Speaker Bios

Linda Nelson is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS). In her 10 years at NCAIS, the Association has experienced significant growth in both programs and revenues.  Under her leadership, NCAIS established a multi-state consortium, VISnet, offering digital content, online courses, professional development, and consulting to assist schools in transitioning to 21st century learning models.  Prior to joining NCAIS in 2007, Linda enjoyed 20+ years in independent education administration, both in K-12 and in higher education.  Her areas of expertise include middle and upper school academics, strategic planning and program development, 21st century education, admissions, marketing, enrollment management, college counseling, and career counseling. Linda received both a B.A. and an M.A.Ed. from Wake Forest University. Linda has two children, Stowe and Holley, both independent school graduates. Linda and her husband, Tom Jackson, reside in Winston-Salem.

Tim Tinnesz has been the Head of School at St. Timothy's School in Raleigh since 2012, after previously serving as the Head of Middle and Upper Schools at Gaston Day School in Gastonia.  Tim has over a decade of independent school teaching and administrative experience and has been an active participant on Southern Association of Independent Schools/AdvancEd reaccrediting teams for independent schools in North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama.  He currently serves on the Board of the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools.

Ken Rogers, a trained counselor, is a former faculty member of The Association of Independent Maryland Schools Fellows Program for New Teachers and is currently on the faculty for the ISACS New Teacher Institute and the ISACS Academy for New Division Heads. With independent school experience as a teacher, dean, and head of middle school, he is a frequent ISACS and SAIS presenter and consultant to independent schools. Ken is the middle school principal and English teacher at Charlotte Christian School (NC) and is a board member of the Teaching Fellows Institute.  Ken and his wife Sandra, along with sixth grade daughter Sierra, have lived in Charlotte for four years.

Renee Prillaman, Ph.D.  has 42 years experience as an educator and holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from UNC Chapel Hill and has taught children, educated teachers, and developed curriculum in classrooms from preschool through high school. For the last 20 years, Renee’s work has been focused on best practice pedagogy, social curriculum,  and teacher development. She currently serves as the Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning at Carolina Friends School. Renee serves on the Peaceful Schools NCCommittee. 

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