Meet Cohort I
Learn more about the leaders selected for cohort I of the Aspiring Minority Leaders Program.
Melissa Clowe
Guilford Preparatory Academy
My name is Mrs. Melissa Clowe, and I serve Guilford Preparatory Academy as School Counselor. This is my first year at GPA as well as being employed within a charter school. I have spent over 15 years as a School Counselor, and I am National Board Certified. I have a passion for building relationships, connecting with, and supporting students of all ages. I offer myself as a professional safe haven – a place where students and families can receive support.
I am interested and proud to be a part of the 2021 Spring School Leadership Graduate Certificate at Appalachian State University’s Graduate School. I am excited to embark upon this unique educational journey. I plan on utilizing this opportunity to combine School Counseling skills acquired over the years with newly acquired leadership skills and best practices to better support students, families, staff, and the overall community in an active administrative role.
Camilo Dominguez Cruz
Sallie B. Howard School
My name is Camilo Domínguez Cruz. I was born in Colombia and currently work as an ESL Coordinator at Sallie B Howard School for the Arts and Education. My time at this school has sealed my commitment to furthering the work reflected in our mission to “ensure that every child, privileged or underprivileged, receives education that nurtures their gifts, talents, and potential and enables them to become more than they ever thought they would be.” I truly believe that education must be transformative and emancipatory.
This Certificate in School Leadership will allow me to be part of a new generation of school leaders who are critical, sensitive, and compassionate. I am certain that this program will unfold paths in my career to address systemic barriers to education equity and achievement, particularly in North Carolina charter schools. This program’s coursework will deepen my understanding of the socio-cultural, historical, and political landscapes that impact the educational opportunity gaps and barriers in the state. Also, it will equip me with the tools needed to promote collaboration among education stakeholders and expand the range of educational possibilities for minorities. I am especially excited about the opportunity to receive professional development, training, and mentoring from experienced and successful school leaders during the internship stage of this program. Lastly, upon completion of this program, I am committed to working as an educational leader in a charter school to ensure that all kids are provided with equal opportunities to thrive.
Sophia Gordon White
Sallie B. Howard School
Sophia Gordon White was born and raised in Jamaica. She is a second-grade teacher at the Sallie B Howard school in Wilson, North Carolina. With over twenty years of experience in the education field, Mrs. White holds leadership roles within the school of team leader and mentor to entry level educators.
Sophia is interested in the Aspiring Minority Leaders Program to further develop her expertise in leadership. This unique opportunity will help prepare Mrs. Gordon White to expand her leadership by filling roles such as assistant principal positions. Sophia is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with other aspiring leaders to devise ideas on closing the achievement gap in North Carolina schools.
Shantel Harris
Sallie B. Howard School
My name is Shantel Harris and I currently teach third grade math and science at Sallie B. Howard School in Wilson, NC. Becoming a school leader has always been a goal that I wanted to pursue since starting my teaching career six years ago, however, I knew it was imperative to get a great amount of classroom experience before venturing into school leadership. I have many ideas for creating an exemplary school and I am eager to implement these wonderful ideas in the future. Becoming a school leader will allow me to continue working with children which I'm very passionate about and love. I’m eager to create a school culture and environment that enhances student learning as well as provide students with a safe place to learn, grow, and thrive while providing an environment where teachers are able to flourish and feel supported. I know this program will help me accomplish all of the things that I mentioned above by providing me with the innovative tools and training needed to become a successful minority school leader.
Dr. Brittany Hill
Carter G. Woodson
I am convinced that there are overarching goals within the acceptance of being a part of the Educational Equity Aspiring Minority Schools Leaders Program that can enhance the quality of education and leadership that I can promote and execute within an educational institution. Mastering the overarching goals provided by Cohort I will enhance my perspectives on the growth of organizational change within the educational institution which consist of fostering critical thinking processes; mastering collaboration among faculty, students, and staff; and most importantly, encouraging application of course/leadership materials to real-world contexts. It is in my best interest to take the applications provided by the Educational Equity Aspiring Minority School Leaders Program and develop a different approach to applying democratic leadership to promote a culture for learning for other educators and the learning community.
Kimberly Hines
Sallie B. Howard School
My name is Kimberly Hines, Dean of Student Services and Discipline for Sallie B. Howard School of Arts and Science, where I have served for nearly 20 years. I grew up in the small, rural town of Wilson, N.C. My mother was a high school drop-out at the time, but nevertheless understood the power of education. In addition to keeping a strict eye on our classwork, she enrolled us in every extra-curricular educational opportunity she could find: college intensives, math competitions, and summer camps. As a young child, when I complained of always being in school, she would reply: “Doing what you have to do now will allow you to do what you want to do later.” I never understood that at the time, but I grew to appreciate my mom’s diligence, especially after receiving the opportunity to take courses – as a high school student -- at Clark Atlanta University before graduation. After high school, I went on to college and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000. I also hold a master’s degree in Teaching and Learning with Technology from Ashford University (2012).
I am committed to the vision of Sallie B. Howard School and to the mission of closing the education gap in N.C. This is an effort I take very seriously. Part of achieving this goal involves becoming the best possible version of myself that I can be. The various experiences I’ve had that have led to this moment have not been by mistake. I am destined to fulfill my potential as a school leader and to change lives in this world. And I believe the Aspiring Minority School Leaders Program at Appalachian State will help me in my journey.
Nikeeta Maddox Covington
Carolina International School
I began my teaching career in Cleveland, Ohio nearly twenty years ago. The last ten years I have held various teaching positions within the state of North Carolina. I am currently a part of the faculty at Carolina International School where I have spent the last three years facilitating 8th grade scholars in the areas of science and environmental studies.
Having already obtained a master's degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, I am honored to be a part of a cohort of minority leaders aspiring to operate as a part of a charter school administrative team. Given the lack of minority representation in leadership positions across the state, there is a need for students to see more people of color in esteemed positions.
Sherell McArthur
The Arts Based School
I am thrilled to join such an established group of thinkers and doers. I am Sherell McArthur. I have lived inside of education for 10+ years and I look forward to growing with this program. As a recipient of the NC ACCESS grant my lived-in goal is to ensure the children I am able to access and their families are well supported to create dreamers, planners, and doers to make their world and the world a better place to experience learning. As a future leader in education, I am preparing to open a school consciously organized for family and community to coexist.
Tanice Palmer
Healthy Start Academy
My name is Tanice Palmer, a fifth-grade math teacher and team leader at Healthy Start Academy in Durham, NC. I graduated from St. Joseph’s Teachers’ College in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. In 2017, I earned a Master of Science in Education from Walden University. With fifteen years of teaching experience, half of which was attained in Jamaica, I have gained first-hand knowledge of the various facets of the public education system, which has enabled my intricate ability to assess the needs of each individual student.
Collaborating with colleagues and administrators have contributed to my career development through norming of best practices in the education setting. It is my desire to continue to learn and grow as a teacher leader through the NC ACCESS Aspiring Leaders Program. The administrative leadership certificate program at Appalachian State will aid in my continued commitment to initiate a culture of positive change with all stakeholders in the public charter network.
Taqwanda Parsons Hailey
Charlotte Secondary School
My name is Taqwanda Parsons Hailey and I interested in this program because I am an aspiring school leader. I graduated from North Carolina Central University in 2005 with a B.S. degree in Physics. I started teaching seventh grade as a long-term substitute in February 2006. I have been a teacher ever since. I have 16 years of experience as a math and science teacher and I am passionate about making quality education accessible to all learners. I am also a wife and a proud mother of two middle school students. My experiences as a teacher and parent have led me to further my career as a school leader.
As a classroom teacher I focused on teaching strategies, relationship building, and leaving my students with a lasting experience to make them better learners and productive members of the community. This program will prepare me to be a school leader that will have a greater impact that extends beyond the walls of the classroom. I look forward to learning from my professors as well as the other members of my cohort. I am excited about this program because I will be able to learn and network with educators who face some of the same challenges and share experiences, as a minority in education. I am interested in this program because I want to learn, grow, and develop so that I can be a leader that supports equitable education for all.
Rahma Qaabidh
Falls Lake Academy
Opportunities tend to present themselves in many forms to enhance the growth of an individual professionally, mentally, or emotionally. Through my years of teaching in inner-city neighborhoods as well as in enriching environments I have been blessed with the opportunity to experience education in various realms. My overall objective is to not only enhance children academically but prepare them for life lessons they can carry into the world to be our future leaders of tomorrow.
Having the opportunity to be accepted into NC ACCESS Program where I am able to utilize my skills, knowledge, and ability is by far the most rewarding opportunity of them all. As I prepare to embark on a new journey in my profession, I vow to be flexible, resilient, open to new ideas, and innovative. I vow to be a leader of purpose who takes all constituents into account when making decisions. I vow to prepare our students to be not only future promising citizens with morals and values but future leaders of this world that will carry this country with high regards and standards. I am beyond blessed for this opportunity and will forever be grateful to be able to experience all the NC ACCESS Program has to offer to further my education and profession. I am Rahma Qaabidh, a future leader of tomorrow.
Sean Vervain
IC Imagine
The skills and experiences I have gained over the course of my career make me an ideal candidate for this specific program. I bring a poignant and unapologetic analysis to the field of education and reject the notion of being a minority leader as it is a narrow, Euro-centric, self-deprecating identification of non-white peoples, which are the majority of the global population. The identification of white leaders and minority leaders reinforces a social construction that defines power in terms based upon scientifically false classifications of the human community. I am a black man that aspires to be the most compassionate, empathetic, and motivated human being that I can be. In this identity, I provide both an important mirror and window for students to see a person that disrupts mainstream narratives about what it means to be black or an educator.
This specific program through NC ACCESS perfectly aligns with my professional and personal aspirations. The course requirements will advance my knowledge and working understanding of research and data-informed decision making. The reading and writing will challenge me to better formulate my theory and practice in the field of education as a transformational leader. Innovative schools need dedicated self-reflective leaders to inspire excellence in all aspects of the learning process, and this program will provide me with the opportunity to continue my work with new tools, awareness, and professional networking for continuous growth. At this point, it is my intention to continue the efforts I started in the educational leadership field to better support a model for innovative charter schools committed to continuous improvement. This is the challenge. I cannot imagine a more important endeavor to dedicate my life’s work towards or a more joyful opportunity to make connections and build community.
Samantha Villegas
Kestrel Heights Charter School
Samantha (Sam) Villegas is an Ohio native and proud graduate of Mount Notre Dame High School. Following undergraduate studies at Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, with a major in Middle Childhood Education, she then completed her graduate work at Bowling Green with a Master of Education degree in the field of Curriculum and Teaching. Now in her 12th year of education, Ms. Villegas has spent 10 of those years working for Kestrel Heights Charter school in Durham, North Carolina. Her 10-year charter career has deeply impacted her understanding of the education system – especially highlighting inequity in our community and the essential function of a charter school education.
Ms. Villegas worked as a classroom teacher from 2009-2014. In 2013, she was named Kestrel Heights Charter School Teacher of the Year. Empowered with a strong desire to maximize her impact on her students and the community, Ms. Villegas pursued a path of educational leadership and became Assistant Principal at Kestrel Heights in 2014. Then in 2019, Ms. Villegas transitioned into her current role as Director of Instruction and Assessment.
Ms. Villegas is excited to continue her next adventure in education - The Aspiring Minority School Leaders Program, made possible through the NC ACCESS grant and Appalachian State University. Ms. Villegas plans to use her platform as an aspiring minority leader to effectively design and implement strategies to further her charter school’s diversity and inclusion initiatives across both campuses. She will continue her work to create an environment that fosters greater empathy for the teachers, students, and families she is called to lead.
La’Vaar Wynn
Mountain Island Charter School
My name is La'Vaar Wynn, and I am a proud father of a nine-year-old princess named Da'Nya. This is currently my ninth year teaching principles of business and entrepreneurship. I am sincerely honored to have the prestigious opportunity to ascend into school leadership and administration. The ability to increase the impact on students and community exponentially rises from a school leadership standpoint. Not only will I be able to further the progress made as an African American teacher, but as an African American Administrator, I will be able to inspire my school and the local community. In my academic career as a student I was touched by the only teacher that looked like me. I will never forget Mr. Watson who always had an inspiring word and a daily smile. Mr. Watson inspires me daily as I as inspire, mentor, and motivate all students who walk by or enter my classroom.
As a leader, I will contribute a vast knowledge of my experiences of both defeats as well as victories. I have overcome some major challenges in my short lifetime, and I know my unique ability to bond and empathize with anyone will be a huge asset to the school. I was raised by a single mother in Lynchburg, Virginia, and became the first male in my family to graduate high school as well as obtain an undergraduate and two graduate degrees. My contribution to my school will increase exponentially as a school leader, because of my ability to touch the daily lives of all students instead of the one hundred I see daily now. The ability to interact with not only all the students but all high school teachers is incredible. I enjoy and excel at helping others in any way I can. I utilize my business degrees and skills to assist teachers with additional income strategies where they can spend more time with family as well as stay in the education profession. Another huge contribution would come from inspiring and relating to the African American community inside and outside of the school. Understanding the daily challenges facing both African American parents and students.