Here's a little bit about our passionate staff and executive board members
Melissa Boler
founder/ president Executive directorMeLissa worked in the public school system for over 15 years with 10 years overseeing the Elevate program which serves special education students. It was there when she discovered a tremendous need and an opportunity to love, teach, and empower students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve goals they had previously been told they could not, leading her to start Bridges Training Foundation.
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michael boler
co-founder/ chief operations officerMichael is recognized as an operations and production driven leader with a 28 year track record of success in finance and banking with the majority of them serving in senior level management positions. Michael also works in conjunction with the Federal Regulatory Agencies to assess and implement corrective measures and actions necessary for the banking community's compliance adherence.
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brad elliottBoard Member
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Brad has been in law enforcement for the last 22 years. Currently serving as a sergeant for the Ellis County Sheriff's Office overseeing the civil division, fugitive transport, warrants, and animal control. Brad has a passion for helping others and being involved in the community in which he serves. Brad has previously served on the board for the Ellis County Children's Advocacy Center as well as the Italy Shop with a Hero. Brad is married to Brittany and they have an amazing child.
kristin walkerboard member |
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Kristin has worked the last 13 years at Navarro College and currently works as the Dean of Student Services, providing leadership for planning, identifying, implementing and evaluating student service programs. Kristin develops goals, objectives and programs for the Ellis County campuses. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education at Texas A&M. in 1996 Kristin served as President of the Texas Administrator of Continuing Education which represents over 70 community and technical collages.
melissa c. wolfeboard member |
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Melissa has been with the Midlothian ISD for the last 23 years and currently serves as the Executive Director of Specialized Learning, where she oversee all aspects of special education and Dyslexia across MISD including: administrator Representative for Head Start, supervisor of Federal Program personnel, a Foster Care Liaison for the district and assists with Department of Learning responsibilities across the district. Melissa has a Masters of Education from Stephen F. Austin.
Crystal RentzBoard member |
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Crystal is the Director of Innovation at Duncanville ISD. She studied Cooperative Superintendence at the University of Texas. As a mother of a son who has spina bifida, Crystal is passionate about advocating for the "differently-abled" community, using her voice to better her community and school district to be more inclusive.
Kelly CruzanBoard Member |
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Kelley is a passionate business owner of Caliber Voice & Data. Caliber is an independent technology brokerage company built to make the purchase, implementation, and adoption of new technology successful for your company. She studied Economics and Finance at The University of Texas of Dallas. Kelley is married and lives in Palmer, TX.
MARK BOUNDSBOARD MEMBER |
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Mark Bounds brings 37 years + of law enforcement expertise through a combination of military and civilian experience. Dedicated to serving the citizens of Ellis County with the Texas Civil Defense since 2004, he has used his leadership skills in Shelter Management operations during hurricanes and access/curfew enforcement after floods and tornados. He spends much of his free time teaching free disaster preparedness, rape prevention, self-defense classes and church safety. Mark has been married to BJ for 30 years and enjoys spending time with his 8 grandkids and growing family of dogs.
C.E Beardboard member |
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C.E. Beard was born and raised in Duncanville, TX, and began his career in Midlothian in 1982, working alongside his brother in residential construction. He has been a resident of Midlothian for 28 years and has made significant contributions to the community through his involvement on various municipal boards and committees. For the past decade, C.E. has also served as a broadcaster for Midlothian ISD Panther Radio.
In 2024, he joined the Bridges Training Foundation board, bringing with him extensive expertise in business development, operations management, and community relations, honed over 24 years of active community engagement. His professional background includes roles such as Business Development Manager at Eclipse Professional Services and Operations Manager at Waxahachie Sun, where he successfully established branch offices, managed operational activities, and implemented strategic initiatives.
C.E.’s contributions to the board focus on strategic planning, community engagement, and fostering partnerships that align with our mission to support individuals with intellectual disabilities.
In 2024, he joined the Bridges Training Foundation board, bringing with him extensive expertise in business development, operations management, and community relations, honed over 24 years of active community engagement. His professional background includes roles such as Business Development Manager at Eclipse Professional Services and Operations Manager at Waxahachie Sun, where he successfully established branch offices, managed operational activities, and implemented strategic initiatives.
C.E.’s contributions to the board focus on strategic planning, community engagement, and fostering partnerships that align with our mission to support individuals with intellectual disabilities.
