Teacher Leadership

CMS teachers serve in a number of CTI leadership roles: they recruit and select seminar participants, help faculty prepare for and facilitate seminars, and work side-by-side with the CTI director. Every teacher participating in CTI receives a stipend to cover Institute-associated expenses. The primary CTI Teacher Leader roles are: Steering Committee Members, Seminar Coordinators and School Contacts.

2022 CTI Steering Committee members: (on screen via Zoom) Latonda Mitchell. (standing back row) Franchone Bey, Pam Shembo, Jackie Smith, Karen Sutton (Levine Museum of the New South), Deb Jung, Carla Aaron-Lopez, and Jessica Young. (kneeling front row) Teresa Strohl, Mariella Fernandes, and Matt Kelly.

CTI Steering Committee

Teacher leaders on the CTI Steering Committee work with the Executive Director to provide important guidance to the Institute and in setting policies and developing seminars and other CTI programs. 2024 Steering Committee Members include:

  • Tamara Babulski, World History, Independence High School
  • Franchone Bey, English, West Charlotte High School
  • Matthew Kelly, Spanish, Independence High School
  • Vashti Mosby, Science, Northridge Middle School
  • Shannon McFarland, Language Arts, Alexander Graham Middle School
  • Pam Shembo, 5th Grade, South Academy of International Languages 
  • Jackie Smith, Science, W.A. Hough High School
  • Teresa Strohl, Visual Art, Elon Park Elementary School
  • Lynne Wiesecke, Learning & Language Acquisition, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
  • Jessica Young, AVID, Cochrane Collegiate Academy 

2024 Seminar Coordinators

Each seminar has a Seminar Coordinator who works closely with the Institute throughout the application process and handles the administrative responsibilities of the seminar. Coordinators also work with their respective Seminar Leaders as co-facilitators to make sure the seminar appropriately meets the needs of all involved. 

  • Thomas Murphy, CTE Business/Marketing, Rocky River High School
  • Mila Ugueto, Spanish, Olympic High School 
  • Wendy Mueller, Language Arts, Whitewater Middle School
  • Jackie Smith, AP Research and Forensic Science, Hough High School 
  • Sarah Wallace, Multilingual Learners, Hopewell High School 
  • Monique Hall, 4th Grade, Devonshire Elementary School
  • Tam Hawk, 6th Grade Social Studies, Albemarle Road Middle School 
2020 CTI School Contacts at the Teacher Leadership Meeting Jan. 8 at UNCC Center City

School Contacts

CTI School Contacts are responsible for informing, recruiting and linking interested CMS teachers with the Institute, and providing important feedback and recommendations related to CTI seminars and programs. CTI School Contacts include:

  • Carla Aaron-Lopez, Whitewater Middle School
  • Juan Acosta, Independence High School
  • Tamara Babulski, Independence High School
  • Franchone Bey, West Charlotte High School
  • Debbie Brown, Vance High School
  • Olga Patricia Cancino, Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School
  • Dalton Cooper, West Charlotte High School
  • Kimberli Darling, Cochrane Collegiate Academy/iMeck Academy
  • Rhonda Doe, Barringer Academic Center
  • Jasmine Dozier, Cochrane Collegiate Academy/iMeck Academy
  • Mariella Fernandes, Whitewater Middle School
  • Jacci Fizet, Renaissance West Academy
  • Yasmin Forbes, Mallard Creek High School
  • Jennifer Forrester, Harding University High School
  • Kiera Freeman, Carmel Middle School
  • Katelyn Gardepe, Selwyn Elementary
  • Amber Geckeler, Oakhurst STEAM Academy
  • Whitney Graham, Wilson Stem Academy
  • Karyn Hays, Davidson K-8
  • Monica High, Cato Middle College High School
  • Tina Jones-McDow, Rocky River High School
  • Deb Jung, Winding Springs Elementary
  • Matthew Kelly, Independence High School
  • Elizabeth Kerr, Bain Elementary School
  • Megan Koransky, Bain Elementary School
  • Marybeth Kubinski, CMS Transportation
  • Jennifer Ladanyi, Bailey Middle School
  • Latonda Mitchell, Mountain Island Lake Academy
  • Kimberly Palmer, Merancas Middle College High School
  • Melissa Pratt, North Mecklenburg High School
  • Juanita Razor, Wilson STEM Academy
  • Jimi Rogers, Westerly Hills Academy
  • Emily Rucki, Garinger High School
  • Julie Ruppersberger, Southwest Middle School
  • Zachary Sanford, W.A. Hough High School
  • Deb Semmler, East Mecklenburg High School
  • Pam Shembo, E.E. Waddell Language Academy
  • Lecia Shockley, Curriculum Resource Teacher, Learning & Language Acquisition  
  • Carolyn Simmons, Governors Village STEM Academy
  • Jackie Smith, W.A. Hough High School
  • Diane Strickland, Garinger High School
  • Teresa Strohl, Elon Park Elementary School
  • Pia Townes, Wilson STEM Academy
  • Thelma Uzeta, Providence High School
  • Luz Vanegas, Charlotte East Language Academy
  • Roshan Varghese, David W. Butler High School
  • Kristina White, Oaklawn Language Academy
  • Erika Williams, Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology
  • Shealynn Womble, Governors Village STEM Academy
  • Jessica Young, Myers Park Traditional Elementary