2025 Neurodiversity Conference

Heidi Moxley brings 16 years of experience in elementary education, with a strong focus over the past 11 years on supporting children with learning challenges and neurodiverse backgrounds. She holds an Associate-level certification from the Orton-Gillingham Academy and currently teaches 4th-grade Language Tutorial, Reading, and Writing at The Fletcher School. Heidi earned her B.S. from Belmont Abbey College and an MAEd. from Queens University. She is dedicated to inspiring a love of learning in her students and creating a school environment that helps them grow personally and academically.

Maria McLean brings eighteen years of experience in Early Childhood Education, with the past five years dedicated to teaching at The Fletcher School. She holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.Ed. from the University of South Carolina. Maria is certified at the Associate level by the Orton-Gillingham Academy and currently teaches fourth-grade Language Tutorial using the Orton-Gillingham approach. Her passion is fueled by the success she witnesses as her students thrive through the multi-sensory, structured methods of this approach.

Ryan James supports Carolina Day as the Senior Digital Facilitator and has been with CDS since 2020. Previously he served as the Upper School Math and STEM Teacher, and continues to teach an AP computer science class. Ryan has been teaching since 2009 and has taught various levels of mathematics and computer science including multiple AP courses. Ryan has spent his summers training teachers to teach AP courses as well as grade the AP exams. He has two children and enjoys spending much of his free time outdoors.

Jacqueline Peebles is dedicated to making math engaging and accessible. She earned her B.A. from Wingate University and a Master’s in the Arts of Teaching from UNC Charlotte. Certified at the Associate level by the Orton-Gillingham Academy, Jacqueline is also pursuing certification as a Multisensory Math Practitioner. For the past seven years, Jacqueline has taught 1st and 2nd grade at The Fletcher School, where she integrates the Orton-Gillingham approach through multisensory math lessons. She is passionate about ensuring that math is never boring, focusing on providing students with the tools they need to feel confident, capable, and—most importantly—to enjoy the process of learning math.

Gwendolyn received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Elementary Education and School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Having taught varying grade levels from Pre K-6th grade, Gwendolyn brings a wealth of firsthand knowledge and a deep understanding of how to engage and inspire young learners at every stage of their development, specifically using the Orton-Gilingham approach to reading instruction. Driven by a passion for making a meaningful difference in the present, Gwendolyn is committed to equipping students and teachers with the tools they need to thrive and become change-makers in a better future. Her presentations combine her practical experience, academic expertise, and heartfelt commitment to educational excellence, inspiring audiences to create lasting positive impacts.

Chandler McIntyre received her BA in English from Columbia College, Columbia, SC. She has tutored privately for 9.5 years and is a Certified Level Member of the Orton-Gillingham Academy. In addition, she worked as a volunteer tutor with the Augustine Literacy Project in Charlotte, NC. She teaches First and Second Grade Orton-Gillingham-based Language Arts classes at The Fletcher School in Charlotte, NC. As a parent of a neurodiverse child, neurodiversity is close to her heart; she believes deeply in the Orton-Gillingham Approach to Literacy and the positive impact that structured literacy has on all children and families.

January Reed has spent the last four years as the Director of Academic Resources at The Covenant Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before becoming an administrator, January spent seven years as a 3rd-grade Literacy Teacher at the Fletcher School, where she taught all literacy components using the Orton-Gillingham approach.  She holds a Certified Level certification through the Orton-Gillingham Academy and is a Certified ADHD Professional (ADHD-CCSP). This past summer she participated in Anita Archer’s; Explicit Instruction: Training of Trainers.

Beth Allen currently serves as an Academic Therapist in the lower school at Covenant Day School and has 28 years of experience in a variety of educational settings,  serving both in public and private schools.  She has worked both as a classroom instructor and as a small group and one-on-one therapist.  She is an ALTA Certified Reading Specialist, Orton-Gillingham Classroom Certified Instructor, and certified Multi-Sensory Math Teaching Level Instructor.  Currently, Beth is working towards a Level 2/Certified Math Coach certification with Marilyn Zecher’s Multi-Sensory Math.  She and her husband, Nye, live in Mint Hill and have four children ranging from 13 to 30 and an extremely fluffy cat named Snowball. 

Lori Myers has been in a regular elementary classroom for over 20 years. She is classroom certified in the Orton-Gillingham approach. Over the last two years she has had Beth Allen pull in during math and has helped several children with going at a slower pace and using more concrete examples.

Kit Verica holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Penn State and Gardner-Webb University. With over 25 years of teaching experience in both public and private education sectors, Kit is Orton-Gillingham trained and passionate about supporting students with learning differences. Currently serving as the Academic Affairs Coordinator for grades 6-12 at The Fletcher School in Charlotte, NC, Kit works closely with students, teachers, and administrators to foster an inclusive and multisensory learning environment. Driven by the belief that every student deserves to be reached no matter their story, Kit finds joy in empowering learners to thrive.

Emily Hayes is one of the kindergarten teachers at The Lerner School and K-2 Division Lead. She has been at Lerner for 9 years and looks forward to many more! She received her Bachelor's in Business Administration from SUNY Buffalo and her Master’s in Education and Inclusion from the University of Rochester and has worked in classrooms with a variety of physical abilities and neurodiversity. She grew up in upstate New York and misses it, especially during apple picking season. Emily fell in love with teaching handwriting and has created her own company, Clap Into Kindergarten® to support young learners during the onset of virtual learning during COVID. If you see Emily around Lerner, she's probably singing to a line of students or questioning where she left her phone. 

Anne holds a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and a Master’s from the University of Baltimore. With over 20 years in education, she currently teaches and tutors at Davidson Day School’s Learning Enrichment Center, where she created an executive skills curriculum for fifth graders transitioning to middle school. Previously, Anne taught for 15 years at Calvert School in Baltimore. She has presented at various conferences and regularly participates in professional development opportunities to further advance her reading instruction and organizational skills. Anne combines her expertise in early education and executive function support with a passion for fostering student relationships and successful learning environments.

Janna Miller has been a librarian for 28 years, the last 17 at Providence Day School. She believes that books can help students find their joy. She is also a Tinker, Invent, Discover Teacher and Battle of the Books Coach. As an ND adult, she is excited to help run a Middle School Neurodivergent Alliance Group. In her personal life, she is a short story writer, part of the cat distribution system, and a maker of unusual and sadly expensive crafts.

Paul Atkinson, Ed.D, MSW, MAT:  Paul Atkinson has worked in various independent schools across Georgia, Wisconsin, and North Carolina for over 30 years as a teacher, school counselor, and administrator. He has 20 consecutive years as a Head of School and is in his 11th year of service in this capacity at The Fletcher Academy.

Janna Ethridge is originally from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Kennesaw State University.  She then earned a Masters of Art in Counseling and a Master of Education at Liberty University.  Her teaching career began in California where she taught 5th grade.  Once her children arrived, she took a leave to raise and homeschool them.  Because she had a child who struggled with reading, Janna began searching for answers on how to teach reading more effectively.  She trained in the Wilson method and later went through more training in the Orton Gillingham approach.  Janna returned to work as a literacy tutor with The Fletcher Academy and then she spent several years teaching in a 2nd-4th grade classroom at The Fletcher Academy.  This year, she transitioned to her dream job of working in a reading intervention position.  If she had more spare time, she would read more and garden.

Sandra Litzenberger teaches art at the Fletcher Academy in Raleigh, NC. She received her undergraduate degree at Ottawa University in Canada and completed her graduate work in art therapy at Norwich University in Vermont after which she worked as a clinical art therapist with children and adults. As a teacher, she believes that humans are innately creative. With 35 years of experience in human services and education, Sandra helps individuals develop their unique vision and abilities in the visual arts and how to use them for personal growth.

Paulina Delgado, a bilingual educator originally from Ecuador, holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature. She currently works as a Spanish instructor at Fletcher Academy, where she supports students’ unique learning needs with expertise in second language acquisition.

Specializing in TPR (Total Physical Response) and TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) methodologies, Paulina creates interactive and meaningful learning experiences. Her bilingualism and cultural background enrich her teaching, fostering authentic connections with students and their language-learning journey.

In addition to teaching, Paulina is the head coach of the school’s soccer team and also coaches tennis part-time. She is passionate about exploring the intricacies of the bilingual brain and continually seeks innovative strategies to empower her students to become confident communicators in both languages.

Dr. Tara Terry is the Head of The Fletcher School, a K-12 school located in Charlotte, NC. Her responsibilities include leading The Fletcher School in the fulfillment of its mission, and serving as Director of The Rankin Institute, providing outreach services to the broader community. Tara has spent the majority of her career in schools that educate students with language-based learning differences serving as assistant head of school, lower school division head, middle school division head, education coach, and school psychologist. She was also a board member of the Georgia chapter of the International Dyslexia Association for many years. Tara earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina, and a master's degree and doctorate in school psychology from the University of Georgia.

Kristen Bailey is an experienced elementary educator with a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Georgia State University. With a diverse teaching background, she has a passion for creating inclusive, student-centered classrooms that foster academic and personal growth. For the past three years, she has been teaching fifth-grade math at The Fletcher School, specializing in using multisensory instructional strategies to support diverse learners.

Trish Yerkes is an experienced educator with over 11 years of teaching at The Fletcher School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Holding an undergraduate degree in English and Political Science from Villanova University and a Master’s in Elementary Education from Rutgers University, Trish has taught a variety of subjects, including Reading, Writing, and currently 3rd grade Math. In addition to classroom teaching, Trish serves as the Grade Level Coordinator, collaborating with colleagues to support student achievement and school initiatives. Passionate about fostering a positive and engaging learning environment, Trish is committed to the academic and personal growth of each student.

Amy Ensey brings over 20 years of experience in elementary education, with a focus on supporting children with learning challenges and neurodiverse backgrounds. She holds a Classroom Educator certification from the Orton-Gillingham Academy and Multi-Sensory Math training. She has spent the last nine years teaching 4th-grade Math and Reading Comprehension at The Fletcher School. Amy earned her B.S. from The University of Alabama and an M.Ed., Special Education from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Amy creates individualized teaching strategies that support diverse learning styles and incorporate flexibility, empathy, and creativity into her classroom ensuring that each student receives the tools and support they need to succeed academically and socially.

Jen Barcella is in her 27th year in education and has dedicated her career to serving students in
a variety of roles, including classroom teacher, support teacher, curriculum specialist, athletic
coach, and more. A lifelong learner, Jen is passionate about fostering student success and
continuously growing in her own practice. She holds a BSEd in Elementary and Special
Education, an MEd in Teaching Leadership and Curriculum, and has been a National Board
Certified Teacher since 2006. Currently, Jen serves as the Lower School Teaching and Learning
Coordinator at St. Timothy’s School in Raleigh, NC. She believes that all students are leaders of
their own success, and it is a privilege to guide them in discovering their potential.