2026 Spring Conference Materials - April 12-15, 2026
Presenter Bios - Steering Committee Members
April 12, 2026
4:30-6:00 pm
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Licensure 102
- Karoline Fisher
April 13, 2026
8:15-9:30 am
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Navigating Free Speech Rights of Public School Employees -
Dionne Jenkins, General Counsel, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
10:00-11:00 am
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Educator Discipline and Mandatory State Reports - Ryan Collins, Asst. General Counsel, NCDPI
11:00 am-12:15 pm
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Advanced Teaching Roles - Leah Sutton, Thomas Feller, Sydney Harris-Mboob, & Kelly Mudd
1:15 -2:15pm
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Modernization – Dr. Vanessa Wrenn & Kevin Violette
2:30-3:30 pm
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Establishing Culture of Care: Why Care-Centered Leadership Matters -
Tesha Isler & Melvin Ingram, Richmond County Schools
April 14, 2026
8:15-9:30 am
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EMLA and Extended Leave - Katie Cornetto, Poyner Spruill
9:45-10:45 am
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Rethinking Beginning Teacher Support Handout - Dr. Kevin Taylor. Melissa Wilson, Pender County Schools
10:45 am-12:15 pm
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Verify, then Trust:The AI Skills Everyone Needs - Marty Sharpe, Catawba County Schools
1:15 -2:15pm - presented by Tom Tomberlin
2:30-3:30 pm
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Growing Your Teacher Pipeline - Dr. Wendy Cabral, Sampson County Schools
April 15, 2026
8:15-9:30am - presented by Richard Schwartz, Attorney, Schwartz Law, PLLC
10-11:00 am
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TeachNC & HR: Turning Educator Vacancies into Hires - Nikole Nickerson, TeachNC & Dr. Cassie Cartrette, NCDPI
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