Meet Our Team

A lifelong educator and national thought leader for teaching and learning, Dr. Felicia C. Smith brings decades of valuable experience to advance NCFL’s mission of working to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families.

Smith has led the organization in casting a bold new vision that helps to create equitable communities where children and families may thrive. NCFL is forging new partnerships in the field to accelerate family learning systems of support as a revolutionary idea for multigenerational learning and impact. This means children and parenting adults or caregivers will have greater access and opportunities to programmatic support for enhancing educational attainment and economic prosperity.

Smith’s career in education spans more than two decades where she has served in a variety of leadership roles in P-12, higher education, nonprofit, and philanthropy. Her unique vantage point of a learner’s educational trajectory, from preschool to adulthood, is a result of her experience in leading across multiple education systems. Prior to joining NCFL, Smith was the senior director of Global Delivery at the National Geographic Society, where she oversaw the domestic and global education strategy implementation and programming focused on transforming the classroom experience for millions of students and educators.  Before this, Smith served as assistant superintendent of Teaching and Learning in the 27th largest urban district (Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, Kentucky); as a senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; as associate commissioner for the Kentucky Department of Education; and teacher leader. She began her career as a classroom teacher in the elementary grades and has taught as a preservice lecturer at the University of Kentucky.

Smith is driven by her commitment to equity and excellence for every learner. She has been a fierce advocate for teacher leadership programs, competency-based education, college and career readiness, policy transformation, and professional learning. Her non-traditional pathway to leadership has helped her maintain a focus on improving learning outcomes by ensuring effective classroom practices spread and scale across systems. She has advocated for transforming teacher preparation and in-service practices to promote the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for educators to effectively implement innovative practices addressing the needs of learners.

Smith has been recognized as an Aspen-Pahara education fellow and serves as a member of several national and local boards. Smith serves as Vice Chair of the Southern Regional Education Board, and in 2022, was appointed by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to chair the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council. At the forefront of centering equity in education through inclusive programming, in 2021 she was selected to participate in The Equity Lab’s prestigious year-long Nexus Fellowship.

Smith holds an Ed.D. in Education Leadership and Administration from the University of Kentucky, an M.A. in elementary education with an emphasis on K-12 literacy, and a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Louisville.

Micci Abbott, a Training Specialist based in Nebraska, began her career in education with a decade of P-12 teaching, impacting hundreds of students with her focus on mindfulness and social-emotional learning. Micci later moved to the nonprofit sector where she collaborated on training initiatives related to early childhood education, teacher development, and Mental Health First Aid.

Recognized for her skilled storytelling, Micci has led successful social media campaigns for nonprofits, universities, and small businesses. Her talent was further acknowledged when she won the Eric Sevareid Award for a radio broadcast in which she underwent HIV testing live on air to combat stigma, a feat that showcased her ability to educate, inspire, and uplift across various platforms.

Micci holds a master’s degree in counseling, education, and management. Additionally, her bachelor’s degree in marketing and media adds a unique, creative perspective to her work.

Outside of her professional achievements, Micci has a passion for studying astrology, watching documentaries, and spending quality time with her loved ones.

Tracie Altabet is a seasoned professional in the field of early childhood education, originally from New York and a graduate of Molloy College with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her career trajectory began as an early intervention specialist and evolved into roles such as Education Specialist and Family Literacy Coordinator/Adult Educator within Head Start programs. Tracie also served as a coach at a community college, guiding students who speak English as a Second Language and have a passion for the early childhood field. She has recently joined NCFL as a Preschool Training Specialist.

Outside of work, Tracie finds joy in spending time with her husband Steve and their Great Pyrenees pup, Phoebe. She cherishes moments traveling to visit her adult children in Ohio and Florida. In her leisure time, Tracie indulges in hobbies like crafting, painting, and playing games with loved ones.

Patricia holds a Bachelor’s in English from the University of Florida and a Master’s in Elementary Education from Delta State University. Over her educational career, Patricia has served as an instructor and teacher of adults and children, a content coach, a mentor, and a community activist for children and families in underrepresented communities.

In her spare time, she volunteers and collaborates locally in her hometown of Orlando, FL to create innovative and impactful community and family events to promote awareness, opportunity, and empowerment toward academic success, economic advancement, mental health, and other resources. She enjoys shopping, traveling the world, trying new foods, and spending time with family and friends.

As Administrative Assistant, Susan provides various types of support to the Statewide Family Engagement Center staff members, Activate! National, and Education Team.

Susan brings 35 years of administrative and education experience to NCFL. Previously, she served as a billing clerk, inventory control clerk, transportation coordinator, and accounts payable clerk. Prior to joining NCFL, Susan was the director of a family resource center. As Administrative Assistant, Susan provides various types of support to the Statewide Family Engagement Center directors in Arizona and Nebraska.

Susan loves dogs and has a Dachshund named Sissy. Her two favorite places to visit are the beach and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

As NCFL’s Senior Director for Community Impact, Cherry Boyles supports the implementation of family learning systems that are codesigned with local community members to improve educational outcomes and economic opportunities for all families.

Before joining NCFL in 2022, Cherry worked as an educator in Kentucky, serving as a classroom teacher, district instructional coach, chief academic officer, statewide literacy specialist, and statewide assistant director of curriculum development. During her years in education, Cherry participated on state and national panels that focused on standards implementation, adolescent literacy, and comprehensive assessment systems. She has served as chair for the National Assembly of State Coordinators for English Language Arts, presented for ASCELA, NAEP, and CCSSO, and is a graduate of the Learning Forward Academy.

Cherry has a Bachelor of Arts from Transylvania University and a Master of Arts from the University of Kentucky.

When she is not working, Cherry volunteers with Natalie’s Sisters in her hometown of Lexington, Kentucky, and with 127 Worldwide. She enjoys cheering on the Wildcats, spending time with family, reading mysteries, and gardening.

As the Director of Professional Learning, Andrea brings years of experience to the NCFL team, including six years as an early childhood classroom teacher and four years at the director level. At NCFL, she provides her early childhood expertise to many initiatives, including Say & Play with Words, NCFL Family Learning, and professional development of school practitioners.

Andrea has a Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Early Childhood Education from the University of Dayton.

She is a dog lover who enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and cooking.

Since 2023, Dianna has worked as a coach for LENA and Play with Purpose groups across the state of Kentucky as well as developing content for B-5 on various projects.  Dianna brings 27 years of experience teaching and coaching in Early Childhood in the state of Kentucky. She holds a Bachelor’s in Child Development and a Master’s in IECE, both from Murray State University.

In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, traveling, and reading.

As a Senior Content Specialist, Brittany Chimento develops content and provides coaching support to facilitators of NCFL’s Activate! Local programming. She also provides design and digital engagement support within her role.

Brittany holds a degree from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences with an area of specialization in religion. Brittany has prior experience as an early childhood educator (both in and out of Head Start) and several other nonprofit organizations.

In her spare time, she loves to cook, read, enjoy musicals, and binge on Parks and Recreation or The Office for the 9,986,000th time.

Shea Coughlin brings 15 years of experience in fundraising, communications, government affairs, and volunteer management to NCFL with former roles at organizations such as the award-winning Noble Network of Charter Schools and longstanding social service provider Northwestern University Settlement Association, in Chicago, IL. Shea led advocacy and government relations strategy for an organization representing 12 urban high schools and 600 employees. Additionally, she has played leadership roles in a $30 million capital fundraising campaign, and stewarded public funding opportunities and other strategic initiatives to advance the goals of the organizations she represented.

As NCFL’s Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategy, Shea manages a team responsible for leading the organization’s fundraising, internal and external communications, human resources, and education programming. Her passion for community-level change and strength in big-picture thinking make her a great asset to NCFL’s leadership team.

Shea holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Miami University and is based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Shea enjoys 7 Minutes Fitness, reading and writing, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and eating—check out her Instagram account on all things Nashville, @noshville_tn!

Kayibanda Doe, commonly referred to as K-Doe, brings years of experience to the finance department of NCFL. As Accounts Payable Coordinator, K-Doe is responsible for processing vendor invoices and making sure that vendors’ scheduled payments are processed in a timely fashion. Prior to joining NCFL, K-Doe worked in finance for the State of Ohio for more than 10 years, processing invoices for more than 30 state agencies.

K-Doe holds a Master’s of Business Administration from Ashland University and a Bachelor’s of Accounting from the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia.

In his free time, Kayibanda loves playing soccer, traveling, meeting new friends, and socializing.

Prior to joining NCFL, Jordan spent seven years as an early childhood teacher, most of that time at St Joseph Children’s Home in Louisville, Kentucky. She also taught English and composition courses at the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a writing coach. She was a Positive Discipline parent educator for several years and provided training for new foster parents.

Jordan earned her BA in English and Africana Studies from Tulane University and her MA in English from the University of Texas.

In her free time, Jordan enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her partner and their children.

Patricia Erwin leads NCFL’s Adult Education strategies and contracts. Since 2012, Patricia has worked creating and delivering professional development content for adult educators. She has a background in counseling psychology, adult education theory and practice, and curriculum design.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master’s in Psychology from Springfield College, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Adult Education from the University of Georgia.

In her spare time, Patricia enjoys shopping, traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Amanda Evans holds Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and History, and in 2010 she earned her Master’s degree in Modern World History. Over her educational career, she has taught and worked with learners of all ages both domestically and internationally. Most recently, Amanda has served as the Technology and Family Coordinator for Milwaukee Environmental Sciences Academy (MESA) Charter School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As the Family Coordinator, she worked on and saw firsthand the measurable benefits of two-generation learning. At NCFL, Amanda primarily works with the Family and Child Education (FACE) program as a technical assistant and professional development trainer.

Amanda enjoys reading, traveling, gaming, and exploring and learning about her city of Louisville.

With over 20 years’ experience as a graphic designer, Chad Farabee works to enhance NCFL’s brand with consistent print and digital materials. Chad produces materials for all departments of NCFL and has demonstrated his drawing prowess by providing the illustrations for the past several editions of Camp Wonderopolis. Chad worked as the lead graphic artist for Cenveo, Inc. and the pre-press art technician for Discount Labels, Inc. prior to joining NCFL in 2015.

He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Indiana University and an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Graphic Design from Sullivan College of Technology and Design.

Chad is a cat lover who enjoys traveling, creating art, working on cars, and home remodeling.

Mary Feldman as Director, Family Engagement, leads the team in supporting partnerships between families and practitioners to improve learning outcomes.

Prior to joining NCFL, Mary designed and directed: 2Gen Whole Family Education programs “Gaining Ground”–a whole family approach to developing the local workforce and closing the education gap; Grade Level and Beyond–a Bilingual Family Literacy program utilizing a 2Gen Whole Family approach; A Community Food Pantry–supporting hundreds of families during the pandemic by seamlessly providing over 50K meals; and 2Gen Whole Family Education Center–a brick and mortar building focused on workforce development and educational needs of whole families in Vermont.

Mary’s lived experience growing up in poverty in North Philadelphia has given her a keen eye that blends the urgency of outcomes with heart for her work. As a school principal, Mary focused on the student achievement of marginalized students and students with special education needs. She continued this mission as the Director of K-8 Initiatives and School Partnerships with Girls Inc. Her work got the attention of The Campaign for Grade Level Reading, winning her their Pacesetter award.

Mary holds a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Scranton, a Post-Grad certification in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Pennsylvania as well as a BA in Anthropology from Temple University and advanced coursework for her PhD in anthropology.

As the Director of Family Leadership, Whitney supports a team around NCFL’s family leadership work. Such work includes programs like Activate! Local and Activate! National, and other co-design and coalition-building work aimed at family-based leadership opportunities. Prior to joining NCFL, she worked at United Way of Central Indiana in a variety of 2Gen-type roles and most recently served as 2Gen Partnerships and Engagement Director. In that role, she led a wide array of learning-based opportunities relating to the 2Gen model, served as a support to their grantee pool of 34 community-based organizations, and started a pilot parent advisory council. Prior to United Way, she worked at a national Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) engaging with the community around health equity and quality of life-related work. Whitney’s passion for authentic community engagement stems from her time in AmeriCorps as a VISTA member and her community organizing background in food justice-based work, as well as asset-based community development models. Additionally, as an offspring of a long line of educators, she is passionate about the upward mobility equal educational access and attainment can provide.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University.

While she’s been based in the Indianapolis area for 8+ years, Whitney is a Kentucky girl by heart with roots in Eastern and Central Kentucky and plans to relocate back to the Lexington area soon. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active, being outside, seeing live music, collecting and listening to records, being creative, and reading.

Becky is a member of NCFL’s Family Engagement team. Her work focuses on creating high-quality professional learning for K-12 educators. Becky brings 24 years of experience as a classroom teacher, reading interventionist, and instructional coach to NCFL. During her career, she’s taught elementary, middle, and high school. She has also served as an adjunct professor teaching educator-preparation courses at the collegiate level.

Becky holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in Reading Education from the University of Louisville, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Social Change from Bellarmine University.

Becky lives in Kentucky. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes, traveling, cheering for her favorite team (Go Cats!), and spending time with family and friends.

Laurita joined NCFL to pursue her passion for Early Childhood Education. Before her role at NCFL, she worked as an interventionist for grades K-5 at Jefferson County Public Schools, where she specialized in providing small-group instruction to help students reach grade-level standards. As an interventionist, she discovered her love for teaching new learners and served as an Instructional Assistant in Kindergarten. Recognizing the need for additional support in the community for students entering Kindergarten and the launch of a new program in the area, she transitioned to lead Head Start teacher, driven by her commitment to supporting young students.

Laurita holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education from Eastern Gateway. She also has a background in accounting and banking, having worked as a Universal Banker before transitioning to education.

As a proud mother of one, Laurita draws inspiration from her son and strives to overcome obstacles, demonstrating the importance of education and the pursuit of dreams. In her spare time, she enjoys watching movies with him, writing, and listening to podcasts.

Noelle is a life-long learner who is passionate about social justice and education. Originally from Los Angeles, CA, she is a first-generation college student and was the first in her family to earn a Master’s degree.

Noelle entered graduate school with the intention of teaching at the collegiate level, but during her studies she developed an interest in grassroots organizing and popular education. She spent the first 10 years of her career working for faith-based non-profits in Louisville, KY, focused on community organizing and justice education.

After once again feeling an urge to work in higher education, Noelle spent four years working as an academic advisor and success coach with online students, most of whom were working adults with some college credit but no degree.

Having always wanted to try working for herself, Noelle then spent six years providing administrative and operational support to small businesses and nonprofits. It was during this time that she discovered her knack for numbers, and she realized that she wanted to pursue a career in nonprofit accounting.

Noelle is an active member of the social justice community in Louisville, currently serving on the coordinating team of Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice (LSURJ). She enjoys spending time with friends and family (including pets!), being outdoors, reading, binge watching a good show, playing board games, and making and teaching art.

Noelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Azusa Pacific University and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.

At NCFL, Adriane supports K-12 partners with Family Literacy, Family Engagement, and Family Leadership Adriane brings a diverse set of professional experiences to her role at NCFL. She worked as a classroom teacher and team lead for 13 years. She has spent the majority of her career serving multilingual learners and their families through the development and delivery of culturally responsive curriculum, and family engagement programming. She has also delivered and developed high-quality professional development for teachers and administrators who are learning how to best serve multilingual learners and their families.

Adriane has a bachelor’s degree in Education from Western Kentucky University with certifications in English and Language Arts, Social Studies, and ESL. She earned a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Murray State University and a master’s degree in Religious Studies and Ethics from Vanderbilt University.

In her free time, Adriane enjoys learning about world languages, traveling to historic sites, and watching classic horror films.

For over 20 years, Julia Harper has worked directly for the NCFL Board of Directors and NCFL’s President. She serves as an officer by fulfilling the board-elected role of Corporate Secretary, managing the office’s day-to-day operations, liaising with all departments of NCFL as needed, and supporting the President and senior executive team.

Julia attended Spalding University in Louisville, KY, and in her free time enjoys reading, antiquing, and spending time with her family and friends.

Andrea Hatfield brings her research background to NCFL’s program evaluation team. She has a bachelor’s in psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University, a Master of Education in Human Development from Lehigh University, and is working on her Master of Science in Quantitative Psychology from Ball State University. She previously worked as a research psychometrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and as an early childhood educator.

Born and raised in Ohio, Andrea spends her free time skating for the local roller derby team.

Hannah Van Horn works closely with local school districts across Nebraska to implement family literacy and family engagement programming. Prior to joining NCFL, Hannah spent two years teaching in Oklahoma City as an early childhood teacher in a district where she had the opportunity to serve ethnically and socio-economically diverse students and families. She also interned in the Colorado House of Representatives, exploring education policy and educational inequity issues.

Hannah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Colorado State University.

In her spare time, she is an adventure seeker and outdoors enthusiast, and loves hiking, running, and traveling.

Sherri Hudson provides high-quality coaching and professional development for families and educators across Arizona. Sherri brings over 27 years of education experience to NCFL, previously working in early childhood education, family engagement, and professional development across multiple environments.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, a Master’s in Reading Curriculum and Instruction, and is National Board Certified in Early Childhood Education.

In her spare time, Sherri enjoys reading, painting, hiking, and spending time with her family.

Zeljana Javorek joins NCFL with 25 years of experience in Family literacy. Her work involved working with English Language Learners, individuals, and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. As an Associate Director of Family Literacy, Zeljana supports NCFL’s family literacy programs. Her focus is on understanding and addressing the unique needs of families and their communities. By collaborating closely with the NCFL team and community partners, she helps ensure that our educational services effectively empower parents and children to make sustainable changes in their families.

Zeljana’s academic journey began in her home country, Bosnia, and Herzegovina (formerly Yugoslavia), where she earned a Bachelor of Science. Her career in education started as a high school math teacher before she moved to the United States. She furthered her qualifications for teaching English as a second language by obtaining a TESOL certification. Over the years, through trainings and collaborations with parents and institutions, she developed a deeper understanding of the importance of community engagement in providing effective services to support the needs of families in our communities.

Outside of work, Zeljana enjoys hiking in nearby parks and forests. She also cherishes her role as a grandmother to Oliver Jude, who has brought so much fun, joy, and happiness to her life.

Dr. Anna Kaiper-Marquez is the Director of Family Literacy at NCFL. Her professional and research interests include adult and family language and literacy research and practice, English language learning and literacy in international contexts, and language practices and methodologies in the Global South.

Anna received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology-Based Human Relations at Connecticut College, CT; her master’s degree in Urban and Special Education at Mercy College, NY; and her Ph.D. in Comparative and International Development Education at the University of Minnesota, MN. Anna is a former middle school special education teacher as well as an adult high school equivalency and English language instructor.

In her spare time, Anna loves karaoke, traveling nationally and internationally, trying new foods, and having dance parties with her family.

Leesa Kraeger was raised in Kearney, Nebraska. She attended the University of Nebraska – Lincoln where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and the Family. During her 30+ year career, she has worked with families, community non-profits, school districts, and Head Start programs in Nebraska and South Dakota. Leesa has been an advocate for parent involvement in education and community asset development in all her work. She spent thirteen years with a four component family literacy program in Lincoln Nebraska as the program specialist, parenting class facilitator, and adult educator serving an ethnically diverse population of immigrant and refugee parents and families. Throughout her career, she has worked to educate parents, school staff, and community leaders on the importance of parent voice and advocacy. Leesa currently serves as a Family Learning Specialist for the National Center for Families Learning in the Nebraska State Family Engagement Center where she works with local school districts to implement family literacy and family engagement programming.

Leesa enjoys time with her family, especially cooking with her grandchildren, as well as traveling, reading and quilting.

Chrissie McGovern is an NCFL training specialist who brings over twenty years of experience in early literacy, family literacy, family programming, community engagement, and partnership development working in public libraries in New Jersey and North Carolina. Chrissie also worked for the South Carolina State Library where she assisted with a variety of statewide literacy initiatives for all ages.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Masters in Library & Information Science, both from Rutgers University.

In her free time, Chrissie enjoys doing puzzles, cooking new recipes, watching true crime documentaries, and reading.

As the National Director of Education Strategy and Innovation, Cassandra spearheads NCFL’s programmatic offerings including program design, immersive technologies, and strategic priorities. In this capacity, Cassandra oversees and supports the Family Literacy, Family Engagement, Family Leadership, and Professional Learning teams. With 7 years’ experience as a classroom teacher and 4 years’ experience in educational administration, Cassandra is excited to bring a strong knowledge base of literacy, leadership, student and family engagement, and program development to NCFL.

Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, Reading, and English Language Learning from the University of Central Florida, as well as a Master of Education degree in School Leadership and Development from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

In her spare time, Cassandra enjoys long walks with her dogs, Oliva and Max, spontaneous road trips with her loved ones, and karaoke.

Robin Meinicke is a Training Specialist for the Preschool FACE team and is very happy to be with NCFL! Robin has a lot of experience with preschoolers and their teachers, including over 20 years of experience as a preschool teacher and 6 years of experience as a coach for preschool teachers.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University, where she majored in Elementary Education with minors in Early Childhood Education, Math, and Science. She earned her Master of Arts degree from the University of Phoenix while majoring in Early Childhood Education.

Robin is a mom to four boys and a grandma to one boy and two girls. She loves to spend time with her kids and grandkids, as well as taking her dog for walks, reading psychological thrillers, completing jigsaw puzzles, and watching true crime.

As NCFL’s Director of the Family and Child Education (FACE) program, Cathy provides training and technical assistance for NCFL-funded initiatives, including professional development and technical assistance for FACE, Toyota Family Learning, Early Learning Collaborative, and Paired Reading/Parent Engagement programs. She has more than 15 years in the education field as a family literacy director, Head Start education/early literacy coordinator, and elementary school teacher, specifically working in cross-cultural environments with ethnically and economically diverse populations. Ms. Miller is fluent in Spanish and specializes in research-based early literacy, ELL, and parent engagement workshops at NCFL.

She received a Bachelor of Arts from Hope College and an elementary teaching certificate.

In her spare time, Cathy enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time outside.

Juliann Miller is the Administrative Assistant for the Education Strategy and Innovation team, where she supports the work of empowering families through four verticals: Family Literacy, Family Engagement, Family Leadership, and Professional Learning. With a Bachelor of Arts in Expressive Therapy, specializing in reading and writing therapies from the University of Louisville, Juliann brings a unique perspective to the team and NCFL’s overall mission.

Outside of work, Juliann cherishes spending quality time with her children and family. By embracing their love for travel, hiking, biking, and exploration, they create unforgettable experiences together.

Allison Miller collaborates with the LENA START and LENA HOME team through Say and Play, a program funded by Bloomberg, by providing professional development and technical assistance to program coordinators. She also provides professional development and technical assistance to early childhood programs in the Jefferson County Public School system in Louisville, Kentucky, through the JCPS-NCFL Family Engagement Partnership. She brings a diverse understanding of early childhood education to NCFL with over ten years of experience in the field, having served as an Education Manager at Community Action of Southern Indiana Head Start, and a preschool director in Harrison County, Indiana.

Allison holds a Doctorate in Education from Spalding University in Educational Leadership, as well as a Masters in Education with an emphasis in Elementary Education and Teacher Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University. These degrees have provided her with a foundational understanding of child development as it relates to training and assisting adult learners in the field.

Allison is married to Adam Miller, band director at Jeffersonville High School. Together they have one son, Gabe, and enjoy traveling together, reading, and participating in the rich arts culture of Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Danielle brings nearly 13 years of education experience to NCFL. She worked in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School District for 11 years, and has in all served as a classroom teacher for eight years and a multi-classroom leader for another 4.5 years. During that time, she assisted with the expansion of pre-kindergarten within the district. At NCFL, Danielle plans and delivers professional development and high quality technical assistance to local and national partners in support of project goals. She also provides on-site visits to local and national partners.

Danielle has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Memphis. She also received her teaching certification from Tennessee State University and her Master of Leadership and Administration in Education from Middle Tennessee State University.

Danielle loves to attend concerts, go out to eat, and spend quality time with her significant other as well as her family and friends.

Jeff brings over five years of teaching experience with adult English language learners in community-based settings. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish at Asbury University and obtained a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico with a research focus in second language acquisition and learner motivation. At NCFL, Jeff primarily provides technical assistance to the Family and Child Education (FACE) program. He also supports family engagement, online learning, and adult education initiatives.

In his free time, he enjoys visiting artistic and historic sites, watching live theater, reading fiction, and creative writing.

As the Vice President of Finance & CFO, Marc Otte oversees the activities of the accounting and finance department and works collaboratively with fund managers throughout the organization. Marc earned his CPA license in 2010 and has 12 years’ experience in accounting and finance.

Marc holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, specialized in Accounting and Finance, from The Ohio State University. Prior to relocating to Louisville to join NCFL, Marc worked as Director of Finance at Community Housing Network, Inc., Vice President of Finance and CFO at YWCA Columbus and spent six years as an auditor for the public accounting firm GBQ.

Marc enjoys rooting for his hometown sports teams (OSU, Crew SC, and Blue Jackets), playing soccer, discovering new music, and spending time with his family and friends.

As NCFL’s Director of Communications, Amy Foster Parish manages the organization’s media affairs, public relations, and communications and marketing strategy. Prior to joining the organization, she provided communications and marketing expertise to a diverse group of nonprofits, including Kentucky Science Center, KMAC Museum, and Louisville Film Society. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Louisville and a Master’s degree in American Studies from Universität Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany.

In her spare time, Amy enjoys playing board games with her husband and son, traveling in search of the perfect lake view, and testing out new cocktail recipes.

In her role as Human Resources Manager, Michelle Parkerson assists in the hiring and onboarding of new employees. She helps employees with their annual open enrollment of benefits. Michelle also contributes to the overall HR infrastructure as well as helping NCFL maintain compliance.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Louisville.

Outside of NCFL, Michelle enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

Mel Pemberton, a content specialist based in North Carolina, began her career in education focused on multilingual learners in the K-12 public school system. She worked for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools off and on for over 12 years, working in all different grade levels. Mel also spent two years working in the nonprofit sector as an ESL instructor for adult learners. During her career, Mel focused on building relationships with students and families, as well as creating engaging content for her students in order to meet their needs. Her love of language learning has also aided her in overcoming language barriers with her students – to date, she has learned Spanish, French, and (survival) Korean.

Mel holds two Bachelor’s degrees in Linguistics and Education (both from Michigan State University), as well as a Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Arizona State University.

Outside of work, Mel enjoys reading and writing, kayaking, knitting, and spending time with her husband and their 4 cats (Ziggy, Freya, Mushu, and Stella). She also has a crested gecko named Cletus.

Before returning to NCFL, Tony Peyton served as the Program Director at the C.E. and S. Foundation, a private family foundation focused on education grantmaking, where he led the development and execution of a grantmaking strategy focused on important issues such as early childhood education, K-12, Out-of School Time, postsecondary education, family stability, and family engagement. He previously served on Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s senior staff as the Director of Public Policy, a role in which he created, developed, and managed the city’s Cradle to Career initiative. He also served as the primary liaison for the mayor with local, state, and national education institutions and organizations. Earlier in his career, Tony was the Senior Director of Policy and Government Relations at the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL), where he was responsible for federal and state policy, lobbying, and advocacy activities. Tony serves on the Board of Directors of the National Civic League and the University of Louisville’s Early Learning Campus and Early Childhood Research Center. He was also a founding member of the Board of Advisors of the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy at Penn State University.

In 2020, Tony was one of ten people in the country chosen for the inaugural cohort of the National League of Cities (NLC)’s Early Childhood Municipal Fellowship sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Bezos Family Foundation, and Pritzker Children’s Initiative. Tony attended Paducah Community College, received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Louisville, and completed the Certificate Program in Legislative Studies at Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute.

In her role as Contracts & Grants Management Specialist, Cassandra (Cassy) Pierson monitors and provides guidance on the financial and compliance aspects of federal grants and their associated projects. Prior to joining NCFL, Cassy held roles in grant administration and compliance, with experience on both sides of the grant-making process, as well as experience as a compliance auditor.

Cassy earned her Master of Studies in Law; Organizational Ethics and Compliance from the University of St. Thomas, and a B.A. in General Studies from Western Illinois University. Prior to completing her educational endeavors, Cassy also spent 6 years working in Early Childhood Education. When not at work, Cassy enjoys spending time with her partner and their four children, exploring the outdoors, and planning their next themed movie night.

Alma recently received an Associate of Science in Accounting from Sullivan University. She has always enjoyed numbers and how detailed accounting needed to be.  After going back to school to get her accounting degree, she realized she didn’t love accounting as much as she used to.  In a recent role, Alma worked as a Bilingual Coordinator at a Head Start in Jeffersonville, Indiana, translating for families during enrollment and events.  In this role, Alma came to realize her love for working with children and families.

Alma has three children: a son, Jared (9); a daughter, Rhianna (13); and a son, Ronnie (15).  In her spare time, she enjoys reading and has made it a personal goal to read at least one book a month. She also enjoys spending time with all her family and friends, walking trails, and exploring the world with her children.

Maureen is the Colorado Director of the Statewide Family Engagement Center, tasked with co-creating equitable and aligned family learning systems that build upon established family engagement infrastructure. She is steeped in holistic approaches that consider the needs of parents and children, and has overseen adult education and family literacy efforts that uplift and support learners of all ages.

Maureen earned a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Regis University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and English from Indiana University. She is an avowed lifelong learner and is usually taking a course, serving on a board of directors, or prepping a conference presentation. When not perusing the shelves of a library, she’s typically logging miles on trails or in a pool, traveling the globe, or trying out a new recipe with family and friends.

Alyssa serves as a member of the finance team, accounting for purchases, assisting with bank deposits, and providing other financial support as needed. Prior to joining NCFL, she worked both as a small business manager and as an administrative assistant at the Ohio Literary Resources and GED Scholars Initiative, where she assisted with conference planning and educational content development.

In her spare time, Alyssa likes to read, play table top games, and make soap.

Vanessa Scott is responsible for various administrative support duties and responsibilities to assist the oversight of 49 FACE programs across the nation that are located in American Indian communities. Prior to joining NCFL, Vanessa served in several administrative roles, most recently in Tallahassee, Florida as an Operations Manager for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, where she provided support to the Operations and Communications teams.

Vanessa has Bachelors of Arts degrees in Political Science and Communication Studies from Western Kentucky University, where she graduated in 2010.

In her free time, Vanessa enjoys trying new restaurants, adding to her growing vinyl collection, reading, cheering for her favorite hockey team, and spending time with her cat, Tenny.

Emily Sedgwick is a member of the Family Engagement team. She creates content for Wonderopolis and supports and facilitates family engagement workshops and trainings. As NCFL’s staff librarian, she also works to develop family literacy relationships with libraries across the country. Before joining NCFL in 2014, she served as the Federal Government Documents and reference librarian for the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA).

Emily earned both her Master of Science in Library and Information Science and Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Kentucky. She earned her postbaccalaureate certification in Family Literacy from Penn State University.

She spends a lot of her free time traveling, hiking, and playing with and reading to her grandchildren.

Lauren Shroyer is a Training Specialist for the Colorado Statewide Family Engagement Center. Lauren brings over fifteen years of experience working in early childhood-12th grade as a teacher and administrator (instructional coach, dean, assistant principal, and center director).

She holds a Bachelor’s in social sciences with an education concentration and a Master’s in teaching with an emphasis in Special Education from the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

In her free time—when Lauren isn’t cheering on her children at her twin’s soccer games or at her daughters’ cheer competitions—she is trying out new brunch places, camping with her family, or hiking with her toddler and infant in tow.

After working in public education for 27+ years as a teacher, ESL teacher and Multilingual Learner Program Director, David is currently the North Carolina Director for NCFL.  In this role, he provides leadership and strategic thinking for NCFL’s North Carolina activities.  In addition to building and supporting family engagement, family leadership, and family literacy partnerships in NC, David also leads the North Carolina Statewide Family Engagement Center (NC SFEC).

David earned a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University and an M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). After beginning his career in Puebla, Mexico as a dual language teacher, David returned to the United States where he taught Adult ESL in Forsyth County, NC, was an ESL teacher in Lexington, NC and most recently served the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools community as the Multilingual Learner program director. In his most recent role prior to joining NCFL, David developed and supported multilingual learner family literacy programming.

David grew up in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in Mount Airy, NC (the inspiration for Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show) and currently resides in Winston-Salem, NC.  In his leisure time he is a competitive cyclist, avid backpacker, occasional traveler, and curious reader.

L’Toya Strickland Smith has ten years of experience in early childhood education and promoting literacy and language development among families. Before joining NCFL, L’Toya worked as the lead teacher at Community Action of Southern Indiana and at the Gardner School of Louisville in Kentucky.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Middle Tennessee State University.

In her free time, L’Toya enjoys reading, traveling, music, and spending time with her family.

As System Administrator of IT, Andy Stine manages and maintains the technology infrastructure at NCFL. He is responsible for installing and implementing new technology systems while also providing day-to-day technology support across the organization. Andy has over 10 years of IT experience working across several different industries in a wide variety of technology.

He holds a Computer Information Systems degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver.

In his spare time, Andy loves to travel, listen to music, watch movies, and enjoys basketball.

Ruth Sugar is a technical assistant and training specialist in the Family and Child Education (FACE) program. For over twenty years, Ruth has managed literacy programming and provided professional development training for adult educators in Houston, TX; Seattle, WA; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC. She is experienced in instructional design and eLearning.

Ruth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Clark University, a Master of Education in Adult and Continuing Education from Rutgers University, and a Master of Public Administration from American University.

Ruth enjoys traveling, being outdoors, going to concerts and local theater, reading novels and historical fiction, and pampering her dog and cat.

Rachel Tegeler is a Training Specialist on the Preschool FACE team. Rachel has spent her life working with children.  She has over 25 years of experience teaching in early childhood.  Over these 25 years she has been an in-home childcare provider, taught preschool in private and public schools, taught classes for other home providers, and spent 13 years teaching early childhood special education. During these years of teaching, she worked with refugee students and families from over 15 different countries.

Rachel earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in science.  She later added an endorsement of Early Childhood/Early Childhood special education. Rachel earned her Master of Science degree in Early childhood with a specialty in teaching and diversity from Walden University. Rachel also has extensive training in trauma informed care.

Rachel enjoys reading, biking, hiking, swimming, and spending time with her husband and four grown boys.  Her favorite place to be is in the mountains.

Dyan Torres brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to education to her role as Training Specialist at NCFL. Dyan has over 15 years of teaching experience in diverse educational settings. She began her teaching career in the Philippines, where she laid the foundation for her passion for education. Her next significant role was with the Alamo Navajo Community School and Early Childhood FACE Program, where she served as a teacher and part of the leadership team for over twelve years. During this time, Dyan and her family immersed themselves in life on the reservation, a profound experience that instilled in her the values of resilience, self-reliance, and determination and learned the rich Navajo culture.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Nova Southeastern University in Florida and possesses a range of teaching licenses, including PreK-12 Special Education and Education Administration.

Dyan has balanced her professional life with a vibrant personal life. She resides in Albuquerque, NM, where she enjoys hiking at elevations above 7,000 feet. Travel is a significant aspect of her life exploring several countries and US states. With three children currently in college, Dyan values family travel as an enriching experience that complements her educational philosophy.

Eric Washington (he/him) is a Black, Southern, and God-fearing DEI Manager for the National Center for Families Learning. Eric currently resides in Houston, TX.

Eric attended Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, earning a Bachelor of Political Science and a Master of International Affairs, focusing heavily on Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Politics, Political Philosophy, and Women, Peace, and Security. Always passionate about Social Justice and tirelessly attempting to embody the values of equity, justice, and liberation daily, Eric constantly seeks growth within the Social Justice space by pursuing opportunities that contribute to meaningful and impactful change for the Black Diaspora.

Outside of his professional roles, Eric is a dedicated family man, a MacPEGOT-pursing performance artist, and an active member of several organizations, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., BYP100, and the Houston Area Urban League of Young Professionals (HAULYP). Eric’s current passion project is creating and delivering hand-made care packages for unhoused populations across Harris County.

Brian Welch is the Director of the Nebraska Statewide Family Engagement Center. He comes from the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) where he was the Family and Community Engagement Specialist focusing on aligning efforts and connecting various teams and departments with community partners.  He also led efforts developing resources to support schools and districts in their family and community engagement efforts. Prior to working at NDE, he taught 6^th grade English Language Arts for 9 years. This experience highlighted the importance of collaborative partnerships between families, communities, and schools.

Brian holds a Bachelor’s in English Education from Brigham Young University–Idaho and a Master’s in Instructional Technology from Fort Hays State University. Brian is an avid board gamer, Rubik’s cuber, and reader. He enjoys spending time with his wife, 4 kids, and 6 pets.

Laura Westberg has been a life-long advocate for children and families. At NCFL, she supports research and evaluation efforts, contributes to evidence-based publication and training, and advises for consistent organizational messaging related to research, among other responsibilities.

Laura started her career as an early childhood educator and administrator in university-sponsored preschool and child care programs, employer-sponsored child care, and Head Start. Her background includes work with children with disabilities, teaching at the college level, providing statewide and national training, and leading projects with corporate, government and private foundation funders. She has presented at state, regional, and national conferences in addition to publishing research articles, training guides, and instructional materials for early childhood practitioners. Laura served as the Director of the National Early Literacy Panel that published its research synthesis, Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel, in 2008. Most recently, she helped establish and managed the Pediatric NeuroRecovery Program in the College of Medicine at the University of Louisville.

Laura completed her college education at Indiana University, earning a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a master’s degree in language education.

Kristen Whitaker leads NCFL’s Immersive Education vision and Wonderopolis® digital property. She hails from Washington D.C., where she taught History at Columbia Heights Educational Campus and was a Home Visit city-wide teacher trainer for The Flamboyan Foundation.

Kristen matriculated from North Carolina Central University with a double major in Political Science and Public Administration. She then earned a Masters in Federal Program Management at Trinity University. Kristen was named Family Engagement Teacher of the Year by NCFL in 2015.

In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, painting, sewing, fishing, and reading, among other activities.

Leslie primarily provides technical support and professional development to the Family and Child Education (FACE) program, an initiative funded by the Bureau of Indian Education that supports American Indian families.  She also lends her expertise in early childhood education to support a variety of NCFL Family Literacy and Family Learning programs. Leslie brings over 23 years of education experience in early childhood education and family engagement to NCFL. She has taught and worked with learners of all ages and their families both domestically and internationally.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education, a Master’s in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and an administrator certification.

Leslie is a sports enthusiast who enjoys traveling, reading, warm weather, and engaging in new adventures with family and friends.

As the National Literacy Director (NLD) coordinator, Carrie manages program listings and web-based inquiries for the NLD; creates and posts content on the NLD social media handles; compiles and maintains the website analytics; and develops, maintains, revises, and ensures the accuracy and accessibility of all content and functionality for the NLD.

Carrie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Campbellsville University, and a Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Family Literacy from Penn State University.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and swimming.