NCAE Vice President

Amanda Johnson-Anthony - Forsyth

Barbara Brown Thorpe - Nash

Brian Link - Chapel Hill - Carrboro

Creath Brown - Asheboro City

Deborah Oliver - Cumberland

Diana Powell - Halifax

Dione Teachey - Sampson Clinton

Erin Neal - Durham

Joanna Brown - Onslow

Kiera Williams - Durham

Kisha Danielle Jones - Guilford

Lakesia Register - Durham

Latoya Lee - Edgecombe

Lee Mitchell - Guilford

Lori Farrington - Forsyth

As a veteran North Carolina educator and a 30-year NCAE member, I know exactly what our leadership must look like to achieve a true shift in power. I am running for Vice President of NCAE because our educators do not just need promises—we deserve the institutional respect and political leverage that we have rightfully earned.

My commitment to this fight is in my DNA. Raised in a union family, I was politically steeped in the power of worker voice and collective action from a young age. As the child of educators and the proud mother of public-school graduates, my dedication to this movement has never wavered. I hold an unshakeable belief that our communities possess the wealth and resources to provide exactly what our people need. To unlock that potential, we must build a fiercely organized, and proactive union that refuses to accept less from lawmakers.

As your Vice President, I will use my three decades of experience to deepen grassroots organizing, amplify diverse educator voices, and pressure decision-makers to respect our expertise. I will work alongside our members to build unbreakable coalitions with parents and community allies. Together, we will shift the power structure in North Carolina, secure full funding for our schools, and demand the working and learning conditions our educators and students deserve.

I have spent my entire life in our public schools. I am ready to bring that intentional, extensive dedication to our NCAE statewide leadership. I humbly ask for your vote.

Lucian Majors - Wake

Malissa Bailey - Chapel Hill - Carrboro

Melissa Smith - Durham

Michael Leyland - Craven

Michele Joyner-Dinwiddie - Wake

Throughout my career, I have witnessed firsthand the profound challenges our public schools face—from underfunded classrooms and legislative overreach to the growing pressures placed on our educators, specialized staff, and support personnel daily. But I have also seen the unmatched power of our collective voice when we stand united.

As an active practitioner in the classroom, I live our everyday reality. I know what it takes to support our students, advocate for fair compensation, protect our pensions, and demand the respect and working conditions our profession deserves. My three decades of experience have given me the deep-rooted knowledge, resilience, and vision needed to lead our union forward.

If elected Vice President, I promise to:

• Amplify your voice in every decision, ensuring educators from every county are heard.

• Fight relentlessly for fully funded public schools, competitive salaries, and manageable workloads.

• Strengthen our union through organizing, mentorship, and coalition-building across the state.

Our public schools are the heart of North Carolina's future, and our union is the force that protects them. Together, we can build a stronger, more united NCAE that wins for our members, our students, and our communities.

I humbly ask for your vote for NCAE Vice President.

Reilly Finnegan - Durham

My name is Reilly Finnegan. I’m a lifelong North Carolinian, Guilford County Schools graduate, teacher, soccer coach, and union organizer. I’m once again running for NCAE Vice President alongside my running mate, President Christina Cole.

Last spring, we ran on a platform developed with dozens of union leaders across our state, centered on Unionizing, Defending, and Transforming our union, public schools, state, and beyond.

Our campaign was rooted in urgency and hope. If NCAE doesn’t commit to and execute a strategic plan, local by local, we risk losing our public schools. No one else has our potential to defend public education and fight for our students. The next three years are our best opportunity to turn the tide against privatization. We must strengthen our organizing and build the power to win.

I’m running again so Christina and I can return to the work we were elected to do: revitalizing member democracy, developing a collective plan to grow and win by 2030, rebuilding our locals’ power to mobilize thousands, and flipping our General Assembly to secure the schools and future our students deserve.

Rosalind Hayes - Wake

Rosalyn Alston - Nash

Sarah Ann Brown - Alamance Burlington

Shirley Lee - Sampson Clinton

Tammy Padgett - Forsyth

Tomika Freeman - Durham

Victor Nyaribo - Edgecombe

ESP At-Large Director

Jocelyn Murchison - Harnett

I am running for NCAE ESP-at-Large because I believe every Education Support Professional deserves to be heard, respected, valued, and represented. With 37 years of experience in education and a history of leadership as a past state ESP president, local association president, vice president, and treasurer, I understand the challenges ESPs face and the importance of strong advocacy.

Throughout my career, I have worked to elevate the voices of ESPs, strengthen our professional standing, and ensure our contributions to student success and school communities are recognized. I have been instrumental in advocating for the ESP Bill of Rights and promoting fair wages, benefits, working conditions, job security, and equitable treatment for all ESPs.

As your ESP-at-Large representative, I will bring experience, dedication, transparency, and a commitment to listening to members across North Carolina. I believe leadership is about service, collaboration, and making sure every voice matters, regardless of job classification or location.

My goal is to help build a stronger NCAE where ESPs are not simply included but are respected as essential partners in education. Together, we can continue to advocate for our rights, strengthen our union, and create meaningful  change for the professionals who help our schools succeed every day.

Alexander Ducoste - Durham

Tonya Bunch - Beaufort

Tanika Atwater - Wake

Kayi Mensah - Wake

REGION 1B Director

Deanna Minetola - Burke

My name is Deanna Minetola, and I am running for the NCAE 1B Board of Directors. As an educator with 28 years of experience, I bring a proven record of leadership, advocacy, and service to this position.

I have served in a variety of leadership roles at both the local and state levels. I served as a building representative, treasurer, vice president, and president locally. I served on the credentials committee and the government relations commission statewide. I gained experience in advocating for educators and strengthening our union.

I taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, an assistant principal, and as a substitute school bus driver ensuring students get home safely. These experiences allow me to understand the challenges faced by educators and staff across different roles and settings. Each strengthens my commitment to member support, resources, and advocacy needed to build successful and rewarding careers.

I am passionate about building a stronger NCAE and ensuring that members remain at the center of everything we do. Listening to educators, understanding concerns, and turning concerns into meaningful advocacy must remain a top priority for our union.

If elected to the 1B Board of Directors, my goal will be to be a strong, accessible voice for the rural districts in our region. Our members deserve representation that understands the challenges they face and is willing to stand for those needs. I bring experience, dedication, and commitment to the board and work to ensure the voices of rural districts are heard.

REGION 5 Director

Michele Joyner-Dinwiddie - Wake

Lindsey Ramsey - Vance

Ashley Tabron - Wake

My name is Ashley Tabron, and I am an English and yearbook teacher at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh. I am running to be your next NCAE Region 5 Director. I am proud to stand with you in your public school staff union, and I hope to expand my service to the Board of Directors.

I have been a public school teacher since 2010, and while my love for the classroom has remained, many of our students’ rights have been revoked, and our benefits have become almost nonexistent. Many of your coworkers across the region and state are working two jobs to keep up with the cost of living. This summer I had the transformative opportunity to become a Summer Member Organizer, and it has solidified for me that we need to raise our voices during these critical moments. I knocked on hundreds of doors and talked to your coworkers to hear how they were affected by the crisis in public education. I also heard how our students across the state are suffering because of the increasingly unsuitable conditions.

Each story moved and inspired me to continue to fight with you to grow your union so that we can come together to save public schools. I believe in our plan to win in Region 5, and I want to help each school and local in your region reach that goal. Vote Ashley Tabron for NCAE Region 5 Director so we can grow our union and save public schools together.

Sharita Jones - Vance

I seek the opportunity to serve again on the NCAE Board as a representative for Region 5. Having previously served on the Board, I understand the importance of listening to our members, advocating for their needs, and ensuring their voices are represented in the decisions that impact our profession.

Throughout my career in public education, I have served as a classroom teacher, instructional leader, assistant principal, and association leader. These experiences have allowed me to see public education from multiple perspectives while strengthening my commitment to advocating for educators and students.

As President of the Vance County Association of Educators and during my previous service on the NCAE Board, I have worked alongside members to identify their needs, address concerns, increase engagement, and strengthen our collective voice. I believe our work must always remain centered on the people we represent.

If elected to the vacant Region 5 Board seat, I will bring both experience and a continued willingness to listen, learn, and work. I want our members to know they have a representative who is accessible, responsive, and committed to ensuring Region 5 has a strong voice within NCAE.

I believe in the power of collective action and in what we can accomplish when we work together. It would be an honor to serve Region 5 again and continue advocating for our members, our profession, and strong public schools across North Carolina.

Leanne Bissette - Wake

Region 7A Director

Lillian White - Nash

Hillary Mulunda Aywa - Edgecombe

Marcia Moyd - Edgecombe