The mission of Sterling Montessori is to create a diverse educational community, grounded in the Montessori philosophy and teaching practices, that fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in its students. We strive to empower each student to become life-long learners who respect themselves, others and their environment.
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Following is a list of the members of the Laura Holland Uzzell Foundation Board of Directors, with a brief bio for each, along with their contact information. To reach all of the board members simultaneously, please email president@lhuf.org.
The LHU Board is always recruiting new directors, both to backfill empty seats, as well as to bring on new skills depending on need..
LHU OFFICERS
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Rachel RichardsonPresident Rachel is a native North Carolinian who was raised locally in Holly Springs. She attended Cary Academy for both middle and high school and currently serves on the Cary Academy Alumni Board. Rachel holds a BS and a MS in accounting from Appalachian State University. She is a Senior Manager in Tax with RSM. Rachel and her husband, Stephen have two young children, Eleanora (3) and Anson (2). Motherhood encourages Rachel to help build a positive community for her family. She wants to instill the values of civic responsibility in her children and believes that her participation on the LHU is an opportunity to demonstrate that commitment. Rachel is passionate about Montessori education and is excited about serving the LHU Board. |
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Kevin HughesVice President & Chair, Policy Committee Kevin Hughes and his wife have three children who have attended Sterling for 5 years, in Children’s House, LE and UE classrooms. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Kevin has lived in the Raleigh area for over 26 years. He has a degree in psychology from Georgetown University and received his JD from the Ohio State University College of Law. He began his legal career with IBM in RTP immediately following law school. He is presently General Counsel for Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc, a provider of retail hardware, software and services. Kevin has had experience in policy development and board governance for much of his career. Kevin and his family live in Cary. Kevin enjoys traveling, music and college football. |
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Jessi FasolaTreasurer & Chair, Finance Committee Jessi is a native North Carolinian, going back for many generations. She is passionate about Montessori education having attended a Montessori school herself for 13 years. She holds degrees from the University of North Carolina (B.A. in Sociology and Latin American Studies) and North Carolina State University (MPA). Jessi is currently employed at NC State as Assistant Director of Gifts and Records Management. Jessi lives in Raleigh with her husband, Sam, and sons, Lee and Drew. Raising her two boys is her pride and joy. She also enjoys reading, traveling and UNC basketball. |
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Ryan HillSecretary & Chair, Strategic Planning Committee As a professional, Ryan has spent ten years in the insurance industry, primarily in the claims discipline. He currently works as the Claims Manager of Operations with Builders Mutual Insurance Company where he oversees quality, training, analytics, and business projects. Ryan has served in leadership and development for non-profits including NZMG Foundation, the United Way of the Greater Triangle, the Redwoods Group Foundation, and overseas service work with Habitat for Humanity. He has a passion for supporting strong communities and child-centered education. When you don’t find him in one of these activities, you can likely find him running on the trails at Umstead Park, building Legos with his kids or trying a new recipe with his wife. |
LHU COMMITTEE CHAIRS
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Dwayne JonesChair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Dwayne earned his undergraduate degree from NCCU in Political Science. His passion for helping others led him to pursue a master’s in social work. In 2019, he became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and currently works full-time as a Utilization Management Specialist and Licensed Clinician for children, adolescents, and adults. Dwayne values the wisdom of Maria Montessori and Carl Rogers. He firmly believes in respecting the child, nurturing their intrinsic motivation, and supporting the journey towards reaching their full potential. With his wealth of experience and perspectives on child mental health, Dwayne is another great asset to our vibrant SMACS community. Dwayne was born and raised in NC and brings over 20 years of experience in mental health to his role as a member on the LHU Board. He is a dedicated father to Aubrey, an upper elementary student, and a loving husband to Nicole, a Tarheel alumnus. |
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Keisha PressleyChair, Development Committee, Governance Committee Keisha is a North Carolina native. She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from UNC-Chapel Hill and her Masters of Science in Nursing from Duke University. She currently works as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Through her countless hours volunteering for various organizations, and understanding healthcare, she developed a passion for nutrition, which lead to her founding My Plant Based Nutrition. Keisha is also a founding partner of My CPR Needs, as she believes everyone should be properly trained in CPR, because you never know when you may be called on to save a life. Keisha understands the direct correlation between access to healthcare, proper nutrition, and academic performance. She is excited to share her experiences, knowledge, and passions with the Sterling community. In her spare time, Keisha enjoys traveling, trying new recipes, and cycling with her husband and their three sons. |
LHU BOARD MEMBERS
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Daphne CoulterBoard Member Daphne is new to the state of North Carolina, having been born and raised in New Jersey. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science from Rider University and her MBA at Strayer University. She was introduced to the philosophy of Montessori in undergrad and has always aspired to contribute. Nurturing each child’s natural desire for respect, knowledge and understanding makes sense to fostering an environment where any child would thrive. She has seen firsthand what learning in that type of environment does for a child’s academic success. Helping right wrongs has always been her passion and she currently is employed by the Naval Inspector General Office within Investigations. She currently resides in Morrisville with her daughter and they really enjoy all the outdoor activities North Carloina has to offer. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, Burn Boot Camp and any James Patterson book. |
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Susan EnglishBoard Member Mrs. Susan English has an enthusiastic interest in education and has been a member of the Sterling Montessori family since 2022. Mrs. English is from Williamson, West Virginia and received her Elementary Education degree from Berea College (Berea, Kentucky) and her Master of Education from Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Kentucky). Mrs. English taught early elementary education in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky and Charlotte and Durham, North Carolina. As an educator, Susan was a Yale University Teaching Fellow, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Teaching Fellow and Teacher of the Year at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. She utilized technology frequently in her classroom, which made her transition as a Web Designer in 2017, an easy one. Mrs. English uses her talents at the Department of Transportation, where she teaches clients how to utilize software successfully and maintains and manages websites for NCDOT (North Carolina Department of Transportation). Mrs. English has over 15 years of experience in education and teaching, which she brings to her role as member of the LHU Board. Mrs. English is married to Dennis and have two wonderful young children, Briella and Bryson. Susan enjoys reading, painting and spending time with her family. |
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Elizabeth UzzellBoard Member Elizabeth Uzzell is an alumna of Sterling, having attended Sterling and Cary Montessori from the very early days. She moved to Massachusetts for high school, and stayed up north for college. She graduated from Emerson College in 2010, where she earned a BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing, with a minor in Hearing and Deafness. Elizabeth completed a Masters in Teaching at SUNY Plattsburgh in New York, and after finally having enough of the harsh winters, moved back to Raleigh. She taught English Language Arts for three years at Carroll Middle School. She loves writing, music, theatre and walking her Carolina dog, Angelica. Elizabeth is currently a doctoral student in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis at North Carolina State University. She loves Sterling and is excited to bring her experience as a teacher and former Montessori kid to the LHU Board! |
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Andrea WilliamsBoard Member Andrea Williams was introduced to the Montessori method as a young child and attended a Montessori school through Upper Elementary. She is still identifying ways in which this method of learning is positively impacting her life . Since having her own children, Andrea has become eager to find ways to make Montessori education accessible to all children. This drive is what makes her most excited about joining the Sterling Montessori community. Andrea received a B.S. in Biology from Elon University and an M.S. in Forensics with a concentration in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has a professional background in DNA Analysis. Andrea currently lives in Raleigh with her husband, Keith, and their three young children, the oldest of whom is currently enrolled in Children’s House at Sterling Montessori. She enjoys reading, dancing, baking, and hiking with her dog, Silas. |
ADVISORY MEMBERS
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Katie BrownAdvisory Member A native of Southern California, Katie earned a PhD in curriculum and instruction with an urban education focus at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her professional experience includes traditional public schools, charter schools, school boards, a state education agency, and higher education. She currently serves as the Director of Research and Professional Learning for the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, where she oversees the organization's research initiatives and professional development opportunities for Montessori educators. Katie and her family recently returned to North Carolina after five years in Washington, DC. She and her partner live in Cary with their son Alex, who is in the Children's House at Sterling, and their infant daughter, Ari. Recreationally, Katie enjoys yoga, podcasts, mystery novels, and walks on the greenway. |
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Kim ElliottAdvisory Member Kim Elliott is, first and foremost, a mom of three children - a 2018 Sterling alumna and two current Sterling students. She has been a part of the Sterling family since 2007 and has held different positions within the Parent Faculty Association since 2008. In the LHU, she has served as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. She has also chaired the Search Committee in 2017-2018 and sits on the Development Committee. These days, when not serving as an LHU Director, she can be found contributing to the creation of the Sterling Yearbook and volunteering in the classroom whenever possible. Outside of Sterling, im works as a financial controller, and when there is any time remaining, she runs, writes and snaps photographs. |