For many in our community, Dr. Carrie Hall needs no introduction. Whether she’s personally welcoming students and families at drop-off or advocating for students’ rights and needs, Carrie has always embodied the spirit of Bridges.
A Small Town Start
Carrie grew up in the small rural town of Fernley, Nevada. Surrounded by animals, a big garden, and wide open spaces, she learned the value of independence, hard work, and joy in simple things. One of her favorite childhood memories? Riding horses to school with her best friend during the last week of middle school—five miles each way. “We tied our horses up outside our school like a scene from ‘Little House on the Prairie.’” She recalls laughing. “Looking back, we sound kind of feral!”
In high school, Carrie didn’t realize what she was capable of academically. “I was more skilled in the social realm and connecting with people. I didn’t take academics seriously.” She kept her grades up enough to be on the dance team. Memorable highlights from these years were being dance team captain and being voted Homecoming Queen by her peers.
But Carrie’s childhood was also shaped by profound loss and deep lessons in compassion. Her dad came out as gay in the 1980s; a time and place where such truth often led to rejection. When he later passed away from AIDS-related cancer, it left her with a deep conviction: no child or adult should feel unseen or unloved for who they are. “It’s the reason I am so passionate about ensuring our LGBTQIA+ students feel welcome, seen, and celebrated,” she says. “This work is personal.”
Positive Impact of Teacher Champions
For Carrie, the decision to become a teacher wasn’t just a career choice. It was a way to give back what a handful of educators had given her: belief, belonging, and the reminder that she mattered.
“There weren’t a lot of champions in my K-12 experience,” she recalls. “That made becoming a teacher a driving force for me. I wanted to show up for students the way my teacher champions had for me.”
Her first champion was Mrs. Burton, her third-grade teacher. A widow who had become a teacher later in life, Mrs. Burton didn’t try to quiet Carrie’s chatty nature: she reframed it. “She would move me from group to group, thinking I might talk less, but I didn’t! She ended up writing in my report card, ‘Carrie is a social butterfly.’ This is such an asset-based way of saying, ‘She talks too much.’ As a child, I literally saw myself as a butterfly because of what she wrote.”
When Carrie’s father passed away in seventh grade, another unexpected champion emerged. Mr. Jameson, a former health teacher and volunteer firefighter, stepped in. “He wasn’t even my teacher that year, but he checked in with me, supported me, and became a liaison with my teachers. He showed up when I needed someone.”
In high school, her dance coach and English teacher, Mrs. Ghiringhelli, believed in her potential—often more than Carrie believed in herself. “I could never get better than a B in her class, but she pushed me in all the right ways,” Carrie recalls. “I think she saw what I couldn’t yet see in myself.”
Her teacher champions extended beyond high school. In college, the chair of the education department at George Fox University encouraged her not to give up when she became pregnant with her second child. During her master’s program, an ethics professor told her repeatedly, “Carrie, you should get your Doctorate.”
“At the time, I thought he was being silly. But he spoke those words into existence. When I later learned about the doctoral program at the University of Idaho, I heard his voice in my head. He made me believe it was possible.”
Each of these champions helped shape Carrie’s identity—as a learner, as a leader, and as a lifelong advocate for students who need someone in their corner. Fostering future teacher champions has since become a key component of Carrie’s lessons. Each year, she devotes an entire college lecture on Rita Pearson’s TED Talk, “Every kid needs a champion” with the goal of ensuring tomorrow’s students benefit from teacher advocates.
A Winding Path Toward Purpose
Carrie’s journey to school leadership was anything but traditional. A first-generation college student, she became a mother at 19 and faced the challenge of continuing her education as a young parent. Thanks to the support of loved ones, encouraging professors, and her own fierce determination, she graduated and began her teaching career. She later earned a PhD in Special Education with an emphasis in neurodevelopmental disabilities and autism.
Throughout her career—whether working in general education classrooms, serving in a multidisciplinary neurobehavioral clinic, or training the next generation of educators at George Fox—Carrie has remained focused on one question: How do we meet students exactly where they are and help them thrive?
Returning to Bridges
Carrie first arrived at Bridges over a decade ago after spotting a substitute teaching opportunity on Craigslist. From the moment she walked through our doors and was greeted by Beven Byrnes with a warm hug, she knew this school was different. “I saw so many similarities between Bridges and the charter school I’d envisioned opening with my husband: community, collaboration, and true respect for neurodivergence.”
Over the years at Bridges, Carrie has worn many hats: teacher, club leader, academic advisor, board member, and now principal. Though she left in 2017 to join the Education Department at George Fox, her connection to Bridges never faded. She returned regularly to help with academic testing, celebrations, and mentorship. When the opportunity arose to step back into leadership, she didn’t hesitate. “I’ve always been drawn to Bridges and the kids we serve,” she says. “I just couldn’t stay away.”
Why Both? Because It Matters
Carrie now splits her time between being the principal at Bridges and director of the special education and reading endorsement programs at George Fox. “People ask me why I do both,” she says, “and I tell them they feed me in different ways. Teaching future educators keeps me current with research, legislation, and best practices. Leading Bridges allows me to stay rooted in the day-to-day reality of supporting neurodivergent learners. Each informs the other.”
Outside of Both Jobs
When not at Bridges or George Fox, Carrie somehow manages to find time for traveling, cooking, crafting, listening to music, attending broadway shows, working in her vegetable garden, and spending time with her husband, Trevor, two grown sons, and much-loved pooch named Bailey. “I always make time to get my hands dirty working in my garden.”
Looking Ahead
Under Carrie’s leadership, Bridges remains committed to being a safe haven for students who haven’t always fit into traditional educational models. Her vision is clear: meet students where they are and prepare them to thrive beyond our walls—whether returning to public high school or stepping into adulthood with confidence.
“I want every student to feel loved, valued, and believed in. And I want our families to feel supported and connected. We’re building something special together here at Bridges.”
Whether you’re a student, staff member, parent, or alum, you’ve likely felt Carrie’s joyful energy. And if you haven’t yet, just look for the person leading with heart, high expectations, and, of course, a beaming smile.
