Speaker Bios

Susan is a proven, experienced, interdependent, and relational educational leader who thrives in the nexus of campus life having served in executive and leadership roles at independent schools (Governor’s Academy, Phillips Academy, Asheville School, Ravenscroft School) and in higher education (Duke University and Smith College). 

For more than a decade, she has completed extensive training in leadership development and team facilitation with the Center for Creative Leadership. She is certified as a facilitator of the Better Conversations Every Day™ training tool, which assists schools in creating vertical alignment with a feedback culture through developing and sustaining behavioral communication skills at all levels. Susan is a certified executive coach and certified facilitator of the EQi-2.0, EQ 360 (Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 and 360) to support human performance and development in educational settings. She is the Associate Head of School for Wellness and Belonging at Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina, as well as a Senior Consultant with EXPLO Elevate.

Susan has served on two National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) committees charged with examining best practices and providing recommendations to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of students, including being appointed to the NAIS/Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) Independent School Task Force on Educator Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response.  In 2014, Susan appeared as an expert panelist on PBS/UNC-TV’s Focus On: Educating Black Boys, which explored issues around education, opportunity, race, identity, and parenting in the 21st century. Additionally, Susan has completed the Racial Equity Institute Groundwater and Phase 1 training and The Principals’ Center (TPC) at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education (HGSE) program in Race, Equity, and Leadership in Schools. Her clinical training has included two separate in-residence internships at Duke University, and she has completed Advanced Clinical Certification in The Relational Model Levels I & II at the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, part of the Stone Center, Wellesley Center for Women (WCW) at Wellesley College. 

Susan is a published author and holds an earned doctorate in educational administration. She has served as consultant/advisor/educator to boards of trustees, executive leaders, faculty, families, and students, and has traveled extensively as a conference speaker and trainer nationwide.

Lindsey Barnett
Barnett is a professionally licensed and clinically trained school counselor. Barnett is currently the Lower School Counselor and member of the Lower School Leadership Team at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, NC. She supports the emotional and social development of PreK - 5th grade students and resources for families. In addition to individual and family needs, Barnett has a vast network of clinicians she partners with to provide education series and consultations. Barnett further supports the mission, vision, and values of the school's Lead From Here framework as a member of the Lower School Leadership Team.

Prior to joining Ravenscroft School, Barnett served the Wake County Public School System as an elementary counselor. Lindsey is a National Certified Board Counselor. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina in Wilmington with a concentration in Applied Behavioral Analysis. Barnett obtained her M.A. in Professional School Counseling from Appalachian State University and holds certifications in Youth Mental Health First Aid instruction, Koru Mindfulness, and Restorative Circle Practices. She and her husband live in Raleigh, NC, with their dog and three cats.

Malcom Boone
My name is Malcolm Boone. I'm originally from New York and am currently teaching 3rd grade at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School located in Rabun Gap, Georgia. This is my 7th year in the classroom.  My biggest goal with my students is showing them how to thrive both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to academic success, I strive to teach my students the importance of what intentional breathwork can do for their mental well-being in order to set them up for life ahead. As a former professional basketball player, I have seen the immense benefit of what meditation can do for the mind and body both on and off the court. My goal is to share this mission with as many students, teachers, and people as I can.

Alie Brinegar
Alie is the Assistant Director of Lower School at Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina. Alie completed her graduate work in Curriculum and Instruction and has a passion for literacy. She serves on the advisory board of Read Write Spell and is an advocate for all children learning to read. She began her journey in Structured Literacy seven years ago when she attended Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator training. She is always interested in learning about ways to unravel Scarborough's Reading Rope through research and best practice! She enjoys learning and creating with like-minded educators.

Deanne Gallo-Hounsell
Deanne Gallo-Hounsell is the Director of Early Learning and the Transitional KindergartenTeacher at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School in Rabun Gap, Georgia. Mrs. Gallo-Hounsell has over fifteen years of teaching experience and has taught in both mixed-aged and traditional classrooms. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Barry University, where she studied and trained in both traditional and Montessori education. Ms. Gallo-Hounsell earned her Master's Degree in Reading Science and Dyslexia Certificate from Mount St. Joseph University.

Before joining the Rabun Gap faculty in 2016, Ms. Gallo-Hounsell worked as an administrator and teacher at Great Oaks Montessori School and was the co-owner and teacher at Meadowlark School, both of which were located in Rabun County, GA. She resides in Lakemont, GA, with her husband, John, and two boys. When not teaching, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Payton Gooch
Payton has taught Second Graders in Blue Ridge, GA, for the past three years and currently serves as a Second Grade teacher at Rabun-Gap Nacoochee School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Augusta University and a Master of Science in Elementary Education from Kennesaw State University.  She also holds an endorsement in personalized learning.

Michelle Gorman
Michelle is currently teaching 4th grade at Davidson Day School, where she previously taught Junior Kindergarten as well. She is dedicated to working with students through coaching volleyball and introducing them to the wonders of outdoor education through a variety of different clubs and classroom lessons. She is passionate about outdoor learning and the benefits students gain from working outdoors. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the College of Saint Rose, in Albany, NY and is currently working on her Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. She is the proud parent of four wonderful boys who were the inspiration for many outdoor adventures.

Ronda Fernandez
Ronda graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy from Charleston Southern University. Since receiving her undergrad degree, she has studied Special Education at the University of Georgia and Instructional Technology online. She taught English as a Second Language in Uzbekistan for a school year. She worked with developmentally delayed preschoolers before coming to The Oakwood School. Since joining The Oakwood School she has taught Kindergarten, LS Spanish, and is currently the LS Music Teacher and provides Academic Technology Support to the whole school.

Emily Lugo
My name is Emily Lugo, and I am a 3rd grade teacher at Ravenscroft School. This is my second year at Ravenscroft, however, I have taught all grade levels, except for kindergarten, in Wake County and Durham Public Schools. I graduated from NC State with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education with a STEM concentration in May 2021. I am certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid, and it is a very important subject that I feel allows teachers to focus on the whole child. When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband and my dog, and reading lots of books! Currently, I am reading The Housemaid, by Frieda McFadden. I look forward to meeting you!

Yolanda McClure
A native of Durham, N.C., Yolanda is a passionate educator who believes that literacy can change lives. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She most recently earned her doctorate in education from Northeastern University. While working on her master’s, she served as the site coordinator of a Freedom School at Davidson College, where she led a team of teachers in their daily instruction of students in K-5th grades. Yolanda has a long and diverse career in education, working in both urban and rural communities with students of different ages and backgrounds, honing her ability to listen, analyze data, and center student learning.

Yolanda has served in numerous leadership roles including her current role as Director of Teaching and Learning at Forsyth Country Day where she leads Faculty and administrators in cultivating a student-centered experience grounded in research-based practices.

Jason Mundy
In almost 30 years of work in independent schools, Jason has been a teacher, dean of students and spent a decade as an upper school division director. He is the co-founder of the Colorado Diversity Network and serves on the boards of Student U and the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education. Jason is passionate about educational access and opportunity for all students and DEIJB work in independent school communities. Currently, he is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Engagement at Durham Academy.

Matt Piscitelli
Matt is a dedicated educator with a true passion for fostering connections with both students and parents. With years of classroom experience as an international teacher and currently in his fifth year at Trinity Episcopal School, he knows the power of providing a classroom environment where students are encouraged to express themselves, make choices, and take ownership of their education. One of Matt’s core teaching philosophies is that daily affirmations and reflections play a pivotal role in building positive, mindful, and metacognitive students. He understands the importance of nurturing not only academic growth but also emotional and social development. He encourages a growth mindset and supports students in understanding that errors are opportunities for growth and that Mistakes Allow Thinking to Happen (MATH.) He is excited to share with you his plan for paving the path for positive parent partnerships.

Carolyn Ronco
With over 30 years of experience in independent schools, Carolyn Ronco is in her 20^th year as Lower School Director at Durham Academy. Carolyn holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, a M.Ed. in Educational Administration and completed post graduate work at Vanderbilt University in Leadership and Policy. A professional focus for Carolyn has been creating a sense of belonging and happiness for students at school as this is the best way for children to reach their personal potential and to accept academic challenges with confidence. Carolyn has partnered with colleagues to incorporate important Diversity, Equity and Engagement initiatives across school curricula and programs in an effort to cultivate inclusion and well-being.

Michelle Rosen
Michelle has been the librarian at Durham Academy Preschool and Lower School for more than 20 years. Her passion is teaching even the youngest students to find the answer to their questions. Knowledge is power! She also enjoys learning about and working towards the creation of more socially just learning environments. She recently earned her doctorate in education from the University of South Carolina. Her research focused on the experience of Black students at predominantly white independent schools. At Durham Academy, she also serves as a curriculum consultant to the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Engagement team.

McKenzie Spivey

McKenzie is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a Master’s in Adapted Special Education and Reading Education.  She is a teacher at The Fletcher School, and is passionate about teaching students with learning disabilities.

McKenzie loves teaching and building positive relationships with her students.  She encourages not only herself but her students to think about their daily habits and how they can become 1% better every day by creating positive habits. By focusing on these impactful habits she provides her students and herself with a comfortable learning environment.