Professional Development Faculty

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership offers tailored professional development to its current cohort of Kenan Fellows. The Professional Development Faculty are all Kenan Fellows Program alumni who design and deliver high-quality professional development based on current trends in education, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, Project-Based Learning, digital learning, and proven teaching strategies.

Beth Campbell has over 20 years of experience as an educator, and has taught at the preschool, elementary, middle and high school levels. She is currently a CTE teacher at a public alternative school in Raleigh and she is a National Board Certified Teacher. Her 2016-17 Kenan Fellowship was part of a Students Discover NSTA Grant and she worked in the paleontology lab at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.

Alphonso Donaldson is a high school English teacher in his fifth year at Durham School of the Arts in Durham Public Schools. He is a 2019-2020 Kenan Fellow whose project focused on diversity and equity in teacher leadership. Mr. Donaldson’s commitment to equity in education has been critical to his professional development and his work in public schools to found equity teams for students and staff.   

Paul Cancellieri started his professional career as a marine biologist before recognizing a passion for teaching. He has spent over 20 years teaching middle school science, and working to improve assessment and grading in classrooms all over the state. He is co-author of the book “Creating a Culture of Feedback” and a 2011-2012 Kenan Fellow.

Shannon Bowman is a seasoned educator who has taught grades 3-8 and is passionate about meeting the needs of students through SEL and Restorative Justice approaches. Her fellowship project was titled Using Statistics to Solve Authentic Problems. Her mentor was Dr. David Banks, director of SAMSI.

Amanda Clapp teaches middle grades science at the Catamount School, Western Carolina University’s laboratory school. She is currently completing a second master’s in STEM Education at WCU, and is a 2021 recipient of the Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers.

Keith Burgess is a middle grades science teacher at Druid Hills Academy in Charlotte, NC. He balances his teaching responsibilities with his duties as a doctoral student at UNC-Charlotte. Keith has received numerous awards for his efforts in providing STEM opportunities to Charlotte students, including the Honeywell Distinguished Science Teacher Award and the Burroughs-Wellcome Career Award for Science and Math Teachers. He was a member of the 2019-2020 Kenan Fellowship cohort.

Dr. Jamie Lathan is a secondary social studies teacher who received his Ph.D. in Education from UNC-Chapel Hill. A National Board Certified teacher, he has worked with high school students of diverse abilities and backgrounds during his nearly 20-year career. He is a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow and currently serves as Dean of Distance Education and Extended Programs at the NC School of Science and Mathematics. 

Sheronica Braswell Sharp is a former middle grades math and social studies teacher.  She is currently a digital literacy coach in Wilson County Schools, and is a 2020 #IamCS Ambassador and a recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome PRISM grant. 

Karen McPherson has been teaching since 2003 and is currently Curriculum & Instructional Management Coordinator with Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools. She has received numerous awards including 2017-18 Teacher of the Year for Camden County High School and District Teacher of the Year for Camden County Schools.

Shane Barry is a science teacher in Wake County Public Schools. He has been teaching for 10 years, and in 2017 he was named Athens Drive Teacher of the Year. He has a degree in civil engineering from NC State, and he worked as a field engineer on the Pentagon Renovation project prior to becoming an educator.

Taylor Waters, a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow, is a 4th grade teacher at B.T. Bullock Elementary School in Lee County Schools. Her fellowship was supported by Fidelity Investments.

Tiffani Craig teaches physics and biology at Holly Springs High School in Wake County Public Schools. She is a SEED Fellow, a MARC Scholar, and serves as the advisor of her school’s Aerospace & Engineering Club for students.

Christie Frederick has been teaching for over 17 years and currently teaches Earth and Environmental Science at Charles B Aycock High School in Wayne County. As a 2019-20 Kenan Fellow she partnered with the NC Farm Bureau and NC Pork to create North Carolina’s first Pork AG Mag for AG in the classroom.