Deb is a licensed school principal with over 30 years in administration, classroom teaching, designing & leading professional development, and being a coach & consultant for teachers and school districts. She has a Masters Degree from Syracuse University and is a National Board Certified English and Theatre teacher. Deborah is trained in the New Tech model of project-based learning and served as lead facilitator for the iLead 21 student leadership development program, contributing as a consultant and piloting the national model for Edwards Educational Services, Inc. Her specialties include Digital Learning, Project Based Learning, Professional Development, Personalized Learning, Speech & Debate, and student journalism. She has coached debate teams, mock trial teams, and drama performances to championships at the local, regional, state, and even national levels. She is a frequent presenter at county, state, and national conferences on topics such as teacher advocacy, student leadership in the classroom, and using social grouping to encourage closer textual readings. Her projects and writings have been published on national formats including DailyKos and Huffington Post, and she is a co-author of the textbook, Applying the Flipped Classroom Model to English Language Arts Education. She was twice named a North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Scholar in Residence, and In 2017 she was honored to be the North Carolina State Charter School Teacher of the Year. Deborah has served on the Governor's Teacher Advisory Committee since 2018, and in 2020, she took on a new role with the state-level Leandro Principal's commission, charged with finding ways to support school leaders in making sure every child in the state receives their Constitutional right to a sound, basic education. In 2023 she was appointed by the State Superintendent of Education to represent public charter schools on the Superintendent's Principal Advisory Committee. She has been married for 36 years to her high school sweetheart and has two grown children, and when not at school you'll find her with a cup of tea and a good book or playing with her newest litter of foster kittens.
Degrees Held:
- Masters in English Education | Syracuse University, summa cum laude
- Post Masters Certification in Administration
Licenses and Certifications:
- School Administration
- English Language Arts 9-12
- English Language Arts 6-9
- Speech Communications k-12
- Theater Education k-12
