Paul Zanowski, Head of School

Paul Zanowski, Head of School

BA, International Relations, University of Pennsylvania
MPA, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Paul joined the Woodlawn family in July 2019. Prior to that he served as Head of School at Kenston Forest School, in Virginia; Head of Upper School at Ranney School, in New Jersey; Dean of Students as Greensboro Day School, in North Carolina; History teacher and Development Associate at Westchester Country Day School, in North Carolina, and as Middle School Head, Teacher and Admissions Director at his alma mater, Lancaster Country Day School, in Pennsylvania. Paul also spent ten years working in international media, marketing and publishing, including several years living and working in Asia.

Paul lives in Mooresville with his wife, Cathy, an Occupational Therapist, and their rescue dog, Wrigley. Paul and Cathy have two children, Nick, age thirty, and Katie, twenty-eight.
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Marissa Guerra, Administrative Assistant to the Head of School, Front Office Reception

Marissa Guerra, Administrative Assistant to the Head of School, Front Office Reception

The first voice many hear, Marissa has been with Woodlawn School since 2019. She started her career working with The Walt Disney Company including a tenure abroad in Japan. After returning to the states Marissa worked and volunteered in the non-profit sector until moving to North in Carolina in 2016. Marissa and her husband Ric have three grown children, and a sweet Boston Terrior named Summer. Outside of school you can find her enjoying time with friends and family, boating on Lake Norman or out to eat (since she is a foodie)! Marissa also loves to travel but Lake Norman is her favorite community and forever home.

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Holly Honeycutt, Head of Lower and Middle School, School Psychologist and Counselor

Holly Honeycutt, Head of Lower and Middle School, School Psychologist and Counselor

Specialist Degree in School Psychology, Winthrop University
M.A. in Counseling with a Certification of Specialization in School Counseling (SSP), University of North Carolina, Charlotte
B.A. Political Science, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Holly is a nationally certified school psychologist (NCSP), a NC licensed school psychologist, and a NC certified school counselor. She has been at Woodlawn School since 2015 after working in the Iredell-Statesville and CMS school systems for nine years. She lives in Statesville with her husband and three sons.

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Katie Brewer, Assistant Head of Upper School, Director of College Counseling

Katie Brewer, Assistant Head of Upper School, Director of College Counseling

B.A. Communication, Wake Forest University

Prior to joining Woodlawn in 2018, Katie spent the previous 21 years in higher education including work in administration, admissions, program policy organization, and academic advising. After working for various schools throughout the country -- Wake Forest University, The University of Texas at Austin, Saint Louis University, Loyola University Chicago, and DePauw University -- as well as for the Advanced Placement Program, she returned to North Carolina in 2016 to serve as the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment at Salem College, the oldest continuously operating educational institution for women and girls in the country.

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Judi North, Director of Advancement

Judi North, Director of Advancement

B.S. in Psychology/Human Development from Rivier University
M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy from Bay Path University

Judi joined Woodlawn in 2020. Her background includes extensive work in the nonprofit sector, primarily in private education, for over 20 years. Her nonprofit education expertise is complimented by ten years of work in marketing-communications in the public sector. She lives in Charlotte with her husband, Greg, daughter, Jesse, class of 2022, and their dogs, Brixton London and Dakota MeMe. In her spare time, Judi enjoys knitting, sewing, baking, shaker basketmaking, camping and spending quiet time with her family.

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Kari McCormick, Assistant Director of Advancement

Kari McCormick, Assistant Director of Advancement

B.A. Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Clemson University

Kari began her career in the education field working with students in grades 2 Working at Woodlawn since 2018, Kari began her career in the education field working with students in grades 2 through 5. During her education career she not only worked with students, but she also served as Grade Level Head, Drama Coach, Cheerleading Coach, and leader of the School Improvement Council. In 2014 Kari launched her own business, Bella K, where she was responsible for design, training, business and personnel management, public relations, financial management, sales and merchandising and marketing. She currently resides in Huntersville, with her son Cole, class of 2030.

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Patty Armstrong, Director of Finance

Patty Armstrong, Director of Finance

M.S. in Mathematics from Indiana State University
B.S. in Mathematics/Computer Science from Indiana State University (magna cum laude)

A part of the Woodlawn staff and faculty since 2002. Patty taught middle and upper school math courses at Woodlawn before moving into the Finance Department. In addition to ten years of teaching at the university and high school levels, Patty worked for thirteen-years as an IBM programmer and as a systems engineer on the Executive Agencies (White House) account team in Washington DC. A reading buff, hiker, and traveler, Patty lives in Davidson with her husband Fred. They have three grown children.

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Paul Capodanno, Director of Athletics, Summer Camp Coordinator

Paul Capodanno, Director of Athletics, Summer Camp Coordinator

Becker College, Sports Administration

Paul, known at Coach Cap here at Woodlawn, has leadership experience in program development and management at YMCA’s, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Physical Education departments in public and independent schools. He played college basketball at the Division III level and he has coached boys’ and girls’ basketball and tennis at the Varsity and JV levels at schools including Cape Fear Academy and The John Carroll School. He has extensive experience coaching Amateur Athletic Union basketball teams and has also led teams to compete successfully at the national level. Over the years, twenty of his players have progressed to play at the Division I college level, and dozens more have enjoyed competing at the D II and D III level.

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Craig Cummings, Director of Facilities

Craig Cummings, Director of Facilities

Craig joined the Woodlawn family in 2010, bringing a wealth of experience in facilities oversight and organizational management. His experience and knowledge directing our Facilities and Maintenance of the school is unsurpassed. He lives locally with his family.

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Ann Marie Reiner, School Nurse

Ann Marie Reiner, School Nurse

B.S. in Biology, East Stroudsburg University - East Stroudsburg, PA
Mercy School of Nursing - CMC, Charlotte, NC

A registered nurse with 11 years of experience working with Atrium Medical Center and Novant Health Medical Center, Anne Marie joined Woodlawn in 2015. She has a P.A. from the Mercy School of Nursing and a B.S. in Biology from East Stroudsburg University. Ann Marie is a member of the North Carolina Perinatal Association and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Her certifications include basic life support, advanced cardiac life support, and neonatal resuscitation. An avid cook and traveler, Ann Marie and her husband reside in Huntersville with their daughter, Analiese, Class of 2025.

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David Barringer, Middle and Upper School Language Arts

David Barringer, Middle and Upper School Language Arts

David earned a B.A. in English from University of Michigan, and a J.D. from University of Michigan Law School. He joined Woodlawn in 2013 and enjoys teaches Language Arts. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor in Writing and Design at the Maryland Institute College of Art. David has written novels, story collections, and books on design culture and the future of the legal services. As a teacher, David wears many hats and speaks in many voices. He and his family live in Davidson. His daughter, Serena, is a Woodlawn Alumna ‘13.

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Jayne Carlisle, Upper School Science

Jayne Carlisle, Upper School Science

Ms. Carlisle graduated from App State with a B.S. in Biology/Environmental Ecology and joined the Woodlawn family in 2019 to share her passion for science with our students. Ms. Carlisle was a Texas Teaching Fellow and taught high school AP Chemistry in Austin, TX for five years before creating and coordinating the STEM curriculum for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego. Originally from Gastonia, NC she returned east to live closer to her family. When she is not working with young people, Ms. Carlisle enjoys hiking, doing improv, and listening to music.

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Lynn Carlson, Co-Teacher, Grade Two

Lynn Carlson, Co-Teacher, Grade Two

Lynn brings to our team twenty years of superb experience in the Mooresville Graded School District, where she was a lead teacher in their 2nd grade for twelve years, followed by eight years as their K – 3 Specialist for enrichment and advancement. She lives in Mooresville with her husband and three children.

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Cathy Denham, Middle School Science, Master Gardener

Cathy Denham, Middle School Science, Master Gardener

M.Ed. in Education from Queens University
B.A. in German from Davidson College

Cathy heads the K-6 Science Lab and Gardening program for Woodlawn School. Since joining the faculty in 2004, Cathy has been the driving force behind transforming our garden plots into a wildlife habitat, as well as an outdoor science classroom. To no surprise, she loves the outdoors, including hiking, birdwatching, and gardening. She resides in Davidson with her husband and two children.

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Kyle Dill, Middle School Social Studies

Kyle Dill, Middle School Social Studies

Kyle joined the Woodlawn family in 2019 as our Life Skills coach. This year, he has transitioned to lead our Social Studies program for our Middle School. Kyle majored in History at Davidson College before earning a Masters’ degree in Education from University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Prior to Woodlawn, Kyle was the head football coach, and track and field sprinter coach at a local middle and high school. He played football his whole life, including playing at Rutgers University and Davidson College as a running back. Kyle delights in talking History. He is very passionate about the ways in which History and Social Studies can be vehicles by which our students learn how to learn, fostering that lifelong love of independent learning.

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Christian Eggleston, Upper School Science

Christian Eggleston, Upper School Science

Originally from North Georgia, Mr. “Egg” earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of North Georgia, Dahlonega. He started his career working with students through the Younglife organization. He has experience teaching upper school science including Physics, Biology, AP Biology, and AP Environmental Science, and has experience working in a pathology lab. Mr. Egg joined the Woodlawn family in 2019, and when not on campus, he enjoys spending time with his family and their dog Luna.

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Erin Gale, Ph.D., Upper School English

Erin Gale, Ph.D., Upper School English

Dr. Gale earned a B.A. in English and Spanish from the University of Virginia, a M.A. in Humanities from the University of Chicago, then earned her Ph.D. in English from the City University of New York Graduate Center. She began her career as a high school English and Spanish teacher in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she fell in love with teaching. Since that time, she directed a family literacy program for Spanish-speaking families in Chicago, taught middle school at the Catherine Cook School in Chicago, and, most recently, spent nine years as a college English professor at Queens College (CUNY) and Clemson University. Dr. Gale was thrilled to join the faculty at Woodlawn in 2016. As a passionate lifelong learner, Dr. Gale aims to nourish that tendency in her students as they follow the paths of their own ideas. She is an avid runner and dessert-eater. She resides in Davidson with her husband and two children.

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Hahna Hayden, Upper School Spanish

Hahna Hayden, Upper School Spanish

Known at Woodlawn as Profe, Hahna earned a B.A. in Spanish and a B.S. in Business Administration from Convers College. She is a member of the Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honors Society. Hahna spent her 11th grade year as a Rotary Club International foreign exchange student in Quito, Ecuador and played Division II NCAA Volleyball at Converse College. Before coming to Woodlawn in 2013, Hahna was a deputy sheriff in New Hanover County. She now resides in Statesville with her husband, her daughter Malena, and their two dogs.

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Shannon Hockswender, 4th/5th Grade Language Arts and Humanities

Shannon Hockswender, 4th/5th Grade Language Arts and Humanities

Shannon is dually certified in Elementary Education and Special Education (PK - 8th grade). She is also certified in the Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory reading methodology which focuses on developing phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in young readers. Before coming to Woodlawn, Shannon taught various grade levels (PK-5th grade) in North Carolina, New Jersey and New York. She has also served as a FIRST LEGO League Robotics Coach, Drama Club Producer and as a School Board Trustee. Shannon and her husband, Tom, live in Davidson with their two children Owen class of 2020 and Olivia, class of 2022.

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Layne Kennedy, Art Teacher

Layne Kennedy, Art Teacher

Layne has a lifelong passion for independent schools, growing up in a family of educators and graduating from Norfolk Collegiate School. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in History, Studio Art and Education from University of North Carolina Wilmington and advanced studies at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She brings four years of teaching experience, grades Pre-K through 4 in Wilmington, NC and Miami, FL. During her time in graduate school, she discovered new ways to incorporate her love of art and environmental sustainability into the classroom through project-based learning. During her undergraduate studies, Layne studied 3D art including ceramics, woodworking, and metalworking. When Layne is not teaching art, she enjoys coaching sailing lessons and being on the water.

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Kim Lysne, Middle and Upper School Art, Founding Teacher

Kim Lysne, Middle and Upper School Art, Founding Teacher

As a founding teacher, Kim joined Woodlawn in 2002 and has pioneered interdisciplinary teaching in the middle school. She has broad science and visual arts teaching degrees, Moorhead State University, a B.S. in Human Ecology/Design, University of Minnesota, and an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Kim co-authored an article published in NCTE’s English Journal and is the recipient of numerous grants from the arts and science council. She continually seeks opportunities to connect students with artists in the community. Kim is an avid traveler, having visited over 30 different countries and has led several student groups on international trips.

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Taylor Martin, Performing Arts Teacher

Taylor Martin, Performing Arts Teacher

Taylor is passionate about sharing her musical knowledge to inspire young musicians, singers, and artists. She specializes in voice instruction, music techniques and skill development, and even taught herself how to play guitar. Taylor is also a certified writing tutor and enjoys helping young writers cultivate their "own voice" and develop personal confidence in their written language skills. A graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a B.A. in Music Education, Taylor is an experienced performer in choirs, recitals, and musical theater. Her favorite musical experience was performing abroad in St. Pölten, Austria. In her free time, Taylor enjoys hiking, running, and anything involving fitness and the outdoors as well as writing and, of course, singing. Taylor resides in Mooresville, NC with her kitten Himalaya.

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Dawn Modrak, Lead Teacher, Grade Two

Dawn Modrak, Lead Teacher, Grade Two

Dawn earned a B.A. in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a dual teacher certification in Elementary and Special Education from the College of St. Elizabeth. Before coming to Woodlawn in 2011, Dawn taught various grade levels (TK-3rd grade) in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Hawaii. Dawn lives in Mooresville with her sons, Jake and Luke.

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Elizabeth Obando, Upper School History

Elizabeth Obando, Upper School History

Elizabeth earned a B.A. in Art History from Kenyon College, an M.A. in Literature from Florida International University, and an M.A.R. in Religion and the Visual Arts from Yale University. Prior to joining Woodlawn in 2015, she worked in independent schools in a variety of capacities, both in the United States and Nicaragua. She enjoys teaching the Woodlawn students and expanding their knowledge and understanding of History. She and her husband reside in Mooresville with their three children, Antonio, class of ‘27, Tiago, class of ‘28, Susana, class of ‘29, their two nephews, Luis and Moises, class of ‘23, and a growing assortment of animals.

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Wendy Orduna, Lower School Spanish

Wendy Orduna, Lower School Spanish

Wendy, a native of Mexico, brings several years of K - 5 teaching experience to us, as well as a diverse set of career experiences. She earned her B.A. in International Relations fron the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, and completed Praxis Spanish I: World Language. She spent time serving as a member of Mexico’s Diplomatic Corp, worked in corporate positions in the banking and travel industries, and is an active Spanish Tutor. In her spare time, Wendy loves spending time with her family, camping is one of her favorite things to do. She lives in Huntersville with her husband, three boys, and 2 dogs.

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Catherine Packard, Bridge Program Facilitator

Catherine Packard, Bridge Program Facilitator

Catherine earned a B.A. from Appalachian State University and joined Woodlawn in 2008. She considers Woodlawn her second home and wouldn't have it any other way. She lives in Davidson with her husband, John, and two children, Sam and Abbey.

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Deanna Robeano, Kindergarten Teacher

Deanna Robeano, Kindergarten Teacher

Deanna served as the Director of Early Childhood Education at Columbus Academy, Columbus, OH. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a passion for the same mission, vision, values, and approach to education we embrace at Woodlawn. Deanne and Rob live in Mooresville and have three daughters, Ava ’28, Mia ‘25, and Isabel ’22.

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Scott Roper, Third Grade Teacher

Scott Roper, Third Grade Teacher

Scott brings fourteen years of excellent experience teaching 3rd graders, including six years as a lead teacher and program developer for the International Baccalaureate curriculum. He comes to us from the Mooresville Graded School District, where developed and led district-wide training in Project-Based Learning and played lead roles in special committees focused on Math and School Improvement. We are delighted to welcome Scott to our Woodlawn family.

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Nicole Schoen, First Grade Teacher

Nicole Schoen, First Grade Teacher

Nicole, who joined us this summer, is in her 19th year of teaching. She earned an B.S. in Elementary Education from Kansas State University and a M.A. in Special Education from the University of Kansas. She has also had the honor of being Teacher of the Year in two different schools/districts. Nicole has demonstrated excellence in her passion for inquiry-based education, hands-on project-based learning, the principles, and values of the Responsive Classroom – all the key elements of the Woodlawn Way! Nicole and her husband, Kris, live in Mooresville and have three sons, Owen ’33, Ezra ’29, and Luka ‘27.

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Laurie Sepulveda, Middle and Upper School Spanish

Laurie Sepulveda, Middle and Upper School Spanish

Laurie graduated from Furman University with a B.A. in English/Spanish, then lived and worked for three years in Santiago, Chile, where she met her husband. Before joining the Woodlawn faculty in 2019, Laurie taught elementary and high school ESL and Spanish for three years in New Hampshire, where she continued her education at Plymouth State University earning a M.Ed. in Language Acquisition. Prior to teaching, Laurie was the marketing director for an opera company and an account executive in an advertising agency, among other roles. Laurie, her husband, and their two boys live in Davidson.

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Jennifer Stallings, Middle School Math

Jennifer Stallings, Middle School Math

Jennifer earned a B.S. in Mathematics from University of Notre Dame and advanced certifications in Montessori Teaching. Jennifer brings many years of extraordinary success teaching children of all ages, beginning with her tenure as a Math teacher in Florida, where, most notably, she distinguished herself as a Math teacher, grades 5 – 8, at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Over the course of her career, Jennifer has taught Early Childhood up through grade 8. She has demonstrated excellence and commitment in Project-Based Learning and the central elements of the Woodlawn Way such as the Responsive Classroom as a member of the faculty at three Montessori schools. Jennifer lives in Davidson with her daughter, Sawyer ’25.

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Bryan Stutzman, Upper School Math/Physics

Bryan Stutzman, Upper School Math/Physics

Fondly known as “Doc,” joined Woodlawn School in 2008. He earned a B.S. in Engineering/Economics from Duke University (summa cum laude), an M.S. in Engineering from Georgia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Georgia Tech. He spent 10 years teaching primarily math classes in elementary, middle, and high schools in Georgia, Mexico, and the Lake Norman area. He resides in Davidson with his two children Eli and Claire, class of ‘17.

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Heather Surgen, 4th/5th Math, Science & Technology

Heather Surgen, 4th/5th Math, Science & Technology

Masters Degree: Elementary Education K-6 from Appalachian State University
Bachelor of Science Degree: Early Childhood Education (Age 3- Grade 3), The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio
National Board Certified Teacher

Heather was the District Teacher of the Year for Mooresville Graded Schools. She helped lead her previous district in Project-Based Learning and Number Talks Professional Development. Heather’s love for Project - Based Learning and STEAM Learning is evident in her daily life. She comes with experience in STEAM and has presented her units at the state NC-Ties conference. Heather served as an innovative teacher while working with students as they became 1:1 on MacBooks and later 1:1 on I-pads. She is always interested and enthusiastic about her and her students’ journeys as lifelong learners. In order to help her students get excited, she will hold a Genius Hour in her 4th/5th Grade Math/Science classes. Heather and her husband Philip live in Kannapolis with their two children Beckett, class of 2032, and Kathleen.

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Dr. Gerardo Vazquez, Middle School Algebra

Dr. Gerardo Vazquez, Middle School Algebra

Gerardo, a native of Mexico, earned a Doctorate in Astrophysics from Mexico’s most prestigious STEM university, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, and its Instituto de Astronomia. He has also earned a M.S. in Astrophysics and a B.S. in Physics. Gerardo served on the faculty of Salisbury University, where he was prized for his innovative approach to helping students improve their skills in Algebra so that they could excel in their study of Physics and higher order sciences and math. Gerardo has also served on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University and been a researcher at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Gerardo and his son, Erik ’27, live in Davidson.

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Katie Verlin, Middle School Faculty Liaison; K – 8 Student Support Specialist

Katie Verlin, Middle School Faculty Liaison; K – 8 Student Support Specialist

Joining us in 2014, Katie received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Indiana University and is a National Board-Certified Teacher. She has developed curriculum and collaborated with other teachers at the local and national levels through fellowships with Charlotte Teacher’s Institute and the Yale National Institute. Katie is passionate about environmental sustainability and resides in Mooresville with her husband and their Thomas and daughter Grace.

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Christine Zammit, Academic Support for Kindergarten

Christine Zammit, Academic Support for Kindergarten

Christine joined the Woodlawn family in 2011. Before coming to Woodlawn, she worked for 5 years as a preschool teacher at St. Patrick's Preschool in Mooresville. Christine earned an A.A. in Communications from Nassau Community College and spent 15 years in the business world before transitioning to education.

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