Meet the Staff

Valerie B. Schild, Ph.D., is the director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Curriculum and Leadership Development, affiliated with the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at North Carolina State University. (Dr. Schild is currently on leave and Susan Parry will be serving as the acting director of the Kenan Fellows Program during her absence.) The Kenan Fellows Program is an innovative model to promote teacher leadership, address teacher retention and advance K-12 science, technology and mathematics education. Public school teachers selected as Kenan Fellows participate in the prestigious fellowship while remaining active in the classroom.
Dr. Schild brings many years of experience leading innovative models to promote teacher effectiveness and leadership, school reform, community-based advocacy and curriculum and instruction initiatives. In previous leadership roles with Topics Education, RTI International and Wake Education Partnership, she has proven her ability to evaluate and implement educational reform programs with a specific emphasis on teacher professionalism and effective teaching, as well as strategies to assist a broad range of community groups addressing the needs of all students.
The winner of numerous awards and recognition for her leadership role in the education field, Dr. Schild has demonstrated success as the author or co-author of comprehensive publications, compiling and analyzing original data and reviewing existing literature. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from UNC- Chapel Hill. An adjunct professor in the College of Education at N.C. State University and a former elementary teacher and literacy specialist, Dr. Schild also possesses the practical and relevant background to lead efforts in teacher professional development.
e-mail: valerie_schild@ncsu.edu

Cynthia M. Malecha is the Assistant Director of  Finance and Event Administration for the Kenan Fellows Program.  Ms. Malecha holds an A.A. in accounting from Citrus College, Azusa, California, and a B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from the University of LaVerne, LaVerne, California. She received departmental honors for her senior project entitled "The Availability of Opportunities and the Sources of Success for Women in the Academy". She served on the Leadership Team of the Council on the Status of Women at NC State University, and chaired the 1999 professional development conference for women at NC State sponsored by the Council. She has also served as chair of Chancellor's unit Award for Excellence committee. Prior to joining the Kenan Institute in 1994, she served for fourteen years at the Claremont Colleges, Claremont, California leaving the position of Assistant to the Vice President and Treasurer of Pomona College.
e-mail: cmm@ncsu.edu

Susan Parry is the Acting Director for the Kenan Fellows Program. She is primarily responsible for building strategic alliances and securing resources for this elite Fellowship that targets outstanding K-12 public school teachers from across North Carolina. As an elected member of the Wake County Board of Education from 1999 to 2007 Ms. Parry was involved in efforts to guide and build public and corporate support for a large, high quality urban/suburban school system. She served as Vice Chair for two years and as the board’s Chair from 2003-2005. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Lawrence University and an M.S. in Education from the University of Utah. Ms. Parry formerly worked as Assistant Curator of Education for the New York Zoological Society. She has extensive experience as a volunteer in community and civic organizations in North Carolina.
e-mail: susan_parry@ncsu.edu

Lisa Hibler is the Assistant Director of Program Operations for the Kenan Fellows Program. She is responsible for the design and implementation of unique professional collaborations which will positively influence curriculum and teacher leaders. After graduating from Penn State University with a BS in Chemistry, Ms. Hibler began her career at IBM where she worked in both thick film and semiconductor development. Her desire to be involved in education grew as she spent time tutoring children in the local schools and ultimately led her to obtain a teaching certification through NCTeach. Ms. Hibler, a 2010 Kenan Fellow, spent the past 10 years teaching high school chemistry students. This non-traditional career pathway brings a unique perspective to the program.
e-mail: lisa_hibler@ncsu.edu

Matt Misuraca is the Regional Program Coordinator for the Kenan Fellows Program. He is currently responsible for managing Kenan Fellowships located in the area served by the Ft. Bragg Regional Alliance and collaborates with our partner institutions of higher education to help cultivate the next generation of successful STEM teachers in North Carolina. After graduating from Michigan State University with a BA in History, Mr. Misuraca spent several years teaching English and History before joining the Kenan Fellows Program.






e-mail: matt_misuraca@ncsu.edu

Shelley Sutton is the Administrative Support Associate for the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science. Ms. Sutton provides support for all members of the staff, systems and equipment. She is experienced and successful in sales and marketing, office administration, network support, accounting, budgeting, client/vendor relations, and small-business startup. Ms. Sutton began her career in Raleigh, NC working for Wakefield Development Company, the land development company known for neighborhoods such as Wakefield Plantation and Bedford at Falls River. After Wakefield, Ms. Sutton continued her professional career with HomeVestors in Colorado before returning to North Carolina.
e-mail: shelley_sutton@ncsu.edu