus Club, and serving as president of a Local Unit of the Year finalist.

A 24-year education veteran who has been recognized in Who’s Who in American Education and Who’s Who of American Women, Lee is currently Paris ISD’s state/federal programs director. She has her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history and government and holds mid-management and superintendent certifications. Lee is a recipient of the Linden Heck Howell National Endowment for the Humanities and has been named Teacher of the Year by both Region 8 ESC and Daughters of the Republic of Texas District III. She has served as an education consultant to KERA Channel 13 in Dallas and as a Texas Education Agency grant scorer.

Lee and her husband Jimmy have a 19-year-old son, Travis. Lee is actively involved in civic committees as well as committees at the First Baptist Church of Paris, where she is a choir member and Sunday school teacher.   

State Vice President
Ginger Franks, an ATPE member for 26 years, served as 2011-12 state secretary and 2010-11 state treasurer. She has also served the association as the chairwoman of the state Finance and the Grant for Teaching Excellence committees and as a member of the Educator of the Year and Services committees. At the region level, she has served as the Region 7 director, president and secretary. She has also served as president of Nacogdoches County (now Pineywoods) ATPE as well as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of Woden ATPE. Her ATPE recognitions include earning William B. Travis and Stephen F. Austin ATPE-PAC honors, membership in the Ben Shilcutt Plus Club, and serving as president of a Local Unit of the Year finalist. Franks is also a past Grant for Teaching Excellence finalist.

A 29-year education veteran, Franks teaches special education in Martinsville ISD for the Nacogdoches County Co-op. She is a member of the Texas Teaching Commission, and she has served on many campus- and district-level committees as well as the Region 7 ESC Texas Teacher of the Year Selection Committee.  Franks—a two-time Golden Apple Award recipient and H-E-B Excellence in Education Award nominee—has also been a PTA officer and UIL and cheerleading coach.

A member of Simpson Campground United Methodist Church, Franks is an active volunteer in church and community activities. She and her husband Carl have three children.

State Secretary
Richard Wiggins, an ATPE member for 10 years, served as state treasurer in 2011-12. In addition to chairing the State Finance Committee, he has served as the president and vice president of the ATPE Foundation Board of Directors as well as a member of the state Membership Committee. Wiggins has served as Region 20's director and treasurer, as well as a member of the Region 20 convention planning, scholarship and PAC committees. At the local unit level, Wiggins has been Boerne ATPE's president, immediate past president and LAN coordinator, as well as served as a campus representative. He was also chairman of Boerne ATPE's "Meet the School Board Candidates" Night.

His ATPE honors include the Sam Houston Award for Political Involvement, William B. Travis and Stephen F. Austin ATPE-PAC recognitions, and membership in the Ben Shilcutt Plus Club.

Wiggins is a special education department chair in Boerne ISD, where he has served as a member of the Boerne ISD Salary/Budget Committee and as a director for the Boerne Education Foundation. He is a retired financial consultant for CIGNA Financial Advisors. Wiggins also is a statistican for the San Antonio Spurs. His community involvement includes service as a Lamar University Alumni Association director, a distinguished club president for the Boerne Optimist Club, a distinguished lieutenant governor for South Texas Optimist International and a member of the Edwards Underground Water District Advisory Committee. He has also served four terms as an alderman for the city of Fair Oaks Ranch.

State Treasurer

Cory Colby has been a member of ATPE for six years. He has served as a member of the state Bylaws, Leader Development and Membership committees. At the region level, Colby has served as Region 6 vice president and secretary, and at the local unit level, he has served as Willis ATPE secretary, campus representative and scholarship committee member. Colby has also been an ATPE Summit and Lobby Day presenter and a member of the Teller Committee.

His ATPE recognitions include William B. Travis ATPE-PAC honors and membership in the Ben Shilcutt Plus Club. In 2010-11, he was a finalist for Campus Representative of the Year, and he edited an ATPE Newsletter Award-winning publication. Willis ATPE was named Local Unit of the Year in 2010-11, when Colby was secretary; the local unit is also a repeat winner of the Davy Crockett Fundraising Challenge.

Colby is an AP and dual credit government and U.S. history instructor at Willis High School, as well as an adjunct government instructor at Lone Star College-Montgomery. He serves as a new teacher mentor for Willis ISD. Prior to beginning a career in education, Colby was a congressional staffer for U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady. Colby's leadership experience includes service on an SBOE STAAR Advisory Committee and as chairman of Willis ISD's District Education Improvement Committee. He has been a finalist and nominee for multiple awards, including Willis High School Teacher of the Year, Lynn Lucas Middle School Teacher of the Year and the Lone Star College System Heights of Excellence Students' Star Award. He is a recipient of the Lynx Legend Award.

In the community and political arena, Colby has served as vice precinct chairman for Montgomery County's Voting Precinct 44; as a campaign advisor and manager; as a candidate's committee chairman for the county political party; and as a state party convention delegate and committee member.

Immediate Past State President
Cheryl Buchanan, an ATPE member for 21 years, served the association as state president in 2011-12, state vice president in 2010-11, state secretary in 2009-10 and state treasurer in 2008-09. She has chaired the state Finance Committee and served on the ATPE Foundation Board of Directors. She has also served as a member of the state Educators Professional Liability Insurance Review, Local Unit Policy Assistance, Professional Rights & Responsibilities and Membership committees. At the region level, she has served as Region 15 director, president, vice president and treasurer. She has been Ballinger ATPE’s president, vice president, secretary and treasurer as well as a campus representative. Buchanan has served as a state convention and Leader U facilitator and as a state convention teller. Her ATPE accomplishments include Ben Shilcutt Plus Club membership and being president of a Local Unit of the Year. She is also a William B. Travis honoree.

A 25-year education veteran, Buchanan teaches sixth-grade English and ESL. Her district leadership experience includes service as a member and chairwoman of district- and campus-level committees, including the DATE grant planning committee, and as a UIL Ready Writing coach and Modern Oratory competition director. She was a member of Sen. Robert Duncan’s Teacher Retirement System advisory committee and has held leadership roles in Delta Kappa Gamma and Beta Sigma Phi.

Buchanan also volunteers for her church as a lector.