2024 Administrators of Color Conference

Junious 'Jay' Ward is a poet and teaching artist from Charlotte, NC. He is a National Slam champion (2018), an Individual World Poetry Slam champion (2019), author of Sing Me A Lesser Wound (Bull City Press 2020) and Composition (Button Poetry 2023). Jay currently serves as Charlotte's inaugural Poet Laureate and is a 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. Ward has attended Breadloaf Writers Conference, Callaloo, The Watering Hole and Tin House Winter Workshop. His work can be found in Columbia Journal, Four Way Review, DIAGRAM, Diode Poetry Journal and elsewhere

A product of Ravenswood and Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York, Todd Craig is a writer, educator and DJ whose career meshes his love of writing, teaching and music. His research inhabits the intersection of writing and rhetoric, sound studies and Hip Hop studies. He is the author of “K for the Way”: DJ Rhetoric and Literacy for 21st Century Writing Studies (Utah State University Press) which examines the Hip Hop DJ as twenty-first century new media reader, writer, and creator of the discursive elements of DJ rhetoric and literacy. Craig’s publications include the multimodal novel tor’cha (pronounced “torture”), and essays in various edited collections and scholarly journals including The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hip Hop Pedagogy, Amplifying Soundwriting, Methods and Methodologies for Research in Digital Writing and Rhetoric, Fiction International, Radical Teacher, Modern Language Studies, Changing English, Kairos, Composition Studies and Sounding Out! Dr. Craig earned his doctorate in English from St. John’s University, and holds an Ed.M. in Education (with a concentration in Learning and Teaching) from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. in Sociology from Williams College. He started his educational journey at St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island as an ABC scholar (A Better Chance).  Dr. Craig teaches courses on writing, rhetoric, African American and Hip Hop Studies, and is the co-host of the podcast “Stuck of the Realness” with multi-platinum recording artist Havoc of Mobb Deep. Presently, Craig is an Associate Professor of African American Studies at New York City College of Technology and English at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Dr. Diya Abdo is the Lincoln Financial Professor of English at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. A second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan, Dr. Abdo’s teaching, research, and scholarship focus on Arab women writers, Arab and Islamic feminisms, and refugee studies. Her book AMERICAN REFUGE: True Stories of the Refugee Experience was selected as a North Carolina Reads 2024 Book. In 2015, Dr. Abdo founded Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), which advocates for housing refugee families on college and university campus grounds and supporting them in their resettlement. The flagship chapter at Guilford College, now one of several ECAR campuses, has hosted nearly 90 refugees thus far. Dr. Abdo is the recipient of several awards including an Emerson Collective Fellowship ?(2024) and the J.M. Kaplan Fund’s Innovation Prize (2021); she sits on the Advisory Board of the Community Sponsorship Hub.

Imana Sherrill was appointed Head of School at Trinity Episcopal School in July 2022. Mrs. Sherrill is Trinity’s third Head of School and the first female of color to serve as a Head of School in the Charlotte area. Mrs. Sherrill’s career began as a teacher in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. She also spent 15 years at Charlotte Country Day School as Educational Technology Director and Diversity Coordinator. Mrs. Sherrill  joined Trinity from The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA, where she was Head of Middle School. In that role since 2017, prior to The Episcopal Academy, Mrs. Sherrill was Director of Diversity & Inclusion at William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia. She taught at Chantilly Visual and Performing Arts School (now Chantilly Montessori School) in Charlotte, and then in public and independent schools in Los Angeles and San Fernando, CA. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from UNC Charlotte in 1994, and her Master of Education from Pepperdine University in 1997.  As a trailblazer in her own right, Sherrill is a courageous school leader adept at both strategic work and the day-to-day operations of school life.  She is a life-long learner, serving on various local and national boards, she is a committed advocate for diversity and inclusion, and passionate about creating inclusive learning environments where all students thrive.

Stephen Bell is a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe and the American Indian Education Coordinator in Guilford County Schools. Following in the footsteps of his grandparents (Mr Buddy and Mrs Sarah Bell), parents (Ronny and Natalie Bell), aunts and cousins, Stephen began his work in education as a middle school teacher and later a school social worker. For over a decade, he has worked in various school districts, providing counseling for students, as well as training and collaborating with educators and community members to better serve our young people. In his current role as the American Indian Education Coordinator, he works to create pathways of opportunities and spaces of healing and support for Native youth and young people. To expand his reach, he also serves on the Board of Directors for Guilford Native American Assoc, a Council member for the State Advisory Council on Indian Education (SACIE) and is one of 17 educators to be a part of the inaugural America 250 NC Freedom Educator Fellowship.

Dr. Gerrelyn Patterson holds a B.A. in English Literature from North Carolina Central University,  an M.Ed. in English Education from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. from the University of  North Carolina at Chapel Hill. With over 20 years of experience in P-12 and higher education, Dr.  Patterson has served as a literature and composition instructor and a teacher educator. Her  extensive career has informed her research on the historical contexts of teaching and learning  for African-American students, particularly in the realm of school desegregation in North  Carolina.  

Dr. Patterson’s research is deeply rooted in the exploration of service learning as a pedagogical  tool to engage diverse learners and enhance the preparation of future educators. She focuses  on how service-learning experiences equip pre-service teachers with essential skills in  leadership, advocacy, and civic engagement—areas often underrepresented in traditional  educator preparation programs. Her work also highlights the significant role of historically black  colleges and universities (HBCUs) as pioneering models of service learning, illustrating their  continued relevance in shaping culturally responsive educators.  

Currently, Dr. Patterson is an Associate Professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical  State University, the largest HBCU in the nation, where she serves as the Chair of the  Department of Educator Preparation in the College of Education.

Monica earned a B.A. in Spanish at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and a Master of Arts in Spanish from Middlebury College. She began her teaching career at Near North Montessori School in Chicago before moving to Morgan Park Academy, where she held positions as Dean of Academics, Director of Global Studies, Assistant Upper School Principal, Director of Academic Summer Institute, World Language Department Chair, and Upper School Spanish teacher during her eight year tenure with the school.  Prior to coming to MSR, Monica was the Director of the Upper School at Latin School of Chicago where she oversaw a division of 80 faculty members and 475 students grades 9 -12.

In addition to her work at MSR, Monica is a board member of Chicago Montessori School and West Suburban Montessori School and has served on the ISACS Accreditation Team. She is affiliated with Sigma Delta Pi Collegiate National Spanish Honor Society, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and Association Montessori International.

Justin Brandon is the Head of School at George School in Newtown, PA. Prior to becoming the head of the all-gender, Quaker boarding and day school of 540 students in grades 9-12, Justin was the Associate Head of School at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, NC. At Ravenscroft he was responsible for overseeing the pre-K to 12 academic program, Global Education Program, new employee orientation and mentor program, as well as the coordination of the Lead From Here social emotional learning program. 

Born in Boston and raised in the South, Brian Li graduated from Wake Forest University in 2003 with a double major in mathematics and anthropology. Following his passion for education, Brian embarked on his teaching journey in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he taught at a local high school before joining the esteemed Providence Day School community in 2004.  At Providence Day School, Brian has dedicated himself to teaching mathematics and finance, blending his academic background with his commitment to empowering students with essential life skills. Beyond the classroom, Brian is deeply engaged in fostering financial literacy among fellow educators, people of color, marginalized groups, and other financially underserved communities. With a fervent passion for closing the racial and teacher wealth gap, Brian strives to ensure equitable access to financial education and resources for all.  Brian's advocacy for financial literacy has led him to various platforms and stages, where he shares his insights and expertise. He has been a featured speaker at prominent events such as the NAIS People of Color Conference, the NYSAIS Diversity Practitioners Conference, and the Strategenius EmpowerED Workshop Series. Additionally, Brian has contributed to local initiatives in Charlotte, including engagements with Charlotte is Creative, Common Wealth Charlotte, Do Greater Charlotte, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP branch.  His efforts to promote financial literacy and educational equity have garnered recognition, including prestigious awards such as Teacher of the Year and the Endowed Chair of Teaching Excellence at Providence Day School. Brian has also been honored as a Charlotte Ledger 40 Over Forty recipient and recognized as a Top 16 Charlotte Observer Education Superhero.  When he's not working with students or advocating for financial literacy, Brian enjoys indulging in his hobbies, which include reading, weightlifting, and most importantly, spending quality time with his family. https://www.blifinancecoach.com/ 

Denise Acosta Musselwhite, founder of Tech & Thrive, is a trailblazer among Latina women in technology leadership. As one of the rare Latinas globally to have served as both a Chief Information Officer (CIO) and a Board Chair, Denise represents a distinct 5% of professionals. Her profound impact spans K-20 education, legal, technology, and nonprofit sectors. Denise developed the innovative T.H.R.I.V.E. Operating System™ to deliver personalized development programs through tailored consulting and coaching, driving significant growth and retention. A notable contributor to the Leadership Principles for Independent School Technologists and a collaborator with over a dozen Nobel Peace Laureates through PeaceJam, her work exemplifies her dedication to transformative leadership in diverse environments.

Dr. Alisa R. McLean is a 30+ year educator (all levels- elementary- university).  I have been a teacher, coach, asst. principal, principal, assistant superintendent, Superintendent, transformation coach for NCDPI and now, a mentor for sitting Superintendents and a coach for new Asst. Principals.  My favorite jobs are being Pastor Frankie’s wife- together, we lead Apex First Baptist Church, Apex, NC.  Her joy is being Imari’s mom, Kier’s mother-in-love and Ami’s, GiGi.  Dr. McLean feels blessed to have accomplished all she has both personally and professionally.  She believes…. “To whom much is given, much is required” and “If I Can Help Somebody, Then My Living Shall Not Be In Vain”.  So, she gives 200% in all she does and encourages administrators to do the same because if they fall a little short, one will still operate in the realms of excellence and service.  Both serve administrators and their schools exceptionally well.

Dr. Whitney N. McCoy, a native of High Point, NC, is a Research Scientist focusing on Equity and Inclusion for the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University. Prior to her role at Duke, she was a postdoctoral researcher associate in STEM education at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. Whitney earned her Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Learning Sciences with a concentration in Educational Psychology from North Carolina State University. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Winston-Salem State University. McCoy’s research explores identity development for Black girls in educational settings. Her dissertation, Black Girls Accepting the Grand Challenge: A Qualitative Exploration of a Summer Engineering Program’s Influence on Black Girls’ Racial Identity, Engineering Identity, and STEM Self-Efficacy was awarded Outstanding Dissertation of the Year in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences at North Carolina State University. As a fully funded doctoral student, she was a Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholar and a recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. McCoy also taught for 6 years in K-6 classrooms in Mecklenburg and Guilford County. Engaging in community efforts among Black children and families brings Dr. McCoy pure joy as she hopes to cultivate communal wealth and knowledge in the environments that supported her as a young girl.