Staff

Heather Martin is an Excel By 5 Community Coach and also serves as a Project Manager within the Family and Children Research Unit. She promotes Excel By 5, the Mind in the Making and Vroom initiatives statewide. Martin has a degree in Psychology from Mississippi State University and a degree in Elementary Education from Blue Mountain College. She has 16 years of teaching experience with the Houston School District. Martin is excited to be a part of improving the early childhood developmental health system for Mississippi’s youngest by communicating with community leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, and caregivers across the state of Mississippi.

Mechelle Wallace has a Master of Science in Community Development from Delta State University. She is a Minnesota native but has been a resident of Alligator, Mississippi since 2002. She has three beautiful adult daughters: Shalom, Raja and Amana. Mechelle served twelve years as Alderwomen for the Town of Alligator, Mississippi. She enjoys working with small rural communities in the MS Delta. She is passionate advocate for all Mississippi children!

Randi Carter is dedicated to serving the children of Mississippi and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education – The Art of Teaching from William Carey University. She transitioned to the classroom through the alternate route program and has since dedicated herself to early childhood education. Since 2019, Randi has been an active and passionate member of Excel by 5 in Petal’s Excel by 5 Coalition. She is also a passionate advocate for disabled children, working with MECIC and Lyft Mississippi to create advocacy campaigns for neurodiverse children. Randi’s commitment to service, combined with her educational background and personal experiences, fuels her dedication to enhancing early childhood education and support systems for families.