Over the span of the next two days, you will be working closely with your colleagues. Below you will find their names, school they currently teach at, email, and a short bio. Networking is key!! Get familiar with these friendly faces and the wealth of knowledge that can be shared among you. To see the original submission with extra photos, you can click here. There is also an excel document that has everyone’s name, college, email, and work number listed.
Name: Allison Allred
School: Sandhills Community College
Email: allreda@sandhills.edu
Bio: Hi, my name is Allison Allred and I have been teaching in higher education for 12 years. I am a Mom to two little boys – 7 and 4 – and have been married for 13 years. When I’m home I love to cook for my family, do crafts and be outside. Although I teach in the health sciences now, my first love has always been nature and population dynamics. I love being outside working in the yard, planting flowers and absorbing the world around me. I surf fish with my family at Topsail Island each year and have developed a huge love for traveling! In my spare time, I enjoy going to thrift stores and looking around – the more stuff the better! I rather buy used, or create a new use for an old thing, than buy new. I read a lot of non-fiction and love to learn new skills, ideas and facts.
Name: Christine Turner
School: Carteret Community College
Email: turnerc@carteret.edu
Bio: Hello everyone. My name is Christine Turner and I have been teaching in the field of Emergency Medical Science for a total of 20 years, but the past 12 years have been in the full-time capacity with the community college system. Aside from that, I am a pretty laid back and relatively boring person. I am married with three daughters and two dogs. My husband and I love to take our kids on little vacations when we can. I really enjoy being outdoors, going to the beach, swimming, or finding nature trails to explore. Working at the beach fits pretty well with my personality.
Name: Ashley Lewis
School: Alamance Community College
Email: anlewis410@alamancecc.edu
Bio: I am a mother of two tiny wildings and wife to a Marine Corps Veteran. I grew up sketching houses, redesigning my bedroom, and at one point I even build a 3D modle of my proposed new bedroom addition and presented it to my parents. My dad was my inspiration for learning all things architecture. He took drafting in high school and was good at it. When he was ready to go to NC State, his mother became ill and he had to join the work force to help make ends meet. After seeing all of the possibilities that the trade held, I became determined to learn more and pursue Architecture as a career. I enrolled in AutoCAD and due to a “full classroom” I was moved out of the CAD class and into medical careers two semesters in a row. I was the only female enrolled in AutoCAD. Nursing became a picture of stability for me and so I went on to nursing school. Never being fulfilled and never truly loving it. After quite a detour I found my way back to Architecture, received my Associates degree and was hired two days prior to graduating as the designer that would be responsible for building the design program for a small restaurant design company. I worked up to be the Director of Operations and stayed there for almost 10 years. In total I have been in the industry for about 15 years doing everything from interior design, furniture design, architectural design, commercial restaurant design, and office design. I found my way to teaching this past Fall and have never been so fulfilled and excited about a career. I genuinely look forward to coming to work every single day.”
Name: Kimberly Faircloth
School: Wake Technical Community College
Email: ksfaircloth@waketech.edu
Bio: Hello! My name is Kimberly Faircloth, but I prefer Kim. First, I am wife to Scott and very proud Mom to two sons, Landon and Jeremiah (17 and 10). I enjoy very simple things like the sound of the ocean, sunrises, sunsets and flowers (daisies and sunflowers are my faves). As you can tell, I enjoy being outside the most and it makes it even better when I’m outside watching my oldest son on a cross country course or my youngest son on a football field. This is my 22nd year teaching and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. My love for teaching spans my personal life, as well, where I teach 5th and 6th grade Sunday School and work with the same age group in Awana at our church. I can be crafty if I have the time and I enjoy cooking as well, where I’m trying to incorporate healthier options into my cooking routine. I look forward to getting to know everyone!
Name: Amanda Beaman
School: Montgomery Community College
Email: beamana5823@montgomery.edu
Bio: Hello! My name is Amanda Beaman and I am so happy to be attending this seminar with all of you. The picture above is my beautiful family. I have three boys, ages 14, 9, and 6. They are my world! Growing up, I would have never imagined myself as a “boy mom” but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My husband and I have been married for 15 years and he is the love of my life. During my spare time, I love to visit the beach or the lake to spend time with family and friends and just enjoy life, usually doing whatever my boys decide they want us to do.
Name: Ann Snell
School: Alamance Community College
Email: Amsnell877@alamancecc.edu
Bio: I am the mom to two sons, Jaden (19) and Jordan (17) and two dogs, Fudgie and Murph. My husband is an assistant basketball coach for NC State University. I was a college basketball player so I love that my life essentially revolves around wins and losses on the basketball court. I’m originally from Ohio but have lived in West Virginia, Louisiana, Colorado (two different stints), California, South Carolina, Ohio (for a second stint) and now North Carolina. I am looking forward to settling in and not moving any time soon!
Name: Ann Marie Fortune
School: Montgomery Community College
Email: fortunea2634@montgomery.edu
Bio: Hello! I was born in Salem, Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains (I’ll always be a mountain woman). I now live in Ramseur with my husband, Drew, and our 18-month old daughter, Joanna. My husband is also a teacher, and so needless to say there are many discussions about teaching that happen around the dinner table! I teach English at Montgomery Community College, and I have been here for about two years now. As for my interests, I would say my first priority and joy will always be my daughter: I love being a mother. I also enjoy reading, doing anything outdoors (hiking, camping, kayaking), and I am a huge foodie. Anything having to do with food—cooking, watching cooking shows, reading food books and travel books, etc.—interests me. I am a staunch vegetarian (have been for about 10 years) and I am a Sagittarius. The picture to the left is of my husband, my daughter, and I on our family trip to Walden Pond this past summer. I am really looking forward to learning as much as I can during the conference!
Name: Mary Wilkinson
School: Guilford Technical Community College
Email: mawilkinson@gtcc.edu
Bio:I was born in Tucson, Arizona, but was raised in Ohio on a tiny island in Lake Erie. I am the oldest of 4 children. Everyone in my family is in some sort of public service including law enforcement, fire, and the court system. I was the only one who went into healthcare.I attended The Ohio State University where I received my BSN. I met and married my husband there and we had three children, Amanda, Stephanie and Nicholas, in Columbus, Ohio. We moved to North Carolina in 1988, but I still do not consider myself a Southerner. I can’t put slaw on a sandwich or bring myself to drink sweet tea. I’m an unsweet tea lady all the way. My children are the driving force in my life. Amanda teaches Exceptional Children in Carolina Beach, Stephanie is a speech pathologist at the hospital in Wilmington, and Nicholas is a lobbyist in Greensboro. Nicholas and his wife Emily are the parents of my only grandchild, Noah, who is 18 months old. As any grandmother would say of their grandchild, “He is the most precious little boy.” It’s difficult to talk about myself and not include work because that takes up most of my day. I do love to travel and our family has been to 49 states (all driven!). I still love to travel and try to make sure that I get out of the country every 2 years (pre-Covid). I love to do all kinds of puzzles and spend a lot of my free time doing them. I also have a great group of friends and enjoy my time with them playing Bunco, going on day trips, trying new cuisines…anything that we want to, which is nice at this age. I enjoy having fun and just ‘being’. And, as a former Northerner, I love the snow we get in North Carolina-here and gone!
Name: Michelle Ping
School: Fayetteville Community College
Email: pingm@faytechcc.edu
Bio: My name is Michelle Ping. I was born and raised in Southern Illinois and still consider myself a “small town, midwestern girl!” I attended Southern Illinois University. I am married with one daughter, a son-in-law, a 4-year old Boston Terrier and one grand-dog! My family and I enjoy beach vacations and going “home” to visit family and friends. We love spending time on our back porch and usually opt for a home cooked meal rather than going out to a restaurant. Grilling dinner is often the entertainment for the evening! My husband and I also enjoy watching baseball (St. Louis Cardinals fans) and riding the motorcycle. I am an avid reader and enjoy exercising but most of all, I enjoy spending quality time with those I love.
Name: Katie Parsons
School: Sandhills Community College
Email: parsonsk@sandhills.edu
Bio: Hello, my name is Katie, and I am an associate professor for Sandhills Community College, (SCC). I have taught for 7 years both at the high school and community college level. The following is a little background on myself. I was born and raise in Moore County, NC and even graduated from SCC soon after high school. I am married to a wonderful man and we had our first child in 2020. Yes, our little girl was born soon after the pandemic shut down. She has been nicknamed “the walking pandemic” due to all the daycare colds she brings home to her mom and dad. My little family also has fur members, two dogs (Jackson and Dozer) and a cat (Ziggy). In my free time, I enjoy working out and playing with my little girl. I just love to watch her learn about this big world. I am an outdoors type person and enjoy nature walks with the family. I hope to try some camping this fall with my little one. My approach on life is to see the good in people. I try to shine a little light into the world each day by being helpful and positive.
Name: Celethia McMillan
School: Sandhills Community College
Email: mcmillianc@sandhills.edu
Bio: The purpose of this biography is to share who I am as a person. My name is Celethia McMillian and I am celebrating my 40th year this month (woohoo!). I’ve been married since 2016 to my husband who I have known since 1999. To say we have history is a serious understatement. The picture above is of my family to include my now 3-year-old daughter named Seven, and a onesie to represent our new addition arriving in June. When I am not mothering, I enjoy a few seasonal pastimes. I enjoy making crafts to include the t-shirts we are wearing to the wreaths that are pictured below, just to name a couple. I plan to start a business one day. Another pastime that I have is gardening. On any spring or summer day, you can find me in my yard being one with Mother Earth, but I still am not a fan of certain insects. Like my mother and grandfather, I enjoy the self-gratifying process of planting a seed and making it grow. It is very rewarding and a self-sufficient way to live. Living a plant-based lifestyle, this is a great way to get my veggies from a familiar source. Moreover, it shows my daughter skills that she can pass down to the next generation like my grandfather did with my mother, and she did for me. The pictures below are of me in my garden, growing peppers, okra, tomatoes, beans, and a variety of greens, just to name a few. Other facts about me include my love for traveling, reading, and learning new things. It is so invigorating to learn a new skill or embark on a new project with a reliable team of people united for a common goal. I am very goal-oriented; I constantly make lists to make sure things get completed. I am an introvert by nature, who can be extroverted when necessary. I love to help others in need to include community service and advocacy for marginalized groups. In this biography, I attempted to capture enough for the reader to learn who I am as a person. My hope is that my personality and what is important to me were able to shine through.
Name: Kristina Mazzarone
School: Cape Fear Community College
Email: kmazzarone@cfcc.edu
Bio:My name is Kristina Mazzarone. I am a chemistry instructor and director of the Center for Professional excellence at Cape Fear Community College. I am a mommy to two boys: David – 6 years old and James – 4 years old. I am done at two! I felt called to be a boy mommy – I love every second of it. Sports, wrestling, potty jokes and noises – I love it all. I am a wife – my husband Chuck is a builder. He is the calm to my chaos and the common sense. (I’m book smart – common sense can be hard). He loves to cook – he cooks dinner most nights while I get the boys settled in from school. I have 2 dogs: Lacy – Golden Retriever and Ellie: German Shepard/Lab mix. They are amazing pups and best friends to my boys. Outside I work I like to stay active. I workout at CrossFit Monkey Junction and I have run in 3 half-marathons. The latest being a sub-2-hour half. Working out is how I take care of my mental health and allows me to keep up with two high energy boys. When I am not at work in the lab – I love sharing science at my sons’ school. I often take “science experiments” in to the classes. The latest one was a lesson for Pre-Schoolers on solids, liquids, and gases. The “wow-factor” was left over dry ice from my college laboratory.
Name: Marie Hodges
School: Montgomery Community College
Email: hodgesf2635@montgomery.edu
Bio: Hello all, My name is Marie Hodges, RN and I am excited to attend this years’ seminar in hopes of better preparing myself in my nursing education career. I am a single mother of a very active 8 year old boy. He plays just about every sport there is, from baseball, football, soccer and now basketball. I am the mother that you see on the side lines dressed for the occasion and cheering him on. We both enjoy outdoor activities and we are always looking for our next adventure. We enjoy anything from snow tubing, riding 4 wheelers, fishing, play on the beach, Disney trips, going to the zoo.
Name: Ebony Maynor
School: Guilford Technical Community College
Email: ekmaynor@gtcc.edu
Bio: My name is Ebony and I am originally from California. I met and married by husband in Okinawa, Japan 22 years ago. I am a mother to 4 beautiful daughters and grandma to a baby boy, a baby girl, and one on the way!! In my down time I like to read, spend time with my family, and take my grand dog for long walks. My favorite season is Winter, anything too much above 80 degrees and I’m looking for air conditioning. Some vacation goals of mine are to go on an Alaskan cruise and travel cross country in an RV. I do not have a favorite food or a favorite color, I think variety is the spice of life and enjoy trying all sorts of new things.
Name: Vonda R. Godette
School: Carteret Community College
Email: godettev@carteret.edu
Bio: Greetings everyone, my name is Vonda Godette. I’ve been in health care in some capacity for over 39 years, beginning with working in the kitchen at a local hospital, receiving my Diploma in Medical Assisting to receiving my Master in Nursing. My teaching in higher education began almost 18 years ago in the field of Medical Assisting. In March, I will be married for 30 years and I’m the proud mom of two adult children. Otherwise, I’m rather boring. During my downtime, I like to do color in my many adult coloring books, go for walks, listen to music, and cook. Oh, one more thing, I’m a die-hard Duke fan. I look forward to getting to know everyone
Name: Carrie Nance
School: Fayetteville Technical Community College
Email: nancec@faytechcc.edu
Bio: My name is Carrie Nance, and this is my life: My biggest role is “Mom”. I have three beautiful daughters, Everlee (11), Leighton (8) and Blaire (4). We have two dogs, Lucy (13) and Schuyler (2). Lastly, I have one son who I adore, my handsome boy Oliver (the Persian kitty, 3). I have been married to Tim for almost 16 years and we live in Bladen County, where we grew up. We love to travel and in the past year we have been to Disney World, the Outer Banks, white water rafting on the New River in WV, the beach, the Yogi Bear campground in Asheboro, the Great Wolf Lodge and to Winterplace, WV skiing. We are heading back to the Great Wolf Lodge at the beginning of March for Blaire’s 5th birthday and we are going back to Disney World in October. One of our very favorite places is Williamsburg, VA so I’m sure we will plan a trip there this summer or fall as well. FUN FACT: when we were young, my parents took us to Williamsburg every year. They would put a camper shell on the back of my dad’s truck, add a mattress, the luggage, and throw us back there for the 4.5 hour ride! My favorite book series is The Lord of the Rings but right now I’m reading On Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (I’m a Psychology Instructor). I also enjoy crossword puzzles (paper and pencil, NOT on my phone) and attempts at gardening and keeping flowers alive!
Name: Nell Gilbertson
School: Fayetteville Community College
Email: gilbertn@faytechcc.edu
Bio: Hi, my name is Nell Gilbertson and I have been teaching in higher education for 10 years. I am a Mom to Caroline, age 10. When I’m home we spend a lot of time at the barn taking care of Caroline’s horse, riding, or showing. I also like working in the yard, planting flowers, experimenting with a garden, and bird watching. I also enjoy reading, especially historical fiction.
Name: Wendy Grissom
School: Montgomery Community College
Email: grissomw5883@montgomery.edu
Bio: Hello, My name is Wendy Grissom. I am from Whispering Pines, NC, and I am married with two children and two fur babies. I love to spend time with my family and travel. In addition, I enjoy reading when I have time. Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons, for I enjoy sunshine and the beach.
Name: Jennifer Lee
School: Wake Technical Community College
Email: jalee9@waketech.edu
Bio: Greetings! I am Jennifer Lee, a native Chicagoan, who has called North Carolina home since 2008. After a successful 20+ year career in information technology, I transitioned to higher education in 2016. I spent several years working as an adjunct faculty member at various NCCCS institutions, while working full time as the Assistant Director of Technology at UNCW. I recently joined Wake Technical Community College in January as a full-time Instructor for the Web Technologies program. I live in Holden Beach with my husband, Kevin. We have three sons, who range in age from 31 to 14. Last February we also gained a daughter-in-law when our oldest married the love of his life. My family and I, pictured below at Holden Beach. When I am not working, I enjoy golfing, boating, and spending time with my family. My fun fact is I love true crime documentaries and podcasts.
Name: Hanna Smith
School: Alamance Community College
Email: hjsmith269@alamancecc.edu
Bio: I grew up in a small town in North Alabama called Lexington, which has a population of 700, and made the change to the big city in 2015 when I moved to Greensboro, NC for work. (Yes, the weather is actually very similar). I have a mixed-breed dog, Buster, who barks at all my neighbors and brings so much joy to my life, except for when he’s tearing up my blinds. I feel like I don’t have many hobbies, but I do love running and have run 2 marathons – one road and one trail. While training for the trail marathon, I fell even more in love with being in the woods and the solitude and peace that I get from being in a whole other world. When I’m not outside, I enjoy watching documentaries and comedies, cooking, and sleeping. Yes, I consider sleeping a hobby 🙂
Name: Felita Livingston
School: Sandhills Community College
Email: livingstonf@sandhills.edu
Bio: Hello Everyone! My name is Felita Livingston, and I have been teaching within Higher Education for over 14 years. I grew up in Southwest Virginia in a small rural town, and later moved to Charlotte, NC. I enjoy traveling, crafting, decorating, and gardening. In my free time, I enjoy traveling to different cities. I also love attending professional sporting events (NBA & NFL). Of course, my favorite football team– GO PANTHERS! I love to explore new places, things, and new food.
Name: Samantha Sheets
School: Montgomery Community College
Email: sheetss5281@montgomery.edu
Bio: My name is Samantha, and I am 28 years old. I moved to NC from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in October 2020 with my fiancé, Ryan, and my dog, Callie. I miss my family and friends, but the change of weather and beautiful scenery has been amazing! I am currently planning my upcoming wedding that will be in Charlotte this April! In addition to doing that, in my free time, I love spending time with my fiancé’s family and I enjoy being outdoors- running, biking, and hiking- or just sitting on my patio, drinking a glass of wine and enjoying the sunshine that I was deprived of for most of my life! A major personal accomplishment for myself is that in the last few years, I have ran four half marathons and two full marathons! My dog, Callie, is my other obsession- if you get to know me, you would hear countless stories and see pictures every day of her.
