Carol has been in education for 26 years as an elementary classroom teacher and has earned recognition as a passionate and energetic Union member. She is a champion for racial and social justice and an advocate for all students and members, raising her voice to protect the rights of all. She stands in solidarity with those who are working with schools to provide a protected haven and the social and emotional support all our students need. She recognizes the power in listening to different voices, viewpoints, and perspectives to ground her. She has a passion for global education and promoting cultural awareness and understanding. Carol is a National Board-certified teacher and coach and she has presented at leadership and instructional conferences in Virginia and across the country. She is currently honored to serve as the VEA Vice-President, where she uses her experience and dynamic leadership to support members across Virginia.

Union and Political Leadership

Over the years, Carol has held many different positions in the Union. She has served in numerous local capacities such as building leader, membership chair and local President. She continues to serve on the York Executive Board, Colonial UniServ Council, and as the Colonial PAC Chair where she supports united local efforts for collective bargaining, increasing salaries, and lobbying elected officials. At the state level, she has served on the VEA Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, the Women and Minorities, Audit, and Investments Committees, the VEA Collective Bargaining Steering and Teacher Evaluation Task Forces, and as a VEA leadership and instructional trainer. Currently, she is proud and honored to serve as the VEA Vice-President and chair of both the VEA Budget and Resolutions Committees. She represented Virginia nationally on NEA Resolutions and on the NEA Board of Directors as well as serving as the Chair of the National Read Across America Committee where she led the efforts to diversify the program. She has been elected to the NEA and VEA PAC Executive Committees and was appointed to the Governor’s Task Force on Education, VDOE Teacher Evaluation Task Group, and Governor Northam’s Transition Team. She looks forward to continuing to meet and learn from all VEA members as we join together in solidarity to make our Union stronger.

Instructional Leadership

Carol has a love and passion for instruction and has twice been selected as School Teacher of the Year. In 2017, she won the VEA Teaching Excellence Award and was selected as one of 5 National Horace Mann Teaching Excellence Award winners. Internationally, she participated as a fellow to China with the NEA Foundation and has continued to work with the NEA Foundation on multicultural teaching and learning initiatives. Carol had the privilege to represent the US as a delegate to the Education International World Congress in both Canada and Thailand, where she attended a panel with Nobel Prize laureate Maria Ressa. Carol earned her first National Board Certification in 2007 and recertified in 2017. She has worked with VEA as an instructor for NBCT Jumpstart and helped to develop and write the NEA microcredentials for NBCTs. While working in York County, Carol has coached and supported several NBCT candidates and mentored numerous student teachers and early educators. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the US Air Force Academy and earned a Masters in Education from the College of William and Mary.