Faculty

Jill Lewis joined the Moody Innovation Institute in 2023 after serving the district in HP Athletics and the Clements Leadership Center.  Prior to joining HPISD, Jill was the Executive Creative Producer for the Dallas Mavericks and a freelance Stage Manager for the Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Dallas Cowboys, FC Dallas, ESPN, and Fox Sports Net. During her Mavericks tenure, she created the in-arena show, supported the broadcast with original content, and produced the league show when the Mavericks first advanced to the NBA finals.  After moving into the district in 2014, Jill was a volunteer at MIS/HPMS and later HPHS.  She and her son served in the University Park chapter of YMSL where they were fortunate to participate with numerous local charities.  Jill currently serves as a volunteer with the Highland Park United Methodist Church Prayer Tower.  Mrs. Lewis received her Bachelor of Arts in Radio, Television and Film from the University of North Texas and a Master of Liberal Arts from SMU.  In addition to directing all MAPS and Moody Innovation Institute events, she will be co-teaching the Business Design and Leadership class with Jean Streepey and teaching Modern Media for MAPS.  Jill and Kevin Lewis are parents to college student Caleb Lewis who attends Western Colorado University.  They also have a rescue dog named Mason who is the MAPS mascot!

Jeff Barrows has been teaching AP Physics at Highland Park High School for over twenty-five years. Four years ago, he accepted a position teaching AP Environmental Science, as part of the MAPS Environmental Architecture program. His education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from the University of Central Missouri and a Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He received the Frederick E. Terman Engineering Scholastic Award in 2007 and 2010 from Stanford University, for his contribution to the education of high school students in general and for the exceptional influence on the engineering career of two former students. The Park Cities TAG Parent Association selected Jeff as an Outstanding Teacher of Gifted and Talented Students, and he has received teaching awards from the American Chemical Society and the Texas Math and Sciences Coaches Association. He currently serves as the district’s Centennial Distinguished Chair for STEM and most recently, received the 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year award.

Yvette Hightower is passionate about architecture and loves facilitating hands-on learning about the environment through architectural design. She loves exploring the architecture field with students and helping them to appreciate the built environment around them. She earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Teaching from TWU. Prior to teaching, she worked for Humphreys & Partners Architects in multifamily for 17+ years. After finishing her master’s degree, Yvette had a diverse set of experiences including architectural consulting, tutoring, substitute teaching and volunteering. She was a catechist and 2nd grade religious education teacher and coordinator at St. Ann’s for 8 years. Yvette is the vice-president of Magnolia Park HOA, and is an officer and active member of the Assistance League of Coppell, which is a non-profit serving the needs of the Coppell area.  Yvette’s husband of 30 years works in renewable and alternative fuels. She has a daughter who lives in Denver and works in enterprise sales and a son majoring in architecture at UT Austin. Yvette’s hobbies include traveling, crafting, gardening, baking, and tap dancing.

BRAIN SCIENCE AND HEALTH

Adrienne Rodenberger graduated from Cedar Crest College with a B.A. in psychology and a B.S. in chemistry with a concentration in forensic science. After graduating, she worked at ExxonMobil for six years before returning to school to earn her master's degree in chemistry from The Ohio State University. After moving to Houston, Texas she was hired by MD Anderson Cancer Center Applied Cancer Science Institute to support orphan cancer drug development. During this time, she decided she wanted to positively influence the next generation of scientists and made the transition to be a high school science teacher. She taught chemistry at  Eastwood Academy before making the move to Dallas and HPISD.