June Atkinson, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction
June St. Clair Atkinson has served as the North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction since August 2005. As State Superintendent, Dr. Atkinson heads the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, an agency which she served for nearly 30 years as a chief consultant and director in the areas of business education, career and technical education and instructional services. As a former business education teacher, Dr. Atkinson has been involved in instruction and curriculum development throughout her career.
Loren Baron, International Baccalaureate Diploma Coordinator, Millbrook High School
Originally from Clemson, SC, Loren Baron earned a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from Brandeis University in 1991. After a year living in Beijing, China, teaching English to Chinese graduate students, Mr. Baron returned to school and earned a MEd. in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University. Before coming to Millbrook, he taught for 15 years in two IB Diploma Programmes in Maryland and North Carolina. He is also an IB Workshop Leader, training teachers in Economics and Theory of Knowledge. His primary responsibilities at Millbrook are:
- Coordination of the IB Diploma Programme
- IB Community Outreach
- Millbrook Magnet Program recruitment
- Faculty and student IB education and enrichment
Scott Beaudry, MS, Education Testing/Accountability Consultant II North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
With nine years of professional experience, including nearly six years in the public education sector, Scott Beaudry serves as an Education Testing/Accountability Consultant II for the Division of Accountability Services at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI). In this role, Scott is assisting in developing the "READY" Accountability Model, which will ensure a more accurate picture of how well students are learning and where we must make improvements. He also develops Title III accountability reports and performs ad hoc data analysis. During the "Celebrating and Sustaining United States/China Education Initiatives" program, he will present information on global benchmarks for assessments focused on reading, math and science.
Prior to joining DPI, Scott served as a Senior Data Analyst at Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the United States, where he analyzed and reported on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion and college readiness, enrollment, and retention metrics. He also worked at the American Osteopathic Association as a Manager of Trainee Services.
Scott earned his Master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., and Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Scott currently resides in Durham, N.C.
Prior to joining DPI, Scott served as a Senior Data Analyst at Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the United States, where he analyzed and reported on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion and college readiness, enrollment, and retention metrics. He also worked at the American Osteopathic Association as a Manager of Trainee Services.
Scott earned his Master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., and Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Scott currently resides in Durham, N.C.
Neil Bolick, Associate Director, World View
Neil is World View’s Associate Director. He has primary responsibility for strengthening support to community colleges. Neil has a B.A. in English from UNC at Chapel Hill and holds a Ph.D. in Chinese Language and Literature from Indiana University. He has taught English language and literature in Taiwan, Chinese literature in the US, and ran a consulting firm for international business. He lived in Taiwan and China for five years as a student, teacher, and Fulbright scholar. As an international business consultant he traveled regularly to Asia, South America, and Europe.
Anita Brown-Graham, Director, Institute for Emerging Issues
Anita Brown-Graham joined the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) as director in January 2007. As director, Anita leads IEI’s programs of work around public policy initiatives that include healthcare, economic development, tax and finance modernization, energy and the environment, and higher education. Before joining IEI, she served as a Professor of Law and Government at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill's School of Government where for 12 years she provided significant training for state and local officials, and wrote books and articles focused on developing the economic base of distressed communities. Prior to that, she served as a law clerk in the eastern district of California and as business litigation counsel in a Sacramento, California law firm. She led the IEI work on Generation Z for the highly successful 2012 Emerging Issues Forum
Michael Chen, Founder and CEO, New Mind Education
Michael Chen is the Founder and CEO of New Mind Education, a world pioneer in cultural competence training, with the mission of inspiring and cultivating global talent. Through a set of carefully tailored program and services, New Mind enables international students to make smooth and complete transition into their new academic environments by improving their communication competence, academic skills and global cultural understanding.
Before New Mind, Chen was COO of Lulu.com, the world leading online publishing platform. Prior to Lulu, Chen was VP of Global Market Development, and VP of Corporate Marketing at Red Hat. Additionally, he was previously the General Manager of Red Hat China, where he led successful market entry and operations in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Chen began his career at Red Hat in 2003 as an intern in Business Development.
Previously, Chen held several senior sales and marketing management positions in companies in China and Hong Kong, facilitating billion dollar sales and winning significant projects.
Chen holds an MBA from The University at North Carolina, a Masters degree in Computer Networking Engineering from North Carolina State University, and a Bachelors degree from Nanjing University.
In the community, Chen is a member of Governor’s China Advisory Council. He also serves as a Strategic Advisory Board Member for the Computer Science Department at NC State University, and an independent board member at International Affairs Council of North Carolina.
Before New Mind, Chen was COO of Lulu.com, the world leading online publishing platform. Prior to Lulu, Chen was VP of Global Market Development, and VP of Corporate Marketing at Red Hat. Additionally, he was previously the General Manager of Red Hat China, where he led successful market entry and operations in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Chen began his career at Red Hat in 2003 as an intern in Business Development.
Previously, Chen held several senior sales and marketing management positions in companies in China and Hong Kong, facilitating billion dollar sales and winning significant projects.
Chen holds an MBA from The University at North Carolina, a Masters degree in Computer Networking Engineering from North Carolina State University, and a Bachelors degree from Nanjing University.
In the community, Chen is a member of Governor’s China Advisory Council. He also serves as a Strategic Advisory Board Member for the Computer Science Department at NC State University, and an independent board member at International Affairs Council of North Carolina.
Jerry Cook, Vice President, Hanesbrands
Jerry Cook is vice president of Government and Trade Relations for Hanesbrands Inc. Cook joined Hanesbrands Inc. in 1987 and managed various engineering functions and strategic planning roles. In his current strategic role as VP of Government and Trade Relations, Cook overseas the various trade, government, global connectivity and DHS/Customs programs. Cook is the Hanesbrands customs account manager and oversees the Hanesbrands CTPAT program. He is a Board member to key trade and business groups and key economic groups including the US-ASEAN Council, NCTO, and local chamber of commerce. Cook is active in community programs and economic development projects in the NC and abroad. Jerry is a graduate of Auburn University and resides in Winston-Salem, NC
Keith Crisco, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce
Keith Crisco was appointed Secretary of Commerce by Gov. Bev Perdue in January 2009. He brings 40 years of experience in business and commerce to the position.
For more than 20 years, Crisco served as president and chairman of Asheboro Elastics Corp., a company he formed with partners in 1986. This highly successful company has offices in seven countries, manufacturing facilities in Central America and the United States, and sales around the world. Prior to that, he worked for eight years as the president of Stedman Elastics in Asheboro. Crisco earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, NC and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University.
For more than 20 years, Crisco served as president and chairman of Asheboro Elastics Corp., a company he formed with partners in 1986. This highly successful company has offices in seven countries, manufacturing facilities in Central America and the United States, and sales around the world. Prior to that, he worked for eight years as the president of Stedman Elastics in Asheboro. Crisco earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, NC and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University.
Ted Fiske, Education Writer, Author
Edward B. Fiske, the founder and editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, is a former Education Editor of the New York Times who is known around the world for his writing on topics ranging from trends in American higher education to primary school reform in Southeast Asia, New Zealand and South Africa. Fiske served as Education Editor for the New York Times from 1974 until 1991, and he is well-known to college bound students and their parents as the editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, an annual publication that is a standard part of the college admissions literature, and other books on college admissions. A resident of Durham, North Carolina, Fiske serves on a number of boards of non-profit organizations working in the fields of access to college and international understanding.
Jayne Fleener, Dean, College of Education, N.C. State University
Dean Jayne Fleener, Ph.D. has over 20 years of professional experience in K-12 and higher education, including teaching high school mathematics and computer science in North Carolina. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, and two master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina. She received a PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill and is in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in mathematics education. Before coming to NC State, she was the Dean of the College of Education at Louisana State University.
Her teaching and research have been in the areas of philosophy, computer science, mathematics, mathematics education, gender issues in mathematics and engineering, and curriculum theory. She has numerous publications, including her recent books Curriculum Dynamics: Recreating Heart and Chaos, Complexity, Curriculum, and Culture: A Conversation (edited, with others). She has also participated in several millions of dollars worth of grants in the areas of mathematics education, technology integration, gender studies, teacher professional development, and high school students’ preparation and readiness for college and post-secondary experiences. She is working to internationalize teacher education.
Her teaching and research have been in the areas of philosophy, computer science, mathematics, mathematics education, gender issues in mathematics and engineering, and curriculum theory. She has numerous publications, including her recent books Curriculum Dynamics: Recreating Heart and Chaos, Complexity, Curriculum, and Culture: A Conversation (edited, with others). She has also participated in several millions of dollars worth of grants in the areas of mathematics education, technology integration, gender studies, teacher professional development, and high school students’ preparation and readiness for college and post-secondary experiences. She is working to internationalize teacher education.
Joe Fredosso
Joe Freddoso is President and CEO of MCNC. In his role, he works with the MCNC Board of Directors (BOD), the MCNC Advisory Committee (MAC) and MCNC staff to meet the organization’s mission of employing advanced Internet Protocol (IP) networking technologies and systems to continuously improve learning, research and collaboration throughout North Carolina’s K-20 education community. Freddoso is responsible for coordination with the MCNC BOD to define the overall strategic direction for the organization. He works with the MAC and the MCNC staff to devise and implement plans to fulfill this strategic direction in a manner that positively impacts all of North Carolina’s students and meets the fiscal goals defined by the MCNC BOD. He is also active in the local RTP community serving as an adviser to the JOBS Commission and the North Carolina eLearning Commission and on the boards of directors of the Public School Forum of North Carolina and the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center. He also serves an ongoing role as a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission for the Future of Wake County.
Matt Friedrick, Director of K-12 Education Programs, Center for International Understanding
Matt is a former middle school teacher and high school Spanish teacher, most recently
teaching seventh grade at Exploris Middle School in Raleigh. In his role at the Center, he
oversees global education programs for school, district, and state-level educators, all with
the goal of building global, 21st Century skills for North Carolina students. These programs
include international school-to-school partnership programs, educator professional
development programs abroad, and innovative foreign language programs. He directs the
Center's Confucius Classrooms Initiative, a five-year initiative to build 45 new Chinese
language and partnership programs in North Carolina schools. Matt studied Spanish and
Anthropology at Texas A&M University, where he was a four-year McFadden Scholar. He is
now a graduate student in Curriculum and Instruction: New Literacies and Global Learning
at NC State University.
teaching seventh grade at Exploris Middle School in Raleigh. In his role at the Center, he
oversees global education programs for school, district, and state-level educators, all with
the goal of building global, 21st Century skills for North Carolina students. These programs
include international school-to-school partnership programs, educator professional
development programs abroad, and innovative foreign language programs. He directs the
Center's Confucius Classrooms Initiative, a five-year initiative to build 45 new Chinese
language and partnership programs in North Carolina schools. Matt studied Spanish and
Anthropology at Texas A&M University, where he was a four-year McFadden Scholar. He is
now a graduate student in Curriculum and Instruction: New Literacies and Global Learning
at NC State University.
Bill Harrison, Chairman, North Carolina State Board of Education
Bill Harrison was appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Beverly Perdue in March 2009. A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Harrison has served North Carolina public schools throughout his career. In addition to more than 11 years as Superintendent in Cumberland County, he also has served as Superintendent in Orange County and in Hoke County. He has also served as an Assistant Superintendent in Brunswick County Schools and as a principal and teacher. Dr. Harrison is an adjunct assistant professor at North Carolina State University. Dr. Harrison holds a bachelor's degree in Intermediate Education from Methodist College - Fayetteville, a master's degree in Educational Administration and an Education Specialist degree in Education Administration from East Carolina University, and an Educational doctorate in Education Administration from Vanderbilt University.
Ellen Hart, Director of Arts Education and World Languages, North Carolina Virtual Public Schools
Currently as NCVPS Curriculum and Instruction Director, Mrs. Hart is responsible for teacher retention/recruitment, managing Arts Education and World language course development, serving on outreach and partnership teams, co-managing teacher staff development. She has served in public education since 1996 as a business and marketing teacher and the Lead Technology Teacher for Middle and High Schools for the Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS). She has also taught for the Alamance Community College. Prior to NCVPS, she served as ABSS District Distance Learning Advisor. She served as the North Carolina Technology in Education Society (NCTIES) President and served as 2009 Conference Chair. In November 2010, she was invited to be the keynote speaker for 1st International Symposium on Bilingual Education in Bogota, Colombia, South America.
Adam Hartzell, Executive Director, Center for International Understanding
Adam Hartzell is the Executive Director of the Center for International Understanding--an organization striving to make North Carolina the most globally engaged state in the nation. Operating under the umbrella of the University of North Carolina, it seeks to educate current and future leaders about the world beyond U.S. shores. A lawyer, Adam previously served as Senior Deputy Attorney General for consumer affairs at the North Carolina Department of Justice. Additionally, from 2003 to 2010 he was Executive Director of Raleigh-based InterAct, a family violence prevention center delivering services to 40,000 people each year. Under Adam’s leadership, the organization’s revenue doubled, a network of wrap-around, collaborative services were brought under one roof and a successful $5 million capital campaign was executed.
Grant Holley, Director of I+DEA, College of Education, N.C. State University
In 2002, Dr. Grant L. Holley received his PhD from North Carolina State University and has been working for NC State ever since. His primary duties have circulated around special projects designed to expand and strengthen the College of Education. Recently he was asked to serve as the lead for the College's push to further globalize its students, faculty, and programs. Early in the decision-making process the College determined that China should and would be a primary partner in their globalization efforts as its ties with the United States and its people will continue to grow well beyond the next generation.
Jiang Yingshan, Staff, Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
Jiang Yingshan, also known as AJ, joined the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) in 2002. His duties include interpretation, event planning, conference organization, tour management, etc. During his 10-year career at the US Division of CPAFFC, Jiang has engaged in different large-scale events such as ceremonies commemorating the 50th Anniversary of WWII, the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of PRC, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Shanghai Expo 2010, etc.
Jiang has received former US President Jimmy Carter, President George H. W. Bush, and other US political leaders including congress members, Governors and Lt. Governors. He also received delegations from US companies including UPS, Citigroup, NFL, MGM, Wynn, etc. In 2009, Jiang served as the national escort and coordinator for the Washington Wizards’ visit to China commemorating the 30th Anniversary of China-US Relations. Jiang is now an MPP (Master of Public Policy) candidate at the Sanford School of Duke University.
Jiang has received former US President Jimmy Carter, President George H. W. Bush, and other US political leaders including congress members, Governors and Lt. Governors. He also received delegations from US companies including UPS, Citigroup, NFL, MGM, Wynn, etc. In 2009, Jiang served as the national escort and coordinator for the Washington Wizards’ visit to China commemorating the 30th Anniversary of China-US Relations. Jiang is now an MPP (Master of Public Policy) candidate at the Sanford School of Duke University.
Dana King, Principal, Millbrook High School
King has been in education for 28 years and has been principal of Millbrook Magnet High for eight years. Prior to that, she was principal at East Millbrook Magnet Middle. She worked as an assistant principal at Athens Drive High and was a teacher at Sanderson High. She also worked as a teacher in California, Massachusetts and Ohio. The Wake County School System name Dana King the 2010 Principal of the Year.
Julie Kinnaird, Assistant Director for Outreach, World View
World View’s Assistant Director for Outreach, Julie, connects and develops World View partnerships throughout the state on an ongoing basis. Julie received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and holds a Masters of Public Health degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Albania for two years where she taught English as a foreign language in a secondary school and coordinated community development projects.
Zhiyong Li
Zhiyong Li is a senior manager of SAS Institute with a development team at Beijing, China. He is also the Chair of Committee on Education for Chinese American Friendship Association of NC and the Chair of Board of Directors for the Chinese School at Chapel Hill. Previously, He worked at many high-tech companies including Sun Micro-Systems, IBM and iBiomatics as the lead developer and architect. He has also taught graduate and undergraduate students at Huazhong University of Science and Technology at China for over 5 years. He moderated the Entrepreneurship panel for 2011 US-China Science and Technology Forum Annual Convention. Zhiyong holds a Ph.D from Computer Science Department of Duke University. He has published many papers in referred journals and several patents.
Yue Lin, Director, Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange
Lin Yue is the Director of the Jiangsu Education Services For Interational Exchange (JESIE). Mr. Lin also served as Consul at the Chinese Consulate in New York. His experience highlights his passion to improve Sino-American relations. In May 2012 his organization hosted the North Carolina Center for International Understanding to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding which will allow the two groups to collaborate on creating more partnership and exchange opportunities for students and teachers in both countries.
Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Ratashak
Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth J. Ratashak, USA, Retired is the Deputy Director of the NC Military Foundation. LTC Ratashak is a distinguished 20-year career veteran of the U.S. Army. . Ratashak served as Professor of Military Science at NCSU, where he developed and implemented initiatives to expand the student learning experience, including Project GOLD–a national initiative which encourages ROTC students to enroll in critical strategic language courses and participate in study abroad programs. The formation of Project GOLD has also led to NC State receiving a federal grant to establish a pilot program for a language training center to provide foreign language instruction to the United States Army Special Operations Command.
Thomas W. Ross, President, University of North Carolina
Thomas W. Ross became President of the 17-campus University of North Carolina on January 1, 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Davidson College (1972) and graduated with honors from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law (1975). After a short stint as an Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Government, Ross joined a Greensboro law firm in 1976. He left the firm in 1982 to serve as chief of staff in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Congressman Robin Britt. The following year, Ross was appointed to fill a vacancy on the North Carolina Superior Court. He held the position for the next 17 years. In 1999, Ross was appointed director of the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts, where he led efforts to improve the management of the court system and advocated for additional resources. In 2001, he left the bench to serve as executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a Winston-Salem-based philanthropic organization devoted to improving the lives of the people of North Carolina. During his seven-year tenure at Z. Smith Reynolds, (2001-2007), the foundation awarded about $20 million annually to non-profit groups focused on community economic development, democracy and civic engagement, the environment, pre-college education, and social justice. Ross stepped down in 2007 to return to Davidson as its President, serving in that role until he assumed leadership of UNC.
Hiller Spires, Senior Research Fellow, NCSU Friday Institute for Educational Innovation
Hiller A. Spires, Ph.D. is a Professor of Literacy and Technology in the College of Education at NC State University. She served as the founding director of The William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation from 2002-2006 and currently serves as FI Senior Research Fellow. Dr. Spires has received several NC State University awards for her work in education, including the Outstanding Alumni Award in Outreach and Service for providing professional development seminars for K-12 teachers in NC; the Jackson A. Rigney International Service Award for her work with Chinese teachers and students; and In 2012, the NC State's Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Award. Dr. Spires studies the integration of emerging technologies in order to illustrate research-based, best practices for digital literacy learning. Her publications have appeared in Journal of Educational Psychology, Cognition & Instruction, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Literacy Research and Instruction, and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, among others. She conducts research in the area of game-based literacies and learning on the NSF-funded project, Crystal Island, and co-directs the Friday Institute’s New Literacies Collaborative (newlit.org).
Wang Guangfa, Chairman of Fazheng Industries Group and Principal of Beijing Royal School
Wang Guangfa is chairman and president of Fazheng Group; chairman and
headmaster of Beijing Royal School (the flagship of Fazheng Group’s
education business); chairman of Beijing Royal Integrative Medicine
Hospital; and president of Beijing New Century Research Institute for
Multinational Corporations.
In 2010, Mr. Wang was recognized as one of the top 60 educators in the 60-year history of the People’s Republic of China. He has also been recognized by China’s Ministry of Education as one of China’s outstanding leaders in the field of private education, and by NetEase as one of the top ten pioneers in China’s education industry. He is passionately committed to the reform of China’s education sector and to the development of the human resource-based economy of China’s future. He has been recognized by the Beijing municipal government as one of the outstanding entrepreneurs in Beijing.
He has established an office in RTP called “RTP China Connection.” The primary goal is to develop mutually beneficial joint projects among NCSU, UNC, Duke, and public schools, to enhance and enrich cultural understandings for students in China and the US. His school in Beijing accepts Internships for NCSU, UNC, and UNC Wilmington students. He also plans to build a private boarding high school in the Triangle area.
In 2010, Mr. Wang was recognized as one of the top 60 educators in the 60-year history of the People’s Republic of China. He has also been recognized by China’s Ministry of Education as one of China’s outstanding leaders in the field of private education, and by NetEase as one of the top ten pioneers in China’s education industry. He is passionately committed to the reform of China’s education sector and to the development of the human resource-based economy of China’s future. He has been recognized by the Beijing municipal government as one of the outstanding entrepreneurs in Beijing.
He has established an office in RTP called “RTP China Connection.” The primary goal is to develop mutually beneficial joint projects among NCSU, UNC, Duke, and public schools, to enhance and enrich cultural understandings for students in China and the US. His school in Beijing accepts Internships for NCSU, UNC, and UNC Wilmington students. He also plans to build a private boarding high school in the Triangle area.
Alison Winzeler, Director of NC TEACH, NCSU College of Education
Alison Winzeler is the Director of the NC TEACH program at NC State University and works with lateral entry teachers who are serving North Carolina’s high needs subject areas and locations. She has worked for NC TEACH part time since 2006, and full time since 2008. Alison was a high school English teacher for seven years before assuming her position with NC TEACH at the College of Education. She is a second year PhD candidate in the Educational Research and Policy Analysis Program at NC State. Alison proudly comes from a family of teachers – her grandmother was an Art teacher, her mother is an English teacher, and her sister is a science teacher and Instructional Technologist.