


Courtney Dealy
National Training Manager
Courtney has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Spanish from the University of Florida. She served in Teach For America in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, worked in early childhood education and taught upper elementary, middle and high school students. As a former teacher, foster parent and in-home caregiver for children with disabilities, Courtney has extensive experience working with children who have behavioral challenges.

Alesia Montgomery
Senior National Trainer
Alesia has a bachelor of science degree and a Masters in Urban Studies. She has co-authored several books for youth on the topics of healthy friendships and relationships, as well as anti-bullying resources for educators.
During her 30 year tenure with Boys Town, Alesia has worked at Flanagan High School, Internal Training, and now continues with National Training working with educators around the country.

Denise Pratt
Senior National Trainer
Denise began her career as a high school guidance counselor before moving into experiential education as a way to teach behavior to a variety of at-risk populations, including adjudicated youth, chronic runaways, and psychiatric populations. In her 19 years with Boys Town, she has worked with educators and youth care professionals both nationally and internationally to help develop multi-tiered systems of behavioral support. She has co-authored Boys Town training curriculum, as well as nine books and resource guides about effective behavior management, including Specialized Classroom Management, Safe and Healthy Secondary Schools, and More Tools for Teaching Social Skills in School.

Evelyn Wilson
Senior National Trainer
Evelyn has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Human Development. Since 1977, Evelyn has worked with many children and families in several Boys Town programs. Her experiences have greatly influenced her ability to train and consult to staff and administrators in a variety of settings – schools and school districts and long and short-term residential programs including group homes, foster care, emergency shelters, and treatment programs. As a result, Evelyn has had the opportunity to provide ongoing training and consultation services both nationally and internationally for schools and agencies that serve children with emotional, behavioral, learning and hearing challenges.

Jo Ann Flaxbeard
National Trainer
Jo Ann has 30 years of experience as an Elementary teacher. During her time in the classroom, she was honored both for excellence in teaching and for her support for students with special needs. After earning a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Supervision, she served as an instructional coach, guiding teachers in the application of educational best practices. Jo Ann uses her classroom and coaching experiences in her role as a National Trainer to both teach and support educators in their implementation of the Boys Town Education Model®

Amy Perhamus
National Trainer
Amy has a broad range of experience in K-12 education with over 25 years of service as a teacher and administrator in general education, alternative education, and juvenile detention. Amy implemented the Boys Town Education Model for fifteen years and is co-author of the Specialized Classroom Management textbook, which is focused on tier 3 supports for students with the highest behavioral need. She brings a wealth of experience to Boys Town National Training to support educators through training and consultation.

Lynette Zurek
National Trainer
Lynnette holds a Master’s Degree of Elementary Education focused on curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University. She has worked in education for 11 years as an educator, interventionist, trainer, and instructional coach. Lynnette has implemented the Boys Town Education Model in the classroom, as well as provided training and support across multiple sites.

Michelle Hughett
National Trainer
Prior to joining National Training, Michelle worked as a Director and Senior Administrator for Boys Town in the mental/behavioral health field for over 13 years. Through experiential education, she taught behavior based social and life skills to challenging populations with a variety of diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder’s, ADHD, Conduct Disorder, and Bi-Polar Disorder. She has worked with educators and school administrators on how to effectively implement behavioral strategies in the classroom and school settings. Michelle holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Provisional Licensed Mental Health Practitioner.

Jen Buth Bell
Manager Literacy Program
Jennifer has trained and implemented the Boys Town Education Model and the Expedition Literacy Reading Program for over 25 years as a PK-12 classroom teacher, literacy specialist, assistant principal, trainer, consultant and instructional coach. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s degree in Education Leadership, and is a certified reading specialist and web trainer. She has coauthored publications including Effective Study Strategies for Every Classroom, has served as a board member of the Nebraska Dyslexia Association, as well as presented at educational and literacy, conferences. These experiences have provided Jennifer with a unique perspective of these models, and the skills needed to assist and support others with implementation.