Raleigh, NC — Last year, the Public School Forum of North Carolina convened the inaugural cohort of the Rural Teacher Leadership Network, which is designed to bring together diverse groups of educators across North Carolina who seek to strengthen their practice, foster community with teacher leaders from across other rural districts, and develop their leadership capacity to guide other teachers in their schools. The network creates a strong and lasting community of rural educators with a focus on equity, trauma-informed practice, global education, and teacher leadership.

Under the programmatic leadership of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity (Flood Center) in partnership with Leading EDge Learning, a second cohort will be convened during the 2022-23 school year consisting of 36 teachers in seven counties. “Much like the participants from the first cohort, we look forward to the participants in this second cohort developing an equity and trauma-informed lens to guide their advocacy efforts, strengthen their leadership skills, and build the capacity of other educators to ultimately benefit every student,” said Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith the Flood Center’s Senior Director. “The teacher applicant pool was strong of the teachers who wished to participate in this opportunity.”

“We hope to continue alumni support for the previous cohort and continue the Rural Teacher Leader Network post this second cohort as allowed by current grant funding as there is a clear need and demand for the program.” Providing these opportunities for educators helps provide support, allowing them to engage with their peers in intentional ways and providing safe spaces for authentic conversations and experiences to transform professional practices.

The RTLN was made possible through a generous grant made by the Anonymous Trust, and will initially support this inaugural cohort that comprises educators from Clinton City, Duplin County, Greene County, Jones County, Onslow County, Sampson County, and Wayne County schools.

More than forty educators applied for participation in RTLN; participants were admitted through a rigorous selection process. We would like to congratulate this year’s cohort members, who are listed below.

The 2022-2023 Rural Teacher Leader Network

April Modlin, Lenoir County
Shirley Renee Synan, Onslow County
Betty Smith, Onslow County
Michelle Warren, Sampson County
Nikki Thompson, Clinton City Schools
Patricia Velasco, Wayne County
Ashley Grant, Greene County
Maria Nancy Cloete Wayne County
Suzan DeNune Onslow County
Dana Oliver, Onslow County
Jesi Knowles-Brock, Wayne County
Leoni Anderson Whittaker, Sampson County
Amanda Robles, Lenoir County
Ashley Williams, Onslow County
Caroline Langston, Clinton City Schools
Jamisha McClain-Raymond, Duplin County
Lisa Zeroske, Onslow County
Matthew Lococo, Greene County
Alexandra Cieckiewicz-Gray, Jones County
Megan Guitard, Onslow County 

Tiffany Wardle, Onslow County
Angela Hair, Onslow County
Anna Gillespie, Sampson County
Anna Gurganus, Wayne County
Phillip Farney, Onslow County
Angela Williamson, Clinton City Schools
Jessie Van Cura, Lenoir County
Kaylah Blount, Lenoir County
Laura Parks, Jones County
Michael Giddens, Sampson County
Eunesia Taylor, Lenoir County
Katelyn “Elizabeth” Monroe, Sampson County
Samantha Johnson, Sampson County
Angelia Howard, Jones County
Heather Watson, Wayne County
Jordan Nye Fekete, Onslow County
Tambrietta Williams-Baca, Wayne County
Adrienne Ringstaff, Jones County

To learn more about the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity and to see a list of events and resources please visit www.ncforum.org/floodcenter and join us in the fight for equity, access, and opportunity in education.