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Administrative Team

Administrative Team

Mr. Mike Bender, Principal

Dear Lilburn Elementary School Community,

I am humbled and honored to be principal of Lilburn Elementary and be a part of this excellent school community! I can assure you that I share in this school community’s dedication to caring for each and every student while providing them with a meaningful learning environment.

Although I am an educator, I am also a husband and dad with two children who love sports and outdoor activities. I like reading when I have downtime, and I also try to stay active—I recently began Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and am learning a lot about myself through this practice!

The 2024-2025 school year will mark my 25th year in education. I spent four years teaching and coaching at Meadowcreek High School, so I am very excited about this opportunity to return to this area of the county. In addition to my work at the high school, I served as principal at Woodward Mill Elementary. I have also worked at two middle schools in Gwinnett County.

I firmly believe that every child can exceed and that the cooperation between home and school builds trust and self-esteem in students. I look forward to partnering with families and the community, and I welcome conversations with you about our school. We are looking to open the school to more activities and events for families during the 2024-2025 school year.

To our students, I hope that you all are excited about this school year. It will be a meaningful and fun year, and we will be learning together to achieve the highest accomplishments. 

To conclude, I sincerely welcome your input, conversation, and engagement in our school community. Let us keep our students the primary focus of our work. I cannot wait to celebrate our collective successes during the 2024-25 school year!

Sincerely,

Mike Bender

Principal

Dr. Noreen Freeman, Assistant Principal

I am honored to be a member of the administrative team at Lilburn Elementary. I serve 3rd grade and coordinate our school's Special Education Program. My teaching career began in New Jersey, and this year marks my 19th year in K-12 education.  I have taught Middle Grades: Social Studies and Language Arts. In the elementary grades, I have served as a Resource Teacher, Grade Chair, a Gifted Teacher, STEM Instructor, and taught Second and Fifth Grades. Additionally, I have been an Instructional Coach, and a Teacher Leader-Mentor.  

My educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, Psychology, and a Minor in History from Kean University in New Jersey, a Master’s Degree in Special Education (Mild Disabilities), from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, a Specialist’s Degree in Teacher Leadership, and an add-on certification in Leadership from Mercer University in Atlanta, and a Doctoral Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. At Lilburn elementary, our focus is on building parental engagement, collaboration for continuous improvement, and utilizing best practices to guide our teachers and all students to reach their highest potential.  I am proud to learn and lead the amazing faculty and staff at our school. 

Ms. Milena Fuentes, Assistant Principal

Hola! I am very excited to join Lilburn Elementary School this year as a new member of the administrative team. I am the proud Assistant Principal for 2nd grade, ESOL, and Humanities. In addition, I coordinate the implementation of Title I, Title IX, Migrant Ed., and Family Engagement programs at LES.

I can’t believe the 2024-2025 school year marks my 16th year as an educator in GCPS! I have taught Kindergarten, First, and Third grades. I have also served as Parent Liaison, Parent Instructional Coordinator, and as a Specialist and Family Engagement Coordinator in the department of Federal Programs at the District office.

My educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Javeriana University (Colombia), a Master of Arts in Teaching Early Childhood Education from Mercer University (Atlanta), a Specialist Degree in Curriculum & Instruction, and an Educational Leadership Certification from Piedmont College (Atlanta).

On a personal note, I was born in Colombia, and I moved to Atlanta 24 years ago. Fun fact: I have lived in three different countries. I am also bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate. Outside of school, I enjoy  traveling around the world, and exploring cuisine from different cultures. I also enjoy watching movies, reading, dancing, and spending time with family and friends. 

I look forward to working with students, supporting faculty and staff, and partnering with families and the community to ensure that LES has a successful 2024-2025 school year!

Dr. Heather Mitchell, Assistant Principal

I am honored to be a member of the administrative team at Lilburn Elementary School.  This will be my 7th year at LES and each year gets better and better.  My primary responsibilities are serving as the Assistant Principal for Kindergarten and first grade as well as the testing coordinator for the school.  

After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Biology from North Georgia College and my education certification from Brenau University, I began my career as a first-grade teacher with Gwinnett County Public Schools.  For me it felt like coming home since I am a GCPS graduate myself. I had not been in the classroom for very long before I discovered my love of teaching math, which led me to a new role as a math coach. I eventually had other opportunities within the school, including teaching third grade for a few years then functioning as the school’s science specialist.  I continued my education while teaching full time, receiving a Master’s degree and a PhD from the University of Georgia.

When I’m not at work, I enjoy traveling, working in my garden, reading, walking my dogs and spending time with friends and family. I am also a big sports fan, especially college football, the Georgia Bulldogs in particular.  You will always find me watching their games every Saturday in the fall.  

As I begin my 25th year in education, I feel so fortunate to be part of the LES staff.  I will continue to work hard to support our students, their families and our teachers.  I’m excited about what’s to come this year!

Mrs. Tisha Williamson, Assistant Principal

I am proud to be a member of the Lilburn Elementary administrative team serving students and teachers in 4th and 5th grades, the gifted program and the early intervention program. At Lilburn Elementary we are a family. We believe our students deserve the best education possible, and we are committed to giving them our best every day.

This school year marks my 29th year as an educator in Gwinnett County Public Schools. I have taught grades kindergarten, first, second, and fourth. I have served as grade-level chair, teacher mentor, and instructional coach.

My educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology from the University of North Georgia, a gifted certification from Gwinnett County Public Schools, a Master of Science in Teaching and Learning from Nova Southeastern University, and a Leadership Certification from the University of West Georgia.

Education is my passion. I believe that being an educator is the most important and influential position a person can have. Being an educator is a privilege and I take great pride in partnering with teachers, parents, and our community to guide students to reach their fullest potential.