Barbara Bray is an educator and innovator who has been helping to transform education over the past ten years through My eCoach. As a computer and Gifted and Telented. teacher, she worked with teachers to develop engaging projects and realized this was the kind of professional development teachers were looking for. Barbara's conference presentations have been well-received around the world. She has written many articles on professional development and writes a regular column for the OnCUE Journal for the California ISTE affiliate. She also moderates an active listserv for professional developers and coordinates PDQs (Professional Development Quick Tips) for Techlearning.com. Perhaps her most important work is in leading a team of eCoaches who reach out to educators throughout the country.

Barbara believes in relevant professional development that helps each teacher or administrator meet their learning goals so they can take ownership of their own learning. While a new teacher may need mentoring on teaching strategies, a veteran teacher may need support in integrating technology. By developing a new method of training that integrates coaching online with effective mentoring on-site. This, coupled with the appropriate tools that help you support teachers and promote trust, protect privacy, and foster ongoing collaboration. Barbara's online place allows educators to share confidential information, collaborate easily, collect all of their resources including Web 2.0 tools, publish to the Internet, and get the support of their coach.

In working with the Pinellas County Schools, Barbara used My eCoach for their EETT grant 2006-07 and the new grant 2008-09. Many of the teachers involved not only created websites to showcase the projects, they created a class website. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles USD Arts Education Branch Barbara employed My eCoach to develop each subject's Arts Instructional Guide. A new discipline Media Arts has a grant for eight demonstration sites with state of the art facilities.

I am pleased to recognize Barbara Bray as a 2009 Top Online Educator. She gets the "big picture" helping educators to make connections and build on their strengths. Barbara espouses optimism and empathy, and excellent sense of humor. Her work is truly making a difference!

Walter McKenzie
The Surfaquarium