Cohort II Fellows

Kimberly Allison
Sponsoring District: Granville
Current District: Granville

Kimberly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Middle School Education and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Middle Grades Education from North Carolina Central University. She was an 8th grade math and Algebra 1 teacher at Butner-Stem Middle School. Kimberly completed an administrative internship at Wilton Elementary School. She was the Assistant Principal at Wilton Elementary School until December 2014. Kimberly taught 8th grade Math at G.C. Hawley Middle School from 2015 to 2019. Kimberly is now serving as the 6-8 Middle Grades Blended Math Teacher at Granville Academy.

Kendrick Alston, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Nash
Current District: Guilford

Kendrick earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Fayetteville State University and a Master of Science degree from Walden University in Elementary Reading and Mathematics K-6. He later obtained a Master of School Administration from North Carolina State University’s Northeast Leadership Academy. During his tenure as an Assistant Principal within the Nash/Rocky Mount School System, he worked closely with communities and fellow educators to enhance the educational experiences of ALL his students. He was awarded the 2014/2015 Nash/Rocky Mount Assistant Principal of the Year. Kendrick is a passionate educator who is committed to ensuring that ALL students are afforded an opportunity to a world-class education. To provide him with the necessary knowledge and skill set to become an even stronger advocate for the students of North Carolina, Kendrick obtained a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from North Carolina State University, while also serving as Principal of Williford Elementary School from 2015-2020. Kendrick then served as the Assistant Principal of Allen Middle School in Guildford County. Currently, Dr. Alston serves as Principal of Shadybrook Elementary School in High Point, NC.

Jennifer Delano Gemzik, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Nash

Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language from Appalachian State University. She participated in the Peace Corps where she taught English as a Foreign Language to grades 3-11 in Ryazan, Russia. Jennifer taught fifth grade language arts. She has also taught English as a Second Language at Nash Community College and at the elementary school level. Jennifer completed an administrative internship at Nashville Elementary School. She was an Assistant Principal at both Red Oak Elementary School and Swift Creek Elementary School. Jennifer served as a Literacy Coach at Benvenue Elementary School during the 2016-2017 school year. She was a School Improvement Coach at Winstead Elementary School from 2017-2018, then at Barnes Elementary School for 2018-2020. From January 2021-January 2022 she served as an IPG Coach at Bulluck Elementary. Jennifer is now a private contractor with Cambium Education Group training teachers nationwide (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), has started her own company, Gemzik Educational Services, and is a national ELA consultant with Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE).

Krista Fasoli
Sponsoring District: Nash

Krista received a dual major in Elementary Education and Social Science from Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. She was a Teach for America participant and taught third grade at O.R. Pope Elementary School. She was selected as the Pope Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012. Krista completed an administrative internship at Parker Middle School. She was an Assistant Principal at Williford Elementary School from 2013 to 2015 and was selected as the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools Assistant Principal of the Year for 2014-2015.

Vernedette V. Garland
Sponsoring District: Nash

Vernedette received an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Elizabeth City State University and a Master’s degree in School Counseling from North Carolina Central University. She worked as a juvenile court counselor and a school counselor. She obtained National Board Certification in 2009. Vernedette completed an administrative internship at Winstead Avenue Elementary School. She was an Assistant Principal at Nashville Elementary School during the 2013 to 2014 school year. She served as Lead Counselor at Rocky Mount Middle School during the 2014 to 2015 school year and Nash Rocky Mount Early College High School during the 2015-2016 school year.

Darren Gemzik
Sponsoring District: Edgecombe
Current District: Other

Darren received undergraduate degrees in Economics from King’s College and Elementary Education from North Carolina Central University. He has worked as a Rural Fisheries Extension Agent for the U.S. Peace Corps in Zaire, Africa and has been a teacher for over sixteen years. Prior to joining Cohort II, he was a sixth grade science and social studies teacher at Phillips Middle School. Darren completed an administrative internship at SouthWest Edgecombe High School, where he also served as an interim Assistant Principal. Upon graduation from the NELA program, he became a fifth grade teacher for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools during the 2013 to 2014 school year. During the 2014 to 2015 school year, he served as Assistant Principal at Nash Central High School and as a teacher at SouthWest Edgecombe High School. He continued teaching at SouthWest Edgecombe until 2017. Darren then became an Extended Impact Teacher (EIT) at Phillips Middle School during the 2017 to 2018 school year before moving back to teach science at SouthWest Edgecombe High School for the 2018-2019 school year. Darren is currently teaching 7th grade science at North Carolina Preparatory School (Charter) in Tarboro, NC.

Lauren Hinnant
Sponsoring District: Northampton
Current District: Roanoke Rapids

Lauren earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Communications from Wake Forest University. She was a 2009 Teach for America corps member, and earned her teaching licensure from East Carolina University. She worked as a Corps Member Advisor for Teach for America’s Summer Institute in the Mississippi Delta in 2011, and as a School Director in the summer of 2013. She taught 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts at Northampton County High School. Lauren completed her administrative internship at Belmont Elementary School in Roanoke Rapids. Lauren served at Manning Elementary School- first as an Assistant Principal from 2013 to 2017,  then as Principal until 2022. She was awarded Roanoke Rapids Principal of the Year in 2020. Lauren is currently serving as Executive Director of Instructional Services for the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District.

Larry Hodgkins, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Martin

Dr. Hodgkins was a member of NELA Cohort II and earned his Master of School Administration from NC State in 2013. He served as Assistant Principal at South Creek Middle School in Martin County. 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 a National Board Certified Middle Grades Teacher. Dr. Hodgkins obtained an Ed.D. from East Carolina University. He was an Assistant Principal at South Creek Middle School from 2012 to 2015 and at Riverside Middle School from 2015 to 2016. Larry was a Testing and Accountability Coordinator for Martin County Schools during the 2016 to 2017 school year. He was Principal at EJ Hayes Elementary School from 2017 to 2019. Dr. Hodgkins is currently working as a Teaching Faculty Member at East Carolina University in the Department of Educational Leadership.

Jenifer R. Lewis
Sponsoring District: Nash
Current District: Nash

Jenifer earned an undergraduate degree and teaching certificate from Appalachian State University and a MAEd at East Carolina University. She received an add-on certification in Gifted Education for Kindergarten through 12th grades through the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System. She previously worked as the Academically and/or Intelligently Gifted (AIG) Facilitator for students in third through fifth grades at Swift Creek Elementary School. She received funding to conduct special projects from Keep America Beautiful and Wal-Mart for Green Team Activities. She has also received several Twin County grants to fund classroom activities. She was recognized as Teacher of the Year in 2001. She completed an administrative internship at Baskerville Elementary School and Benvenue Elementary School. She was an Assistant Principal at Benvenue Elementary School from 2013 to 2018. Jenifer served as Assistant Principal at Winstead Avenue Elementary School from 2018-2021 where she was named Assistant Principal of the year for Nash-Rocky Mount in 2019. Jenifer retired in August of 2023.

Tonya Little
Sponsoring District: Martin
Current District: Other

Tonya earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and teaching certification from Elizabeth City State University. She taught at Perquimans County High School and Riverside High School. She was recognized as Teacher of the Year at both schools. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Adolescent and Young Adult Science. She has been an adjunct professor with North Carolina’s Community College BioWork Network and was a collaborator with a mathematics teacher and local business partner in developing a teaching module based upon a North Carolina business. Tonya completed an administrative internship at Riverside Middle School then became an Assistant Principal and STEM coordinator at Riverside Middle School from 2013 to 2015. Tonya served as the County-wide STEM Coordinator in Martin County’s Central Office from 2015 to 2017. She then served as the Chief Operations Officer at Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies in Elizabeth City, until starting her current position as Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs at NC School of Science and Math in Morganton, NC in June of 2021.

Zachary Marks
Sponsoring District: Nash
Current District: Wilson

Zachary attended North Carolina Wesleyan College, where he majored in English and Education. He taught English at Northern Nash High School and Language Arts at Southern Nash Middle School. He was named Teacher of the Year for Southern Nash Middle School for the 2010-2011 school year. He also was a Head Tennis Coach. Zachary completed an administrative internship at Bailey Elementary School. He was an assistant principal at Nash Central Middle School since from 2013 to 2016. He served as Principal of Red Oak Elementary School from 2016-2017, then he served as Principal at Lucama Elementary School from 2017-2021. Zachary served as Principal of Forest Hill Middle School in Wilson, NC until early 2024, where he is now serving as Executive Director of Secondary Schools at the Wilson Public Schools Central Office.

Elizabeth Moran, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Granville
Current District: Other

Elizabeth earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her teaching career was spent as both a kindergarten and fifth grade teacher. She completed her administrative internship at West Oxford Elementary and served as an assistant principal there that same year. She was an assistant principal at JF Webb School of Health and Life Sciences during the 2013 to 2014 school year and Joe Toler-Oak Hill Elementary School from 2014 to 2016. She was an Assistant Principal at West Oxford Elementary School from 2016 to 2018. Elizabeth completed a Doctorate of Education at East Carolina University while serving as Director of Elementary at Falls Lake Academy where she is continuing to serve.

Kelly Anne Mudd, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Nash
Current District: Edgecombe

Kelly Anne earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Maryland in College Park, MD and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. She joined Teach for America and worked in eastern North Carolina. She worked as an Exceptional Children’s educator in Rocky Mount and in Henderson, NC. She has also been a Comprehensive Exceptional Children’s Accountability Systems (CECAS) trainer as well. She was selected as the Eaton-Johnson Middle School Teacher of the Year for the 2010-2011 school year. Kelly Anne completed an administrative internship at Southern Nash Middle School and was an Assistant Principal at Nash Central Middle School from 2013 to 2015. Kelly Anne was Principal of Spring Hope Elementary School from 2015 to 2018. She is currently serving as Principal of Martin Millennium Academy.

Timothy Mudd, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Nash
Current District: Nash

Timothy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Clemson University and a Master of Science in Athletic Administration from Western Kentucky University. He also earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. He participated in Teach for America and worked in Eastern North Carolina. He completed an administrative internship at Rocky Mount High School and was as an Assistant Principal at Southern Nash High School from 2013 to 2016. Timothy is currently serving as Principal at Red Oak Middle School .

Jackson Olsen
Sponsoring District: Vance

Jackson is the founding principal at Henderson Collegiate High School, a college preparatory high school in Henderson, North Carolina. Prior to that he worked as an Assistant Principal at Northern Vance High School and Zeb Vance Elementary School. Prior to joining NELA, Jackson taught middle school history and coached football and baseball. He was featured on Channel One News in 2010 for his unique approach to teaching history. He is the author of the book Teaching For America: Life in the struggle for ‘One Day’ and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jackson served as the Principal Mentor and Director of College Counseling at Henderson Collegiate for the 2019/2020 school year. He is currently serving as the  Executive Director of School Success Opportunity 180.

Teicher Patterson
Sponsoring District: Halifax

Teicher earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from North Carolina Central University. He worked for the North Carolina Teacher Academy providing Professional Development for Teachers across the state. He completed an administrative internship at William R. Davie Middle School. Teicher was an assistant principal at Everetts Elementary School during the 2013 to 2014 school year. He served as Principal at Enfield Middle School from 2014-2020 where he was named Principal of the Year for Halifax County Schools in 2019. Teicher passed away in July 2020.

Amy Pearce
Sponsoring District: Edgecombe
Current District: Edgecombe

Amy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Child Development and Family Relations, as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, from East Carolina University. She is licensed to teach reading K-12, and middle grades and high school mathematics. She began her career in education as a 5th grade science and math teacher at South Edgecombe Middle School, and later taught math for 5 years at Tarboro High School. While serving as a classroom teacher, she collaborated with the Friday Institute at NC State University on a STEM grant, “Scale-Up: Scaling up STEM Learning with the VCL,” in an effort to introduce and incorporate advanced mathematical software to rural, under-served high schools. Mrs. Pearce earned her Master of School Administration degree from NC State University as a NELA Fellow. She served as an administrative intern, Assistant Principal, and Principal of Stocks Elementary. She was the Principal at South Edgecombe Middle School during the 2016 to 2017 school year. Amy served as a Multi-Classroom Lead (MCL) Teacher with district responsibilities for professional development and math planning at North Edgecombe High School from 2017-2020. She then served as the Innovative Partnership Grant (IPG) School Coach at Coker-Wemberly Elementary School. Amy is currently serving as the Director of Federal Programs for Edgecombe County Public Schools.

Lisa Pennington
Sponsoring District: Franklin

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development and a kindergarten through sixth grade teaching certificate from Meredith College. She has worked as a Curriculum Resource teacher, a classroom teacher, and with Academically Gifted students. Lisa completed an administrative internship at Long Mill Elementary School. She has been serving as a teacher at Long Mill Elementary School since 2013. Lisa retired in 2019.

Erin Robbins
Sponsoring District: Granville

Erin earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She earned a MAEd in reading education through East Carolina University. Erin worked as an elementary school educator with the rural population of Granville County, NC. She was also a Clinical Teacher for East Carolina University, which allows ECU students to work in the classroom as interns to meet degree requirements and to develop a framework from which they will lead their future classrooms. She was chosen as Granville County Schools’ Teacher of the Year in 2010. Erin completed an administrative internship at Stovall Shaw Elementary School. Erin served at Tar River Elementary, where she was Assistant Principal from 2013 to 2014, and Principal from 2014 to 2018.

Hugh Scott, Ed.D.
Sponsoring District: Nash
Current District: Nash

Hugh earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health from The Johns Hopkins University and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. He participated in the Teach Baltimore summer program under AmeriCorps, where he taught first and third grade. Hugh joined Teach for America and was placed in Eastern North Carolina. He has served as the Secondary Math and Science Instructional Facilitator for the Nash-Rocky Mount School District and as a Professional Development Facilitator. Hugh completed an administrative internship at Southern Nash High School, where he became an Assistant Principal. Hugh serves on the Community Development Committee for the United Way Tar River Region, where he completed his NELA Community Internship. He was the Principal of Tar River Academy during the 2016-2017 school year. Currently, Hugh is serving as Principal of Southern Nash High School where he was awarded the 2019/2020 Nash-Rocky Mount Principal of the Year.

Angela Strother
Sponsoring District: Edgecombe
Current District: Nash

Angela received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma and an add-on teaching licensure for AIG from Methodist College and UNC-Charlotte. She has been a seventh grade English teacher in Nash-Rocky Mount, a Media Coordinator in Cumberland County and the Lead AIG Facilitator for Edgecombe County Public Schools. Angela completed an administrative internship at South Edgecombe Middle School and was an Interim Assistant Principal at Princeville Elementary School. She was the AIG coordinator, Instructional Administrator in the Central Office for Edgecombe County Public Schools, and an interim Assistant Principal at SouthWest High School. Angela then served as Academic Literacy Facilitator and Literacy Coach at Parker Middle School. Currently, Angela is Testing Coordinator for Halifax County Schools.