Strategic Council
*Board of Directors

Dr. Margaret H. Annunziata
President, Isothermal Community College

Russ Campbell
Senior Communications Officer, Burroughs Wellcome Fund

*Dr. Donnell Cannon
Executive Director, Maureen Joy Charter School

Leah Carper
Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Guilford County Schools
2022 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year

*Newell Clark
Commissioner, North Carolina Historic Commission; Former Mayor, Lexington, NC

Laurie Clowers
Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Wake Technical Community
College

Debra L. Derr
Director of Government Affairs, NC Chamber

Dr. Scott Elliott
Director of Development, Blue Ridge Conservancy; Former Superintendent, Watauga County Schools

Astrid Emily Francis
High School ESL Teacher, Cabarrus County Schools

Dr. Jeremy Gibbs
Former Deputy State Superintendent, NC Department of Public Instruction

Kezia “Kate” Goodwin
Owner, Kate’s Korner Educational Services LLC.

Patrick Greene
Principal, Greene Central High School
2022 Wells Fargo NC Principal of the Year

Victoria Griffin
Chief Administrative Office Analyst, Bank of America

*Ferrel Guillory
Founder, EducationNC

Gerry Hancock
Founder, EducationNC

D. Craig Horn
Former Representative, District 68, North Carolina General Assembly

*Dr. Anthony D. Jackson
Superintendent, Chatham County Schools

Leshaun T. Jenkins
Principal, Pitt County Schools Early College High School

Amy L. Kovac-Ashley
Executive Director, Tiny News Collective

Laura Leatherwood
President, Blue Ridge Community College

Freebird McKinney
Director of Partnership Development, Participate Learning; 2018 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Teacher of the Year

Dwight Miller
Impact Officer, John M. Belk Endowment

*Kayla Romero Morais
Senior Director of Regional Impact, Leadership for Educational Equity

Jose Oliva
Former Chief of Staff, Guilford County Schools

Cyndi Soter O'Neil
Director of Strategic Philanthropy, IMC/ChildTrust Foundation; Co-Chair, Invest Early NC

Erica Beshears Perel
Operations Director, Tiny News Collective

*Dr. Monique Perry-Graves
Executive Director, Teach for America: North Carolina

*Mebane Rash
CEO, President, and Editor-in-Chief

*Dr. Pamela G. Senegal
President, Piedmont Community College

John L.S. Simpkins
Former President and CEO, MDC

Melissa Singler
President, Robeson Community College

Rob Thompson
Programme Officer, Oak Foundation

Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith
Senior Director, Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity

Elaine Townsend Utin
Executive Director & Co-Founder, LatinxEd

*Yona Wade
Head of Training and Development, Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority