Each Child. Every Community.

Board Member

Russell Altenburg leads education grantmaking and related impact investment efforts at The Leon Levine Foundation, a $2BN+ private foundation supporting nonprofits in the Carolinas. He has focused his time and energy on education work since 2005, a journey that has included co-founding three nonprofits, working in developing countries, and supporting ecosystem partners via philanthropy at The Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation and New Schools Venture Fund. He started his career at JPMorgan and holds a BSc in Economics from Duke and an MBA from UCLA.

Board Member

Kevin Austin is Vice President and Manufacturing Manager of Austin Electrical Enclosures, a family-founded manufacturing company established in 1964. A graduate of North Carolina State University with a BS in Engineering Operations, he has led all aspects of manufacturing operations, including serving eight years as CFO and Controller. Kevin served on the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners from 2008 to 2024, including 14 years as Chairman, and was President of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners from 2018 to 2020. During his presidency, he launched the Pathways Initiative, a statewide effort to address disconnected youth by identifying and scaling effective local practices across all 100 counties. A longtime advocate for education and workforce development, Kevin has championed early college, advanced manufacturing, and career awareness programs. He continues to serve on state and regional boards, including the North Carolina Leadership Forum Steering Committee.

Board Member, Pastor

Reverend Reneè Bennett Bethea, serves in the Piedmont Episcopal District as the Pastor of Pleasant Hill A.M.E. Zion Church in Rockingham N.C. She pastored churches in Concord, Lincolnton, Rockingham, and Greensboro Districts; served on the Finance Committee for Concord, Lincolnton, and Rockingham Districts and she served as the Secretary of the Rockingham District Conference. She was elected to two terms on the South Carolina Education Association Board of Directors and served as the State’s Budget Chair in the mid-90’s. Presently she works as a Mental Health Specialist for Hoke County Schools and has worked as an Adjunct Professor for Gardner Webb University’s Psychology Department.

She has a BS in Business Administration from Gardner Webb University and was selected as one of Gardner-Webb’s Distinguished Alumni in 2003 for her work with children. She has a master’s in counseling from Webster University and attended Hood Theological Seminary. She did her graduate internship as a chaplain at Womack Army Medical Center and is presently a volunteer Chaplain for First Health Hospital. She is a member of the World Methodist Order of The Flame and the NC State Resilience Community Advisory Group.

She is married to James Bethea. They have two children and some amazing grandchildren.

Chair, State President for NC,
Vice Chair for Wealth Management in NC, Bank of America,

Charles Bowman is the Bank of America President for North Carolina. Also, he serves as the Vice Chair of Wealth Management in North Carolina. A native North Carolinian, Charles grew up in Thomasville, N.C., and was graduated from UNC – Chapel Hill where he was a Morehead Scholar. He holds a J.D. degree from UNC School of Law and a M.A. in Public Policy from Duke University. After practicing law in Charlotte, Charles joined Bank of America in 1996. He and wife, Mary, reside in Charlotte and have two adult sons, John and Peter.

Owner, Little Believer’s Academy

Mrs. Cassandra Brooks is the owner and operator of Little Believer’s Academy Inc. (LBA). She operates two five star childcare centers dedicated to quality childcare.   Mrs. Brooks is married with four children including a set of twins! She is a member of Upper Room Church of God in Christ and helps in many areas. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and serves the community through various volunteer opportunities. She currently serves on the advisory committee for Wake County Smart Start. She currently serves on the board for the Partnership for Children of Johnston County. She is also an Inaugural Member Mentor for the NCAEYC. She currently serves on the board for the North Carolina Partnership for Children. In the past she served in management at International Business Machines (IBM).   Mrs. Brooks has M.Ed. from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She also holds a B.S. in Business Management from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

Director Division of Child and Family Well-Being NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)

DESIGNEE

Yvonne Copeland is the first Director for the newly established Division of Child and Family Well-Being (DCFW) within NCDHHS which brings together health, behavioral health, early development, and social programs that support children and families using a whole-person approach. Yvonne provides strategic direction and oversight for 1000+ employees in the operation of programs within DCFW’s portfolio including Whole Child Health, Early Intervention, Community Nutrition Services, and Food and Nutrition Services.

Yvonne has over 30 years of strategy, policy, operations, and change management experience in public-sector health and human services. She is a graduate of Meredith College with a Master of Business Administration from Meredith College and Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in Statistical Research Methods/Sociology.

Board Member

Pastor Tembila Christine Covington is a faith-led leader and community builder dedicated to strengthening families and supporting local solutions that make a lasting difference. She currently serves as Director of Community Engagement & Impact at Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods (NBN), where she has helped grow grassroots initiatives focused on housing, family health, early learning, and neighborhood development—securing millions in resources to expand their reach and impact. As Board Chair of Smart Start of Forsyth County, Pastor Covington played a key role in supporting one of the largest investments in early childhood through ARPA funds—helping stabilize and expand child care services for working families. In 2024, she was appointed to the NC Partnership for Children Board of Directors by Senator Phil Berger and also serves on multiple community and regional boards, including MUSE Winston-Salem, SG Atkins CDC, and Trellis Supportive Care.     Her academic journey—earning a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Shaw University and an M.S. in Agricultural Education from NC A&T—reflects a commitment to values-based leadership and practical, people-focused solutions. She is the founding leader of The Little Village Circle LLC and brings a grounded, relational, and action-oriented approach to every space she enters. Above all, she is a devoted mother and trusted pastor committed to building strong futures.

Executive Vice President, Corporate & Government Relations, at Vista Strategies

As one of the state’s most sought after political consultants and prodigious fundraisers, Madison has built one of the most prestigious political client lists in North Carolina over the past 10 years, including state legislative leaders, legislative and party caucuses, federal and statewide office holders. She has complemented this deep rolodex by her recent work in economic development, including both high-end hospitality and a university research park. Madison graduated from North Carolina State University. She resides with her husband, Marc, and their twins, Parker & Brooks, in Greenville, NC..

President, Capability Company Consulting

Sherry Heuser is President of Capability Company Consulting, supporting and guiding nonprofit organizations, including multiple Smart Start Local Partnerships, through their searches for key staff. Prior to consulting, Sherry worked with nonprofit services and funding organizations in Virginia and North Carolina. She has held program leadership positions, responsible for managing administration, statewide grants, local service provider relations, and direct services. In addition to her professional roles, Sherry has served on the Boards of Directors of Wake County Smart Start, Raleigh Professional Women’s Forum, Marbles Kids Museum, Playspace Children’s Museum, and Youth Empowered Solutions in Raleigh, among others, and the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Symphony. Over the past 20+ years, Sherry has been part of the Smart Start network and dedicated to its mission: as staff at NCPC, and as committee member, Board member and consultant with Local Partnerships.

Sherry holds an undergraduate degree in Counseling from Old Dominion University, a graduate degree in Counseling from George Mason University, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. She lives in Raleigh with her family.

Superintendent, Chatham County Schools

Anthony D. Jackson, Ed.D, Superintendent of the Chatham County School System in Pittsboro, NC, serves at the helm of 18 schools educating nearly 9,000 students, with 1,200 employees. Prior to joining the Chatham County School System, Dr. Jackson served as the superintendent of Vance County Schools, where he led initiatives that increased the graduation rate, decreased the dropout rate, reduced long-term suspensions and implemented that school system’s first one-to-one digital learning initiative. He has also served as superintendent for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools and 3 years as division Superintendent of the Henry County Public School System located in Collinsville, Virginia. Dr. Jackson has a Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University, a master’s degree N. C. Central University and a doctorate degree in education from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Board Member

Betty Crow Kennedy is a native of Cleveland County, North Carolina. She is a graduate of Shelby High School, Carson-Newman University, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is privileged to make Shelby her “adulthood” home, pursue her career there, and raise her four children. Ms Kennedy’s career in early childhood includes directing a large church-based child development center, directing her local Child Care Resource and Referral agency, and serving as a Regional Programs Manager with the NC CCR&R Council. This career has spanned over 30 years. In her retirement, she has served as Interim Director for our local CCR&R. During this 30+ years, she has been closely involved with the Cleveland County Partnership for Children, early on as an employee and later as a board member. She currently serves on the local Partnership Board and recently chaired the Search Committee that hired the current Executive Director in 2021.

“The evolution of the early childhood system in our state over the past 30 years is nothing less than mind blowing. I am honored to have the opportunity to participate in the work of the North Carolina Partnership for Children as this great work continues to evolve and thrive.”

Board Member

Dr. Langdon, a Harnett County native, graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Math way back when it was a new idea. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from NC State University, where she was a Caldwell scholar. She graduated with her M.D. from Duke University School of Medicine and completed her pediatrics residency training at the University of Virginia. She then returned to rural NC to practice. She has served as the Chapter Breastfeeding Coordinator for the NC Pediatric Society, served on the Policy Committee, and is now on the Leadership Team and the Workforce Issues committee. She has been actively involved in advocacy for child health for many years. In August of 2022, she became the Clinical Chair of Pediatrics at the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine and in March 2025 she was named the Director of the CU Health Center. She also currently serves as the vice-chair of the Harnett County Board of Health and serves on the Harnett Health Foundation. Dr. Langdon is a medical liaison with the NC DHHS on a Human Donor Milk Program Initiative and serves on the Opioid Task Force. Two of her six adult children were adopted from foster care, and she has a heart for the children in the foster care system. She has many passions including mental health and medication management for ADHD, anxiety, and depression in children and adolescents. She tries to be a loud voice to educate the public that vaccines are both extremely safe and extraordinarily effective. Concerned by the amount of misinformation on social media, she developed a YouTube channel and now is on multiple platforms. When the American Academy of Pediatrics told pediatricians to tell their stories, she did just that and wrote a book titled Doctors Work in Air Conditioning, an intimate look at Southern culture and the challenges of rural medicine. She married her high school sweetheart, Mark, when she was only 19 and they live happily on his family’s farm with the cows, donkeys, horses, sheep, chickens, dogs and cats.

Board Member

After 37 years in education, Rebekah semi-retired in July to launch NorthState Education Group. She has served as a business owner, public and Christian education classroom teacher, Upper School principal, Associate Head of School and most recently, Interim Head of School for SouthLake Christian Academy. Rebekah founded the Academic Development Center at SouthLake Christian, which serves the needs of students with diagnosed learning issues. She graduated from Appalachian State University, Lenoir-Rhyne University, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education/Harvard Business School post-graduate certificate program for professionals. She earned a Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Rebekah is married to Andy Leonard and has two sons, Charlie and Ben. She enjoys all sports, especially Appalachian State football, and is a huge dog lover.

Board Member

For nearly 40 years, Page Ives Lemel has been the fourth-generation Owner and Executive Director of Keystone Camp for Girls. An Angier B. Duke Scholar, Page received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from Duke University where she also served as a Young Trustee on the Board of Trustees. Page has a long history of serving the youth populations at both the local and state levels. Her interest in early childhood began during her service as a Transylvania County Commissioner. She has served on the leadership teams of the North Carolina Youth Camp Association, the Transylvania County Schools Educational Foundation, and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ Health and Human Services Steering Committee. In 2017, she was a member of the Institute for Emerging Issues Blue Ribbon Commission on Funding Early Childhood Education. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Transylvania Early Childhood Initiative (GetSet). The organization’s work led to its selection in 2018 as the first rural county in the United States to be chosen for partnership with Sesame Street in Communities. As a result, GetSet received the National Association of Counties Achievement Award for Best Early Childhood Program in the Nation in 2019. Page also serves on the Board of Directors for VAYA Health LME/MCO and is Chair of the Transylvania County Social Services Board. She and her husband Mark have three adult children.

Board Member

Dr. Shivani Mehta, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a general academic pediatrician at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Myers Park Pediatrics in Charlotte and Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where she practices in a safety‑net community clinic and teaches residents and medical students. She holds a B.S. from University of South Florida, M.D. from University of Michigan Medical School, MPH from Harvard School of Public Health, and completed pediatric residency at Carolinas Medical Center.  She serves as Physician Champion for Atrium Health’s Charlotte Medical‑Legal Partnership, Reach Out and Read Physician Champion, and Physician Champion for Community Child Health and Advocacy, bridging care through transformative relationships across healthcare, education, and community organizations. She has led and partnered in initiatives addressing early relational health, ACEs, healthy weight, and addressing social drivers of health. Her work is grounded in the belief that all children are our children and deserve the opportunity to thrive.  Dr. Mehta serves on the boards of Smart Start of Mecklenburg County and Communities In Schools–Charlotte and is a member of the Carolinas Collaborative. She previously served on the Board of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society and continues to serve on its Child Health Committee.  She and her husband are proud parents of two children, and she enjoys family time, nature, all things dance, trying new vegetarian recipes, and traveling. 

Board Member

Aaron Merchen leads the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Care Economy portfolio, directing efforts to educate policy makers, state and local chambers and child care advocates on business’ role in early education to promote investments in the workforce of today and tomorrow. Merchen holds degrees from South Dakota State University and the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. He lives with his wife and two sons in Charlotte, NC.

Board Member

DESIGNEE

Mary Olvera, PhD, works with the North Carolina Community College System Office as a Career and Technical Coordinator. She was the Lead Instructor in the Early Childhood Program at Surry Community College for 12 years and has served in the early childhood field for more than 20 years in different capacities including teaching and serving on boards and committees. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Lees-McRae College, a Master’s in Teaching Birth thru Kindergarten Education from Salem College, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Keiser University. She joined the board of NCPC in 2020.

Pediatrician, MedNorth Health Center

Dr. Khadijia Tribie Reid is a mother, wife, pediatrician and child health advocate. She is the Pediatric Medical Director of MedNorth Community Health Center. At MedNorth, she built a primary care home that welcomes all southeastern North Carolina children – insured and uninsured. She is also a proud architect of the Center’s Intellectual and Developmental Delay (IDD) Program. Dr. Tribie Reid’s investment in families impacted by IDD extends well beyond her clinical practice. She is the Co-Principal Investigator of the Black Families and Physicians Accessing Services Together (BFAST) study. This NIH Funded study aims to decrease disparities in autism diagnosis which disproportionately adversely impacts African American families.

Dr. Tribie Reid is an advocate for early childhood education. She is the North Carolina Medical Director of Reach Out and Read. She is also the previous Board Chair of Smart Start of New Hanover County and she is delighted to currently serve as the governor’s appointee on the Board of the North Carolina Partnership for Children.

Dr. Tribie Reid aims to create systems that facilitate healthy child growth and development in her community and beyond. She currently serves on the board of the New Hanover Community Endowment. She is the immediate past chair of Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Department of Pediatrics. She also serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Expert Leadership Team on Trauma Informed Care.

Dr. Tribie Reid’s greatest joy is spending time with her family. Simple moments like dinner together, car dancing, and movie night fill her bucket and give her the energy to keep making good trouble.

Executive Director, Impact Health

A long-time WNC resident, Laurie Stradley, brings nearly 20 years of leadership experience in community health and early intervention healthcare. Prior to her role as Impact Health’s executive director, Laurie served as the chief strategy and program officer of the national nonprofit Alliance for a Healthier Generation. She was the executive lead for Healthier Generation’s single strategy to convene and equip health, school, and community champions with an array of tools and resources that prepare them to equitably transform environments surrounding young people and their families. Laurie earned a doctorate of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill. The focus of her dissertation was the intersection of social drivers of health and the work of local public health agencies in North Carolina. She has a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary. Laurie lives in Asheville with her husband Matt, children Millie and Sam and their two rescue pups Daisy and Astra. When she finds a moment of free time, you can find her hiking, reading historical fiction or watching a good action flick.

Board Member

Dan Tetreault serves as the Assistant Director of Early Learning within the Office of Early Learning at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. He started his career in early education as a kindergarten teacher in Haywood County, North Carolina. He began with the Department in 2006 as a state-funded prekindergarten program and policy consultant and has since served in several roles supporting state-wide preschool through grade 3 initiatives. He has been with the Department for 19 years. Dan also serves on the Board of Directors for a private non-profit child care center, the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute External Advisory Board, and previously in different capacities on the NCAEYC Board of Directors.

CEO, Skill Creations, Inc.

Laurie Urland is the CEO for Skill Creations, Inc. a non-profit North Carolina based organization that serves children and adults with developmental disabilities. She began her career as a Habilitation Coordinator with the organization in 1990. Laurie currently serves on the Board of the Developmental Disabilities Facilities Association (DDFA) and Rubicon Inc. She is an active member of the Goldsboro Rotary Club and is also very involved with her church. Laurie holds a B.A. degree in Psychology as well as an M.A. degree in Organizational Management. Laurie and her husband Doug reside in Goldsboro and have two adult sons living in Charlotte and Raleigh.

Board Member

Ereka R. Williams, PhD, brings over 25 years of teaching, scholarship and leadership to the NCPC Board. As Vice President of Education at Dogwood Health Trust Foundation in Asheville, she leads Dogwood’s Education portfolio, ensuring strategic investments and partnerships are relevant, responsive, and equitable. She aims to leverage resources and build collaborations that accelerate educational opportunity, especially for those generationally underserved. As an administrator in the UNC system, she served as Associate Provost for Academic Strategy and Institutional Effectiveness among other leadership roles for years. Her academic leadership portfolio focused on resource restructuring, realigning curricula, building teacher residency models, and initiating regional, national partnerships aimed at strengthening quality assurance systems for degree programs and institutions As tenured faculty, Dr. Williams’ engagement and leadership with public schools, community leaders and colleagues resulted in millions of dollars in federal funding aimed at leveraging equitable outcomes for rural communities and districts in NC. Her passions led to Outstanding Teacher of the Year as well as Interdisciplinary Research Team Award honors. She’s served as coach, researcher, board member and reviewer for rural and urban schools and organizations across the US. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Division Director
Division of Child Development and Early Education,
NC Department of Health and Human Services

Candace Witherspoon is the current Director for the Division of Child Development and Early Education. She has been with the Division since December of 2023. Candace comes to the Division from the Wake County Public School System where she most recently served as a Senior Director for Policy and Compliance in Special Education Services supporting children, families, and schools for the district, Prek-12. Candace holds Masters Degrees in Education for Curriculum and Instruction and Special Education. She has had a lengthy and distinguished career in special education spanning almost 20 years, including working with pre-k programs within public schools, early intervention for students of all ages and abilities, and a significant amount of experience working with parents, administrators, and teachers. She has worn several hats over her career including teacher assistant, teacher, school-level leader, district-level leader, mentor, and coach. Seeing first hand the impact and importance of quality early intervention and instruction for a child’s future learning and success, Candace is thrilled to join us in our journey to ensure children and families have access to quality early education learning experiences, and those running and supporting these programs have the resources necessary to make that happen.

Board Member

Paula Yost is a graduate of Virginia Tech with her B.S. in Microbiology, minor in Chemistry and B.A. in English. She earned her JD at Widener University School of Law (now Delaware Law School), and received her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health from Lenoir-Rhyne University.. Paula owns three businesses: her law firm, The Law Office of Paula J. Yost, PLLC, Yost Counseling, PLLC, and Miriam’s Flower Farm. Paula has served as the chair of the Cabarrus County Child Protection and Fatality Team (CPFT) for more than a decade. She is also a member of the Virginia Tech Distinguished Alumni Board. In 2019, the Cabarrus County Partnership for Children presented its annual Anne Laukaitis Champion for Children Award to Paula for her passion for helping children in our community. She was also recognized in 2024 with the Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award, a state-level recognition by NC Smart Start, for her exceptional leadership that has resulted in bettering the lives of young children and families in our state. A true child advocate with a deep understanding of human development, Paula is the mother of three boys and a legally adopted daughter. She wants all North Carolina’s children to thrive.