Durham PreK Governance Committee
The Durham PreK Governance Committee serves to provide vision and direction to the Durham County preschool expansion effort. In June 2018, Durham County Commissioners voted to support and fund the creation of a system designed to expand opportunities for all 4-year-old children in Durham to attend high-quality early learning programs. Durham PreK focuses on providing families access to preschool programs meeting the highest standards for early learning. The Governance Committee is involved in advising and approving plans, strategies, standards and policies for Durham PreK. Content-specific advisory committees with wider membership/participation support particular focus areas requiring more intensive engagement and input. The intent of the Governance Committee and its advisory committees is to establish an inclusive, community-driven initiative that will enhance public will and engagement and strengthen the resulting system of preschool services developed through the initiative.
Meetings
The Durham PreK program is governed by the NC Child Care Rules, the NC open meetings law, the NC public records law, the NC State Board of Education Policy (Educator Licensure and Teacher Evaluation), the NC Pre-K Program Requirements & Guidance Manual, the NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development and the NC Pre-K Program Fiscal and Contracts Manual, and the Durham PreK Program Requirements. These documents may be downloaded from the Division of Child Development and Early Education website and the Durham PreK website. Meetings will be livestreamed for public viewing on YouTube. Please check below for the link at the start of each scheduled meeting.
Watch recordings of Governance Committee meetings here on our YouTube channel.
Governance Committee Member Portal
Governance Committee members can find all meeting materials, the zoom link, and supporting documents.
Cathy Collie-Robinson
Chair
Early Childhood Program Director, Durham Technical Community College
Cathy Collie-Robinson
Cathy Collie-Robinson is an early childhood professional with over 25 years of experience. Her professional experiences include Preschool Teacher in a variety of settings across multiple states, Technical Assistance Provider with a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, Head Start/Early Head Start Education Coordinator, Community College Instructor, and currently the Director of the Early Childhood Program at Durham Technical Community College. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Child Development and Family Life from Radford University and a Master of Education Degree with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from Towson University.
Dr. Wykeshia Glass
Vice-Chair
Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Human Sciences at North Carolina Central University
Dr. Wykeshia Glass
Vice-Chair
Wykeshia Glass, Associate Professor, Intermin Coordinator of Early Childhood Education and Director of Graduate Studies of Human Development and Family Studies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at North Carolina Central University received her Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Alcorn State University and Master of Science and Doctorate degree in Early Childhood Education from Jackson State University. As an Associate Professor at North Carolina Central University, Dr. Glass teaches undergraduate, graduate, and online courses, advises undergraduate/graduate students, engages in scholarly research and professional development, serves on departmental committees, and completes other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the chair or dean.
TBA
Secretary
Deric Boston
Wellness & Inclusion Service Area Manager for Families and Communities Rising, Inc.
Deric Boston
Deric holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work as well as a BS in Education from The Citadel. He began his career engaged with families and children in Therapeutic Foster Care in 1993 where he gained broad experience working with foster care and adoptions, family systems, and persons in their environment. Upon graduating with his Master’s Degree in 2004, he began working with biological families in Multisystem Therapy to broaden the foundation of working with multiple systems impacting families before being trained and working in Young Child Mental Health. Deric’s work has also included working with parenting issues, marital problems, and adults in individual therapy.
Deric specializes in the treatment of children ages 2-18 with social-emotional difficulties related trauma, adoption, foster care, placement, autistic spectrum disorders, attachment disruptions and substance abuse using a variety of therapeutic methods. He has over 15 years’ experience working with children and their families in the office, home, school, and community settings. He is trained in Play Therapy, Floor-Time, Multisystem Therapy (MST), and Trauma Focused Therapy. Deric works in Private Practice in the Triangle area and serves as part time faculty in the School of Social Work at North Carolina State University teaching direct practice courses.
Deric also works in couples/marriage counseling, stress, anxiety, sadness, depression, & anger, intimacy, communication, & conflict management, life direction, spirituality and meaning.
Xavier Cason
Durham Public Schools Foundation Director of Community Schools and School Transformation
Xavier Cason
I practically grew up playing instruments in my father's band room and helping my mother design bulletin boards in her elementary classroom. It surprised no one that I spent most of my career as a music educator, first at Whiteville Middle School in Columbus County, NC in 1987, and later in Durham at NC Central University (1989-1997) and Hillside High School (1997-2012). I could not retire without paying homage to my mom's elementary work, so I also spent two years as an elementary music teacher at Bethesda Elementary School in Durham. It was at the elementary level that I clearly understood the foundational importance of early education. My favorite grade to teach was kindergarten. The daily outpouring of potential and curiosity was indescribable, and yet, so was the stark disparity among students as it related to school readiness.
My elementary teaching experience greatly influenced my first post-retirement goal, winning a seat on the Durham Public Schools Board of Education in 2016. While I worked as a board member to protect and prioritize early education, a change occurred at the presentation of the State of Durham's Young Children's Report. After the event, I volunteered to step up and take a more direct role in addressing young children's lived experiences before they arrive at school.
As Co-Chairs of a K-3 task force related to the report, County Commissioner Heidi Carter and I joined several early education initiatives, including the Early Education Action Circle, the DPS Community Schools Institutional Support Team, and Durham's Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Stepping off the Board of Education, I took on the Community Schools initiative's Directorship in July of 2020 and have recently joined Durham's Early Childhood Action Plan Education Workgroup. I spoke earlier about my first post-retirement goal. My second post-retirement goal began in 2018 as a Ph.D. student in Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis at NC State University. I am currently in my last semester of classes and look forward to starting the dissertation phase with an eye on homeless education policy, which currently has a limited definition of what is and is not a preschool.
My time as a member of the DPS board of education was concurrent with my early education committee work. In many ways, both activities grounded me in the work of public/private partnerships, such as the complexities of collaboration and a focus on strategic planning and designing policies around community values. I have been an advocate for Pre-K expansion in Durham Public Schools and connecting high standards for early learning with the need for better pay and equitable educational opportunities for early education professionals. In any public-facing work I do, I will always seek out and prioritize the voices of those most affected by policy decisions.
Brittany Gregory
MPA, Parent Representative
Brittany Gregory
Brittany Gregory, born and raised in the Sandhills region of Eastern North Carolina (ENC), embarked on a journey to make a difference through education and community building. Rooted in their rural ENC heritage and fueled by the joys and challenges of parenthood, they are a dedicated and accomplished professional, and have made a significant impact in the fields of education and community development.
Brittany embarked on their educational journey at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where they earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in May 2011, with a minor in Linguistics and Communication. After completing their undergraduate studies, Brittany continued their pursuit of knowledge by obtaining a master’s degree in public administration from North Carolina State University (NCSU) in May 2017. This advanced degree equipped them with the skills and expertise needed to excel in the realms of public administration, nonprofit management, and community development.
Their professional journey began as a Licensed Kindergarten-Sixth Grade Teacher for Wake County Public Schools. In November 2014, Brittany transitioned to the role of Student Support Specialist at Communities In Schools of Durham. Their dedication to student success was evident through their provision of case management, data analysis, and evidence-based services. Additionally, they were trained as Incredible Years Parent and Incredible Years Preschool Teacher facilitator.
In April 2017, Brittany joined Durham's Partnership for Children (DPfC) as a Program Coordinator, focusing on early literacy and school readiness initiatives. Their responsibilities encompassed various programs, including the Transition to Kindergarten partnership, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Reach Out and Read in pediatrician clinics, and logistics for Durham's Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. They also provided technical assistance to Smart Start-funded direct service providers, engaged in grant writing and management, graphic design, and community outreach.
Brittany was served as the Director of Programs at DPfC from October 2019 to June 2023. In this leadership position, they provided oversight of the NC Pre-Kindergarten Program, Durham PreK, and Durham's Smart Start initiatives, alongside program evaluation and data management. As well as provided crisis management during the onset of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. Their visionary leadership extended to managing staff and developing early childhood education and development programming.
Brittany has not only excelled in their professional career but has also taken on leadership roles in various organizations. They have been an active member of the Farmer FoodShare Board since 2022 and served as an advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Alpha Chi Omega, Zeta Xi Chapter at UNC-Greensboro in 2021. Their commitment to community development is further exemplified through their role as a board member for the Durham Public School Foundation since 2019. Additionally, Brittany has been involved with the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of The Triangle as a Fundraising Committee Member from 2018 to 2020.
In recognition of their outstanding leadership and commitment to their community, Brittany was honored as a Leadership Triangle Goodmon Fellow in 2023. Their passion for fostering positive change and their dedication to education and community development continue to drive their professional journey.
Kate Goodwin
Owner of Kate’s Korner Educational Services LLC
Kate Goodwin
Kezia “Kate” Goodwin, a single-mom of three and grandmother of 2, is an Entrepreneur, Advocate and 34-year veteran in Early Childhood Education Operations and Management.
Kezia has served as a company leader for the YMCA, Head Start and KinderCare Education. She leverages her decades of leadership experience in early childhood education, along with her entrepreneurial spirit, to create a new model that builds access to equitable learning experiences powered by the strength of community. Her passionate advocacy for teachers to be compensated fairly and given the tools that prepare them for the classroom are key to ensuring this model of early education and care is successful.
Kate is the Founder and President of Truth Education Foundation, a non-profit research and development organization that focuses on educational justice, as well as the Owner of Kate’s Korner Education Service and Kate’s Korner Learning Center.
Dr. Deborah Pitman
Assistant Superintendent
Specialized Services
Durham Public Schools
Dr. Deborah Pitman
Dr. Deborah Pitman serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Specialized Services in Durham Public Schools. Her areas of responsibility include the Office of Early Education, Advanced Academics, English Learner Services, Career and Technical Education and Magnet Programs, Arts Education, Health and Physical Education/Athletics/Wellness/Driver’s Education, and the Office of Student Assignment. Prior to coming to central services, she worked as a principal, assistant principal, and teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In addition, she worked for two years at UNC-Chapel Hill in the North Carolina Educational Policy Research Center.
Dr. Pitman has served on various community committees across Durham. She co-chaired the ‘Learning & Ready to Succeed’ Workgroup as part of Durham County’s Early Childhood Action Plan (ECAP) development. She served as the secretary for the Executive Committee and member of the Board of Directors for Durham’s Partnership for Children. She has served as the Chair of Durham Partnership for Children More at Four/School Readiness Committee, Board Member on Success by Six, and Co-Chair of Durham City & Durham County Results-Based Accountability Committee “Children Ready for & Succeeding in School.”
Dr. Pitman holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Virginia, a Master of Education degree in administration & supervision, a Master of Music degree, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree. In her spare time, she performs with the Durham Symphony and with various churches on cello, enjoys outdoor activities, and loves spending time with her family.
Charleita Richardson
CEO, Durham's Children Initiative
Charleita Richardson
Charleita M. Richardson was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Durham Children's Initiative (DCI) in October 2022. Before joining DCI, Charleita served as the Executive Director of the Florida College Access Network (FCAN) where she was responsible for the operations and management of this social-impact, equity-focused organization committed to boosting educational opportunity and success beyond high school.
In addition to leading FCAN, Charleita served as the President & CEO at Partnership for the Future (PFF), a college access and success service provider in Richmond, VA. In this role, she designed and program curriculum that targeted the areas of college preparation, critical thinking, community service, and workforce development. Prior to entering the not-for-profit space, Charleita worked in Corporate America in finance and in local government community programs.
While having not worked in the early education space in prior years, Charleita recognizes that a solid early foundation is required for a student’s success in later years.
Michelle Lyn
Chief of the Duke Division of Community Health, Community & Family Medicine Department;
Co-Director of Duke Center for Community and Population Health Improvement;
and Leadership Faculty for the Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership Program
Michelle Lyn
Michelle J. Lyn, MBA, MHA is an Assistant Professor and Chief of the Division of Community Health in the Duke Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She is also the Co-Director of the Duke Center for Community and Population Health Improvement of the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute, as well as the Lead for Community Health Initiatives in the Duke Population Health Management Office.
Ms. Lyn’s multi-decade career has focused on building and sustaining community-engaged, cross-sectoral care delivery models, educational programs, and research initiatives at the intersection of health, equity, and community. She has implemented many long-standing collaborative care models, including a six-county Medicaid care management network (NPCC); the Local Access to Coordinated Healthcare (LATCH) program serving uninsured Durham residents; three neighborhood primary care clinics serving under- and uninsured; a school-based health clinic; and the Just for Us Program which cares for chronically ill homebound seniors in their homes.
Ms. Lyn’s work in education serves a wide expanse of learners, from undergraduate health professions students to post-doctoral fellows and practicing clinicians. She has led the development of and/or holds leadership roles in a variety of education programs, including the Duke Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Leadership; the Community Health Elective in the Duke School of Medicine; the Duke-J&J Nurse Leadership Program; the Duke-National Clinician Scholars Program; and a HRSA funded Duke Primary Care Transformation Fellowship for Physicians and Physician Assistants.
Ms. Lyn’s has also held key roles in research initiatives, including Duke’s Clinical and Translational Science Awards and a Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute Community Engagement Award.
In addition to her roles in the development of innovative care models, education programs, and research initiatives, Ms. Lyn leads the Community Health Needs Assessment and Responsive Strategic Planning Process for the Duke University Health System.
Beth Messersmith
Mom’s Rising
Beth Messersmith
Beth is the Campaign Director for MomsRising’s North Carolina chapter. She leads all North Carolina state-focused campaigns, including state budget issues, environmental health, work/ family policies, and voter outreach. Beth previously served as co-executive director of an NC voting rights organization and has done extensive work as a freelance consultant on curriculum development, organizing
Aleksandra Holod
Board Chair, Child Care Services Association
Dr. Aleksandra Holod
Aleksandra Holod is a developmental psychologist and senior early childhood researcher at AIR. She has over 20 years of experience in child and family policy and practice as a teacher, program administrator, and researcher.
She studies young children’s language and literacy development, as well as child care program quality and early childhood teacher training and professional development. Dr. Holod earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Columbia University, where she was a fellow at the National Center for Children and Families and the Columbia Population Research Center. She received an award from the American Educational Research Association for her dissertation research. She began her career as a pre-K teacher.
Kimberly Sowell
Durham County Manager
Kimberly Sowell
Dr. Sowell took over the reins as the eighth Durham County Manager in mid-March of 2022. A North Carolina native, she comes to the community after a successful stint as Assistant City Manager in Greensboro. Prior to that, Dr. Sowell worked in both the corporate and academic worlds.
Joy Spencer
Executive Director, Equity Before Birth
Joy Spencer
I am a mom of a 4 year old who is currently enrolled in Durham's PreK program; early education is extremely important to me and a current priority in my household. I am also a community advocate who prioritizes authentic community engagement and racial equity. I work with families daily, in many capacities and have extreme passion for enhancing the ability for all families to thrive. Education can be a bridge that opens many opportunities.
June Shillito
Director of Yates Baptist Child Development Center
June Shillito
June Shillito is the Director of a local 5 star, NAEYC accredited child care facility (www.yatescdc.org). She has worked in the early childhood field for more than 25 years, first as a teacher and later as an administrator. She has a BS in Human Development and Family Studies from UNCG and a M.Ed from UNC in Early Childhood Intervention and Family Support. The center she directs is hoping to become a Durham PreK site within the next year. She is passionately committed to improving quality in early childhood programs and to ensuring that early childhood staff are respected and valued for the work that they do. June would like to see our community ensure that every young child has the opportunity to attend a quality child care program and that this is made affordable for all families, regardless of income. The work that early educators do every day is now seen as being an essential service. Without early childhood personnel, many families would find it very difficult, if not impossible, to go to work. She is honored to serve on the Durham Pre-K Governance Committee and to be a part of this initiative.
Darnella Warthen
Owner and Director of A New Beginning I, II, III and IV
Darnella Warthen
Darnella Warthen, MS, MAT is the Founder and Owner of ANB Early Care and Education, LLC, Break Out, LLC and Legacy Elite Transportation Services, LLC.
ANB Early Care and Education, LLC operates four 5-star childcare centers in Durham County that provide quality childcare for children of all ethnicities, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Darnella is a leader in the local community having served 28 years in various positions, such as Executive Director of Durham’s Alliance for Childcare Access, Program Manager for Childcare-Durham County Department of Social Services, Executive Director for First Presbyterian Day School, Minority Business Owner, and Online Pastor for the River Church. Throughout her platforms, she uses her influence to bring about systemic change, economic empowerment and better outcomes for disenfranchised children and families.
Dr. Iheoma Iruka
Former Chair, June 2019 – November 2023
Research Professor of Public Policy at UNC - Chapel Hill; Fellow and Early Childhood Health and Racial Equity Program Director, FPG
Dr. Iheoma Iruka
Governance Committee Chair
Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., is the Chief Research Innovation Officer and Director of The Center for Early Education Research and Evaluation at HighScope Educational Research Foundation after tenure at FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the Buffett Institute at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Iruka is engaged in projects and initiatives focused on how evidence informed policies, systems, and practices in early education can support the optimal development and experiences of low-income and ethnic minority children, such as through family engagement and support, quality rating and improvement systems, and early care and education systems and programs. She has been engaged in addressing how best to ensure excellence for young diverse learners, especially Black children, such as through development of a classroom observation measure, examination of nontraditional pedagogical approaches, public policies, and publications geared towards early education practitioners and policymakers. Dr. Iruka has served or serves on numerous national boards and committees, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committees on Supporting Parents of Young Children, and Applying Neurobiological and Socio-behavioral Sciences from Prenatal through Early Childhood Development: A Health Equity Approach.
Listen to her recent interview with Frank Stasio on WUNC’s State of Things here.
Tabitha Blackwell
Executive Director, Book Harvest
Jason Rutherford
President, Durham Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Jason Rutherford, MBA
Group Sales Manager, Total Quality Logistics
Brother Jason Rutherford graduated from North Carolina Central University in the Spring of 2009 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Marketing Degree. He was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated in the fall of 2009 in Durham, NC. He obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pheonix, May 2016. Brother Rutherford is a proud member of Delta Zeta Sigma Durham Alumni Chapter AKA The Bull City Sigmas. He has been an unwavering and devoted member of the organization since his initiation. He achieved Gold Life Membership status in July 2019 at Conclave Las Vegas. In January 2023, he became engaged to Dr. Tyechia Culmer of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, AAEZ. Currently, he is pursuing his Doctor of Business Administration. July 2023 he was voted Southeastern Regional Life Member of the Year.
Current Community Roles:
Southeastern Regional Director of Social Action, 2022-2024
Chapter President, Delta Zeta Sigma, 2020-2024
Board Chair, Shepherds Care Medical Clinic, Zebulon, NC
Board Member, United Christian Campus Ministry Board of Directors
Brother Rutherford firmly believes that every member should contribute their professional talents to the fraternity, promoting its growth and transforming it into a leading service organization for people of color. Lastly, he governs his actions according to three questions: 1. Is he being true to his purpose, 2. Will “this” truly help people locally, and 3. Am I continuing the legacy of those that came before me as I forge ahead in this life.
Jason Jones
Assistant Director of Durham Parks and Recreation
Jason Jones has over 20 years of Parks and Recreation experience and currently serves as an Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Durham. Since 2014, Jason has been dedicated to connecting our whole community to wellness, the outdoors and lifelong learning. Much of he and his team’s work is related to helping children and teens be healthier and learning through recreation.
He has been on the Board of Directors for Durham’s Partnership for Children since 2016 and is currently their Chairperson. As part of his work with the City, he partners with researchers at Duke University on Community Recreation and Clinical Partnerships, eliminating transportation barriers for Teens accessing recreation centers and parks, and improving the health of our community members.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography, Earth Science, and Social Science, and a Master of Arts Degree in Parks and Recreation Administration from Central Michigan University. He is a Certified Parks and Recreation Executive as well as a Certified Pool Operator. He and his wife Liz are sports parents of Scarlett and Henry.
Non-Voting Members
Dr. Linda Chappel
Senior Vice President of CCSA
Dr. Linda Chappel
Linda Chappel is Sr. Vice-President, Triangle Area Child Care Resource and Referral Services, for Child Care Services Association (CCSA), a Triangle based non-profit with local, statewide and national innovative programs designed to strengthen the early care and education system. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership and masters in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has over thirty years of experience in early education and youth development. In her role at CCSA, Dr. Chappel leads early education quality improvement initiatives, professional development activities and consumer education and referral services in a region which includes Durham, Orange, and Wake counties.
Linda sites leadership of the Durham PreK project as the most transformative passion project in her portfolio of responsibility at CCSA. In 2016, she co-chaired Durham’s Community Early Education/ Preschool Task Force, a volunteer group of over 50 community members tasked by resolution of Durham’s school board, county commission and city council to develop a plan to serve all 3- and 4-year-olds in Durham County in high-quality preschool by 2023. Since 2018, Linda has spearheaded Durham PreK’s development to grow a multi-agency collaborative guided by the Governance Committee, parents, families and early childhood educators.
Before focusing on expanding and improving early education systems and increasing access to affordable, high quality pre-kindergarten and child care for all children, Linda spent two decades in the public school arena working on community school models focused on parent and family engagement and extended learning opportunities for traditionally under-served youth.
Meytal Barak
Early Childhood Coordinator, Durham County Cooperative Extension
Meytal Barak
Meytal Barak is an early childhood professional from Caracas, Venezuela committed to the world and work of children and their families. Her professional experience has spanned direct-service provision, program development and delivery, and administrative oversight, all focused on optimizing access to early childhood services for families with young children. Her work started in preschool classrooms as a teacher and soon turned to research and curriculum development in the areas of preschool and childcare of Latinx children in English speaking classrooms in North Carolina.
Most recently, in the non-profit sector, she was an executive leader responsible for the strategic design of the Book Harvest early literacy portfolio across North Carolina. In this role, she designed and implemented Book Babies, an early literacy home visiting program. She and her team developed the Transition-to-School initiative, partnering with key stakeholders in Durham to provide robust navigation and support to families for Pre-K and kindergarten enrollment. Meytal trained and supervised staff, contributed to the development of grant proposals, managed and reported to multiple public and private funding sources, and collaborated on research and evaluation of programs. This included a three-year randomized control trial and a qualitative analysis of parent experience published in a peer-reviewed literature.
During the past five years, Meytal has been actively involved in early childhood system collaboratives and initiatives at the local and state level. She was an active member of the NC PreK Allocations Committee, reviewed Pre-K applications from various sites across Durham County and made recommendations for the allocation of funds. She was a member of the NC Integrated Care for Kids (NC InCK) Early Childhood Innovation Committee, the NC Home Visiting Consortium, and locally the now Grown in Durham Steering Committee. Meytal holds a M.Ed. in Early Intervention and Family Support from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BS in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in Massachusetts. She lives in Durham with her husband, two boys and their dog.
Dr. Danielle Johnson
Executive Director of Durham’s Partnership for Children
Dr. Danielle Johnson
Danielle Johnson is the newly appointed Executive Director for Durham’s Partnership for Children. She is an advocate for high quality, accessible, and inclusive early childhood education that honors the diversity of families’ experiences and honors parents’ visions of success for their children. Danielle brings more than 20 years of increasingly responsible program and systems development as well as early childhood leadership experience. Starting in New York City and now in North Carolina’s Triangle and Triad regions, Danielle has taught and trained educators and administrators seeking to make a lasting impact on the families and communities they serve. Following a successful tenure as the NC Pre-K Manager, Danielle was promoted to the role of Director of Early Childhood Systems at Durham’s Partnership for Children in 2016. She was responsible for providing oversight for programs including Smart Start, Early Head Start, NC Pre-K, Transition to Kindergarten, and other collective impact community initiatives that help the Partnership achieve its mission that every child enters school healthy and ready to learn. Danielle is an author and award-winning adjunct instructor at Durham Technical Community College. She is a sought-after presenter and facilitator at national conferences, with special connections to the early childhood movement in Ghana, West Africa. She received a Master’s in Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (2016) and a Master’s in Public Health from Hunter College, City University of New York (2005). Danielle is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Dr. Kristi Snuggs
President of CCSA
Dr. Kristi Snuggs
Dr. Kristi Lee Snuggs is the President of Child Care Services Association (CCSA). She began in career in 1994 with the NC Community College System where she served as Early Childhood Instructor, Department Chair and Director of the College’s Child Development Center Laboratory.
In 2001, Dr. Snuggs became an Educational Consultant with the North Carolina Community College System Office. Dr. Snuggs has held progressively higher leadership positions serving as the Vice President of Instruction/Chief Academic Officer with Edgecombe Community College, the Child Development Division Director of NEED, Inc. She joined the Division of Child Development and Early Education in January of 2018 as the Deputy Director.
Dr. Snuggs received her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University in Greenville and her master’s in Child and Family Development and bachelor’s degrees from Appalachian State University in Boone. Dr. Snuggs is married to Phillip and has two daughters, Kali and Keslee.
Tammorah Mathis
Director of Durham PreK
Tammorah Mathis
Prior to serving as the Durham PreK Director, Tammorah served as the Director of Afterschool Programs for Orange County Schools in the School Community Relations Department. She was previously with the NC Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), Federal Programs Monitoring and Support Division, as a Program Administrator for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.
Tammorah shares that she thoroughly enjoys her career working with programs, students and families, along with networking with other entities who are engaged with positive youth development. She is a native of Bladen County, NC via Fort Benning, Georgia. Prior to joining NC DPI, she served as the Dean of Students and Response to Instruction (RtI) Administrator at W.G. Pearson Elementary School in Durham Public Schools.
Tammorah has over 20 years of experience supporting young people in Out-of-School Time Programs beginning with middle school programs in Durham Public Schools. She has instructional leadership experience as an exceptional children’s teacher and worked earlier in various support roles as a classroom assistant, bus driver, cafeteria staff member, out-of-school time group leader, volunteer and member of the PTA for over 25 years across North Carolina.
Tammorah currently serves as the Co-Chair of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs Advisory Board. She earned a Master’s Degree in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an undergraduate degree in Political Science, with a concentration in Public Administration, from North Carolina Central University.
Non-Voting Resource Members
Monnie Griggs
Child Care Services Association, Senior Director of Quality Enhancement Initiatives for Early Learning
Joy Turner
Child Care Services Association, Director of Data and Provider Relations
Jena Fuchs
Child Care Services Association, Sr. Manager, Durham PreK
Sara Glenn
Durham's Partnership for Children, Director of Programs
Governance Meeting Agendas and Notes
All agendas, approved notes, and recordings (when available) for the Durham PreK Governance Committee Meetings will be posted below by date.