2016 Workshop Presenters
Dr. Lesley G. Wirt serves as the Associate Director for the Northeast Leadership Academy at North Carolina State University. She earned her undergraduate degrees in psychology and early childhood education from James Madison University. She taught elementary school for two years in Virginia. She then decided to work in higher education and received both her master and doctoral degrees in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University. She has worked at NC State University and Edgecombe Community College recruiting prospective students, advising new and current students, tracking student achievement, planning programs, and enhancing student retention and success. She is excited to work for NC State University and with NELA.
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Dr. Lisa Bass is an assistant professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at North Carolina State University. Before coming to North Carolina State University, she was an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Vermont. She has a joint doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy and Comparative and International Education. She has two master’s degrees: the first in Business Administration and the second in Teaching. Her bachelor’s degree is in Economics. Lisa enjoys comparing educational systems internationally, and has traveled to Mexico, Ghana, Brazil, Hong Kong, and South Africa. Her primary research interest, however, is urban school reform through alternative approaches to schooling. She focuses her work on combatting the harmful effects of Poverty in Education, the Ethics of Caring and Mindfulness in Education. Her goal is to positively impact education and educational outcomes for disenfranchised youth.
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Bethany V. Smith is the Director of METRC: Media and Education Technology Resource Center for theCollege of Education at NC State University in Raleigh, NC. Bethany began her career as a High School Teacher in Technology Education and after spending a few years in the private sector returned to the College of Education where she has been since 2003. Her passion is to assist current and future educators integrate technology effectively in their classroom. As Director of METRC, Bethany facilitates workshops in the college, teaches an undergraduate class on on technology integration as well as works with faculty and staff on their teaching practices. She also travels the state and country giving presentations and facilitating workshops on various educational technology topics. View more information at her website http://transparentlearning.weebly.com/
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Emma Braaten
Instructional Technology Team Lead NC Department of Public Instruction, District and School Transformation [email protected] @ebliterate |
Emma Braaten is the Instructional Technology Team Lead with the NC Department of Public Instruction's Division of District and School Transformation. Working collaboratively with coaches in the division and in partnership with other NC agencies, Emma provides customized coaching and professional development best-suited to the needs of the districts and schools to strengthen all educators' capacity for digital leadership. Prior to joining NCDPI, Emma began her career in North Carolina as a secondary English teacher. After receiving her Master's Degree in Library Science from East Carolina University, Emma's classroom became the school library where she taught collaboratively with educators in the school and district to integrate literacy and digital teaching and learning, eventually becoming a National Board Certified teacher in Library Media. Her passion as a digital leader in education continues to be the blending of best instructional practices, content standards, and technology.
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Mark Samberg
Technology Innovation Lead Friday Institute NC State University [email protected] @mjsamberg |
Mark Samberg joined the Friday Institute in May of 2013. As Technology Innovation Lead, Mark works with the project teams to identify, select, and implement technology solutions into the work of the teams across the Institute. Prior to joining the FI, Mark was the Chief Technology Officer for Bertie County Schools, an Instructional Technology Specialist in Currituck County Schools and Hertford County schools, and a math teacher and the designer/developer of the SAM/SPAN applications in Wake County Schools. Mark has completed the Certified Educational Chief Technology Officer program through the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, holds B.S. degrees in Mathematics Education and Computer Science from NC State University, and a M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from East Carolina University.
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Leelynn Pinion is a Graduate Assistant for the Northeast Leadership Academy. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from NC State in 2014 and Masters of Social Work in 2016. Leelynn has learned the value of passionate school leaders through her service with schools and children in the Raleigh area and abroad in Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. She continues to work with adolescents through Haven House Services of Wake County. Leelynn loves technology and is excited to be at the NELA 2.0 Principal Academy.
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Eddie Price, Ed.D.
Secondary Area Supervisor Johnston County Schools |
Eddie Price is a twenty-three year veteran of public education. He has served as an English and history teacher, has coached track and football, and has served as an administrator for twelve years at both middle and high school levels. He earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and his MSA and Ed.D. from North Carolina State University.
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Freda Clifton
Principal Louisburg High School Franklin County |
Freda Clifton is currently the Principal of Louisburg High School in Franklin County. On July 1, 2016, she will become the Director of Professional Learning for Franklin County Schools. As Director, her main responsibilities will include Beginning Teacher Support and Professional Learning for FCS. She seeks to provide guidance and support for educators as they continue to grow, learn, and reflect on the implementation of best practices to ensure all students graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
Freda earned her BS in History and Secondary Education from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and her MSA from North Carolina State University. |
Yanisha Mann, MEd.
Edgecombe County Public Schools Director of Home Base |
Ms. Mann is the current Director of Home Base for Edgecombe County Public Schools. As a NC Teaching Fellow she completed her undergraduate degree in K-6 Education in 2000 from the College of Education at UNCC Charlotte. After teaching in Washington County Schools for 4 years she then became an Instructional Technology Specialist. In this role she assisted teachers district wide with the inclusion of technology into their daily teaching. After receiving her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University, she also returned again to complete her Master in Educational Leadership. She then worked as an Assistant Principal at Plymouth High School before becoming a principal at Pines Elementary School where they had double digit gains in her first year.
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Bennett Jones, MSA
Assistant Principal South Johnston High School |
Bennett Jones is currently the principal at Clayton High School in Johnston County, NC. For the previous 4 years, Bennett has served as an Assistant Principal at South Johnston High School in Four Oaks, NC. As part of his job responsibilities, Bennett has led a team of school personnel that targeted individualized graduation plans for at-risk students which has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of dropouts at the school and has yielded a graduation rate of over 90% the last 3 years. Bennett also served as the assistant principal in charge of curriculum and instruction, scheduling, technology, and athletics among his other duties. As a result of his work in helping to transform South Johnston into a positive learning environment, Bennett has presented at local, state, and national conferences on the intervention strategies utilized in the turnaround school process.
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Larry Hodgkins, MSA
NELA Cohort II Fellow Assistant Principal South Creek Middle School |
Larry was a member of NELA Cohort II and earned his Master of School Administration from NC State in 2013. He is currently the assistant principal at Riverside Middle School in Martin County and has four years of experience as an AP. His professional interests include student-centered application of EVAAS data and college readiness of rural, low-income students. He previously earned bachelors degrees in Physics from Bowdoin College and Chemical Engineering from Columbia University, as well as a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He is also a National Board Certified middle grades teacher. Larry is currently pursuing an EdD at East Carolina University.
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LaTricia W. Townsend, Ed.D.
Senior Research Scholar Friday Institute for Educational Innovation NC State University |
Dr. Townsend is a Senior Research Scholar on the Evaluation Team at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of education. Her current work focuses on improving educational outcomes for students enrolled in K-12 schools and community colleges. She also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Education.
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