Hello!  I am a school psychologist employed by Mid-State Special Education assigned to serve the Hillsboro Community #3 School District.  My first year in this district was the '11-'12 school year.  I was housed at Beckemeyer Elementary School for the first 9 years but transferred my main office to HHS at the beginning of the '20-'21 school year.  I love serving the entire district and getting to watch students as they progress through the district from Pre-K through 12th grade.

I have been a part of Mid-State Special Education in the role of School Psychologist since 2006.  I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Greenville College, now Greenville University.  I also have a Master’s in Clinical Child Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Specialist degree in School Psychology from SIUE as well.  In addition, I recently obtained my Principal endorsement through SIUE. 

I enjoy working with all age levels, watching students grow and develop, and love serving on various committees for the district and within the community.  I have a passion for social/emotional development and mental health awareness, as well as providing the best possible academic resources and instruction for students.  For this reason, I serve on the district Social/Emotional Learning committee, am heavily involved in the Response to Intervention process at the elementary level, and have a key role in the implementation of mental health programs at the junior high and high school level.  I serve as the chair of the David A. Imler Youth Assessment Project which is a collaboration between the Hillsboro School District, Hillsboro Area Hospital, and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Population Science and Policy Department.  This committee’s work has brought projects such as Sources of Strength and the Blues program to our high school and junior high, as well as the potential to expand beyond just the Hillsboro School District.  It is an exciting and beneficial collaboration that I feel blessed to be a part of! 

Personally, I am married to Ben Cunningham, a teacher in the Hillsboro School District, and we have three children, Mitchell, Jackson, and Kate.  They are very active and we enjoy watching them participate in sports and music activities.  We also co-own a business in Hillsboro, Hilltop Elite Academy of Tumbling & Trampoline, Inc. (HEAT).  It is a gym with typically 200+ students where we teach tumbling, trampoline, and double mini.  We enjoy providing this opportunity to students in our community and surrounding areas.  It keeps us busy in the evenings but we love teaching our athletes!  I am also heavily involved in my church, Hillsboro Free Methodist Church.  I lead the children’s Christmas program every year, help run Vacation Bible School each summer, assist with children’s church, serve on both the children’s and adult discipleship teams, as well as the finance committee, and participate in the church’s annual Christmas musical each year.  Needless to say, I enjoy being busy and love making a contribution to my community!