Andrew R. Armstrong, Ph.D., Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Innovation, VDOE
Andy Armstrong has served as the Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Innovation for the Virginia Department of Education since 2023. He oversees Career and Technical Education, Adult Education, Innovation, and leads the work of Virginia College Partnership Lab Schools, high school redesign, and career pathways. Prior to joining the VDOE, Andy served as interim superintendent and assistant superintendent of Goochland County Public Schools, high school principal, and middle school principal. Andy earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy Administration from the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Ronald L. Brown, Community Resource Support Director at Families Forward Virginia
Ronald L. Brown serves as the Community Resource Support Director at Families Forward Virginia. With over a decade of experience in community outreach, grant management, and nonprofit leadership, Ronald has successfully led initiatives aimed at strengthening economic support for families and promoting positive parenting practices. His extensive background in diversity, equity, and inclusion, combined with his expertise in building sustainable networks statewide, positions him as a pivotal figure in advancing community development.
Beth Cannon, Keynote Speaker - Coach - Strategist
With a knack for empowering early education leaders, Beth Cannon is a sought-after keynote speaker, coach, and strategist. She's known for delivering transformational strategies and systems that create freedom in work and life. Beth's innovative approach has led to the development of successful training programs for top childcare brands. Her impactful keynotes and workshops at major industry conferences have earned her a reputation as a leading voice in early education. She also founded The Leader’s Lounge, an online platform for professional development featuring the best speakers in the field.
Valerie Bayne Carroll, DC/MD/VA Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist
Valerie Bayne Carroll has been with the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts since 1983. As a Master Teaching Artist, Valerie leads teacher professional development workshops in music and drama around the country. She has a BFA in Theater from Boston University, School for the Arts. In the Washington area, Val teaches Baby Artsplay!™ music classes for infants, toddlers and their parents at the Wolf Trap Center for Education and in local classrooms. She helped pilot the Baby Artsplay! classroom model for children and teachers used nationally in Early Head Start Centers. She has performed at The Barns of Wolf Trap for the Institute’s Field Trip productions for preschool audiences. Val has also presented workshops for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and InterAct Story Theatre and taught classes for Imagination Stage, Round House Theatre, The Sitar Center and the arts-based Lucy School.
Erin Carroll, Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood, Virginia Department of Education
Erin Carroll is the Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood at the Virginia Department of Education. In this role, Erin works with public and private early childhood programs to promote quality early learning experiences for Virginia’s youngest learners. During her time at the Department, the Commonwealth has expanded access to birth-to-five programs, increased quality investments in programs and teachers, and unified oversight of childcare, Head Start, and school-based preschool. Prior to this role, Erin worked at the Louisiana Department of Education and as a preschool teacher in San Antonio, Texas. She holds degrees from Penn State University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Presenter, 20 Degrees
20 Degrees is a team of innovative, irreverent optimists changing the culture of philanthropy and the business of child care. Through approachable solutions targeting financial resilience, earned revenue creation, and philanthropy, 20 Degrees empowers organizations to redesign and reimagine what is possible when it comes to financial sustainability. Our background in financial management and planning is complemented by our experience in childcare, fundraising, grantmaking, and organizational leadership. We also bring strong research skills to this work and are often valued by our clients for our insights into their challenges and opportunities.
Allison Enix, Job Placement Counselor with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
Allison Enix is a Job Placement Counselor with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, covering nine localities in the Southwest region of the state. Prior to joining DARS over a year ago, Allison was a Regional Supportive Employment Supervisor for Rehabilitative Services and Vocational Placement, Inc., serving individuals with disabilities and assisting them with employment and training. Allison received a Bachelor of Social Work from Radford University and has worked in the social work field for several years.
Ebony Glover-Epps, LEx Leader Specialist, Families Forward Virginia
Ebony Glover-Epps serves her community in multiple roles, including as a mother of five, a Licensed Counselor, a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, a Trainer, and a Lived Experience Expert. She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology, a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and several certifications that have provided her with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills in her field of work.
Donnie Hale, Ed.D., Southern Regional Director, Institute for Educational Leadership
Dr. Donnie Hale is Southern Regional Director working across states from Florida to Texas up to Virginia. Prior to joining IEL, Dr. Hale was the Executive Director for Community Engagement and Strategic Partnership at Florida Memorial University. Florida Memorial University is a Historically Black/College/University established in 1879. Dr. Hale worked with a team to engage communities by creating strategies to support higher education, career pathways, mutually beneficial partnerships, and relationships to encourage the college going culture. Beyond FMU, he was the co-chair for the Community School Leadership Network for the Coalition for Community Schools. Prior to FMU, he was an assistant director for the Center for Community Schools at University of Central Florida and Director for the Education Effect at Florida International University, working with schools in Overtown, Liberty City and Little Haiti. His research focuses on community engagement, equity, educational opportunity, college access and human development. His teaching experience has been in areas of sociology, education, African American history, and cultural diversity. Dr. Hale has worked in urban, suburban, rural, and indigenous communities.
Dr. Bridget Hamre, Co-founder and Chief Executive Office, Teachstone, Co-Author of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
Bridget Hamre, Ph.D. is co-founder and chief executive officer at Teachstone, a certified B-Corporation founded in 2008 to help bring to market innovations that were initially developed at the University of Virginia. She also holds a position as an Associate Research Professor at the University of Virginia’s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL). Dr. Hamre is committed to ensuring that Teachstone brings evidence-based practice to scale, with a focus on helping every child and educator reach their full potential by measuring and improving the interactions that matter most. Dr. Hamre has worked closely with the federal government, leaders of state and local education agencies, and other educational organizations as they have implemented the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) at large scale. Dr. Hamre’s areas of expertise include student-teacher relationships and classroom processes that promote positive academic and social development for young children. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers as well as numerous chapters on these topics. Dr. Hamre received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her masters and doctorate in clinical and school psychology from the University of Virginia.
Matt Heron, Business Development Manager for the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, Southwest District
Matt Herron is the Business Development Manager for the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Southwest District. Matt has multiple years of experience in teaching, training, and workforce development. Matt spent eight years as a teacher and coach in Bristol, Tennessee City Schools before relocating to Roanoke and leading emotional intelligence training and onboarding for Goodwill Industries of the Valleys.
Mike Hogg, VP for Place-Based Partnerships at Partners for Rural Impact
Mike Hogg serves as the VP for Place-Based Partnerships at Partners for Rural Impact and has more than 20 years of experience working in public school leadership positions in Appalachian school districts including superintendent and principal. Prior to serving in leadership roles, Mike was a middle school science and social studies teacher. In his current role, he collaborates to move indicators ensuring All Rural Students Succeed in Appalachian Kentucky, East Texas, and Mexico, Missouri. He has been married to his best friend, Amy, for 35 years and they have two daughters, 3 cats and one very rambunctious dog. Hiking, gardening and kayaking are favorite ways to relax.
Jacky Howell, MA, Azspire LLC
Jacky Howell, MA has over 50 years of experience as an early childhood teacher, consultant, coach, and administrator. In addition, she has over 30 years’ experience as a course instructor and presenter on topics related to early childhood development and curriculum. She is a published author with 2 books, Rituals and Traditions: Fostering a Sense of Community in Preschool and in April 2024, Reflection, Perspective-Taking, and Social Justice: Stories of Empathy and Kindness in the Early Childhood Classroom. In addition, she has published many articles in early education journals. She received her Master’s degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College. Currently she is a consultant, coach, mentor, and presenter with her own business, Azspire LLC.
Kelly Matthews, Director of Special Projects and Shared Services Consultant at the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
Kelly Matthews is an experienced educator and consultant with an extensive background in early childhood education, public speaking, and training. With a proven track record of developing and implementing educational programs, workshops, and strategic non-profit programming, Kelly helped design and implement the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN), which launched in 2019 serving two childcare programs. It just celebrated its 5th birthday, has secured state funding, and serves over 2300 regulated programs across the state.
Sharon Overton, Community Engagement Coordinator, Families Forward Virginia
Sharon Overton has dedicated the past 9 years to serving communities in the Richmond, VA area. Her professional journey reflects a profound commitment to fostering sustainable relationships with underserved communities and collaborating with community-based organizations.
Hallie Pence, Executive Director of Right Help, Right Now
Hallie Pence is the Executive Director of Right Help, Right Now, Governor Youngkin’s mental and behavioral health care transformation plan. In this role, she leads initiatives to strengthen services so that those in crisis have someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go. She collaborates with partners to boost wellness and resiliency before, during, and after crisis, with a special focus on improving mental health outcomes for Virginia’s youth
Mary Smith, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
Mary Smith is a Job Placement Counselor for the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, serving the Norton and Pounding Mill field offices. She brings 28 years of state government experience to the table with 15 of those being with rehabilitative services. Mary is also a certified Windmills/Disability Awareness trainer.
Cheryl Wilson, Executive Director of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission
Cheryl Wilson serves as the Executive Director for the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission, which was created by the General Assembly for the purpose of planning for and commemorating the 250th anniversary of Virginia's participation in American independence, the duration of which will be 2022 through 2031. The Commission is composed of legislative leaders, tourism and economic development officials, historians, and experts across a wide spectrum.
Opportunity@Work
Opportunity@Work: In 2017, Opportunity@Work evolved into an independent 501c3 with two ambitious goals: (1) developing and testing platforms to provide tech-enabled solutions to solve the opportunity gap; and (2) rallying public, private, and nonprofit partners to rewire the labor market so that everyone can contribute their skills, talent, and energy in pursuit of a better life.
Our leaders came to social entrepreneurship following successful careers with McKinsey, Upwork, Lyft, Year Up, and other for-profit and nonprofit market leaders. They have started, scaled, and sold companies, advised Fortune 500 clients, patented new technologies, launched national workforce training and hiring initiatives, and managed large-scale strategic alliances.
Virginia Office of Education Economics
The Virginia Office of Education Economics (VOEE) was created by legislation and established in 2021. VOEE’s mission is to leverage data to inform educational programming, policy, and workforce partnerships across the Commonwealth. VOEE’s analyses are intended to inform policy and practice on the availability, quality, and supply of talent in Virginia.
Sean McMurray, Executive Director, Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia
More than 30 years working as a senior healthcare executive has helped Sean McMurray better understand the issues impacting the health of the people who live in our region. He served as the CEO of Johnston Memorial Hospital for nearly 14 years (2003-2016). Sean also had management responsibility for and served as a director on the boards of both Russell County Hospital and Smyth County Community Hospital. This service provided valuable insights about the unique challenges affecting the health and wellbeing of the residents of the communities in the Wellspring Foundation service area.
Sean earned his master’s degree in health administration from Brigham Young University. He also achieved certification as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, the highest professional credential for healthcare leaders. His volunteer work included service on the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association Board (three terms), representing the interests of Southwest Virginia at the state level. His board service extended to organizations such as the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Barter Theatre and the United Way of Southwest Virginia, where he served as chairman of the board.
Sean and his wife, Kristin, spent three years in full-time, voluntary missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The McMurrays share a love for outdoor activities and travel, complemented by a deep appreciation for the region’s natural beauty. The McMurrays enjoy being the parents of eight children and grandparents of 16 grandchildren.
Dr. Richard Kitzmiller, Director, Azark Foundation
A native of Sullivan County (TN), Richard Kitzmiller attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He received his doctoral degree (Ed.D.) in 2001 from East Tennessee State University. Dr. Kitzmiller began his teaching career in Ohio and in the Knox County (TN) Schools prior to returning to Kingsport in 1978. In 1988, he was named Kingsport’s staff development coordinator, where he helped develop and initiate the system’s first staff development program. After several administrative appointments, he served as Superintendent of Kingsport City Schools from 2002 to 2011. He was recognized as the Tennessee State Superintendent of the Year in 2011.
After his retirement from public education, he joined the staff of the Niswonger Foundation in Greeneville, TN. During his tenure as Vice President of the Foundation, the Foundation saw significant growth in the number and scope of grant-funded projects. Receiving external funding from state, federal, and private entities, the Foundation developed and implemented projects in literacy, STEM education, workforce readiness, workforce development, college- and career- readiness, tutoring and advising.
Following his retirement from the Niswonger Foundation in March, 2024, he and his family are working to establish and strengthen a newly formed Azark Foundation. The Foundation’s aim is to improve educational opportunities and quality-of-life measures in several rural Appalachian states.
Cindy Colson, Deputy Director, Partnerships, Consulting, & Impact at CNE
Cindy Colson is Deputy Director of Partnerships, Consulting, & Impact at CNE. She is responsible for the development and administration of CNE’s diverse array of programs and services throughout Central Virginia. She brings nonprofit leadership experience to her executive leadership and board governance training and consulting with nonprofits. She supports nonprofits throughout Virginia to implement relevant, responsive, culturally aware, and ethical governance and programmatic practices to fulfill CNE’s vision of equitable, thriving, and just communities powered by healthy nonprofits. Cindy earned her BIS from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of Mary Washington.
