OptimizeED

(Formerly ELA Classroom Creations by Tiffini Brigola) I began my career as a secondary English teacher and later moved into school leadership, always with a strong commitment to supporting teachers and strengthening instruction. I am currently an assistant professor of Educational Leadership, where I prepare future school administrators while continuing to work closely with practicing educators. My experience reflects a “teacher’s administrator” perspective—one grounded in respect for classroom realities and focused on providing relevant, engaging instructional resources alongside practical leadership development tools for current and aspiring leaders.

My teaching style is practical, reflective, and systems-oriented, with an emphasis on clarity, purpose, and capacity building. As a former secondary English teacher, I also bring a strong literacy lens to my work. The English Language Arts legacy resources in this store reflect my classroom roots and focus on close reading, critical thinking, academic writing, and student voice. Together, these ELA foundations and leadership-focused tools support effective instruction and thoughtful decision-making across content areas.

I have been recognized for leadership and impact in education, including being named the Louisiana Association of Principals State Assistant Principal of the Year, am a member of Phi Kappa Phi's Honor Society, have been selected to serve as the Vice President of the Louisiana Educational Research Association (LERA), contribute to the Research i Contemporary Educational Journal as a member of its Editorial Board, and am a member of the Executive Board of the Raphael-Evelyn Ofodum Education Foundation, an international non-profit organization building and maintaining a leadership school for girls in Nigeria. However, the greatest award I receive every year is the thanks and gratitude from cap-and-gown-clad graduating students with whom I've shared instruction and inspiration.

I am a three-time graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where I earned my undergraduate degree in 1999, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership in 2017, and a Doctorate in K–12 Educational Leadership in 2023. My academic background is in psychology and English language and literature. I taught secondary English in grades 7–12 across three different school districts and six schools. This breadth and depth of experience has strengthened my ability to serve diverse communities with equity, adaptability, and a deep respect for the unique strengths each school brings to its work.

I am a mother, wife, teacher, student, and juggler of work and life. I have spent my career in education striving for improvement year after year. Now, as a professor of leadership, I work to create systems of optimization to support teachers, administrators, and their school communities. OptimizeED was created to support educators at every level—teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators—who are committed to meaningful, sustainable school improvement. My resources are grounded in real classroom experience, leadership practice, and research focused on optimizing teaching, learning, and school systems.