NC CASE BOARD MEMBERS

Kristin M. Bell

Immediate Past President, NCCASE

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

Executive Director, Exceptional Children’s Department

Durham Public Schools

Region 3

Years in Education: 27 years

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 Dr. Bell began her career as a special education teacher in Indiana. She also served as a coordinator for special education programs at the elementary, middle and high school levels in Indiana and in North Carolina. Dr. Bell worked at The Hill Center in Durham, NC as a teacher/Director of Studies and then as an Outreach Coordinator who developed and provided professional learning for educators in NC and abroad. Dr. Bell’s current role is as the Executive Director for Exceptional Children with Durham Public Schools, where she has led the department since 2010.  She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University, a master’s in Special Education from Ball State University, a master’s in School Administration from Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, and her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from North Carolina State University.

Sandra Albert

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

NCCASE Professional Development Committee

Mooresville Graded School District

Executive Director of Student Services & Exceptional Children’s Programs

Region 6

• Innovative and collaborative educational professional with over 25 years of experience providing comprehensive educational programming for a diverse population of students.  

• Throughout my career I have worked closely with teachers, administrators, parents and related service providers to provide high quality specialized instruction to students with disabilities 

•  Work with a student services (school counselors, social workers, and nurses ) team to provide  services for all at-risk students

Previous Experience includes: 

• Director of Exceptional Children: 2015 to 2017, Rowan Salisbury Schools System

• Director of Exceptional Children: 2012-2015, Mooresville Graded School District

• EC Program Coordinator/Specialist: 2007-2012, Mooresville Graded School District

• Principal, Coordinator, Program Specialist 1997-2007, Southeastern Cooperative Educational Program (SECEP), Norfolk VA

• Foster Care Social Worker: 1990-1997 New York Foundling Hospital, NY

I hold the following degrees: Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Licensure add-on Curriculum Instructional Specialist, an MS.Ed in Special Education & a BS in Psychology

Stacie Levi

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

NCCASE Membership Committee

Director, Exceptional Children Administrative Services

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Region 6

Years in Education:  32

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I began teaching at five years old, when my dad built a chalkboard that hung in our garage.  I taught my imaginary students all the time.  Even then, my students had special needs.  When I grew up, I earned the following degrees, so I could legitimately teach and support students with special needs: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, BA, SPECIAL EDUCATION, MED and a SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR, CERTIFICATE EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY.

I have spent my entire 32 years in Special Education in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  I have taught a cross categorical self-contained class and served as a Resource teacher.  After eleven years in the classroom, I supported schools with compliance from the district level.  From there, I became the Instructional Program Specialist for Middle Schools and then the Program Specialist for Compliance.  It has been my pleasure to serve as the EC Director for Administrative Services for the past seven years. 

Mike Marcela, Ed.D.

NCCASE Past President

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

NCCASE Conference Committee

Exceptional Children Program Director   Watauga County Schools

Region 7

Years in Education: 34.5

Education:

1. BA from Wake Forest University in Psychology and Elementary Education (1984)

2. MA from Appalachian State University in Special Education (1988)

3. Ed.D. from Virginia Tech in Administration and Supervision of Special Education and Public School Administration (1996)

Work History:

1.  Special Education teacher for 10 years (1984-1996):  Three years as In-school suspension

teacher at an all special education high school in Winston-Salem, Two years as a self-contained IDMO teacher in at Patrick County High School, Patrick County, Virginia and five years as a self-contained cross categorical classroom teacher at Tharrington Elementary School in Mt. Airy, NC.

1. Graduate Assistant at Virginia Tech (1995-1996)

2. Exceptional Children Program Director for Wilkes County Schools, Wilkesboro, NC from 1996-

December 2003

1. Accountability Specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, NC from January 2004

to July, 2012.In charge of compliance, parent complaints, state complaints, mediations and due process.

1. Exceptional Children Program Director for Watauga County Schools, Boone, NC from July 2012

-present.

NCCASE:

1. President Elect: 2014-15

2. President: 2015-2018

3. Immediate Past President: 2018-current

Julie (Askew) Varnam

NCCASE President

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services

New Hanover County Schools

Years in Education:     22

Region 2

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• Currently serving as Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services which includes Special Education and Related Services

• Member of Board of Directors for NC Association of School Administrators (NCASA)

• Previous Executive Director for Special Education and Related Services in New Hanover County Schools

• Prior to New Hanover County Schools, served as Director for Exceptional Children and Student Support in Pender County Schools

• Following teaching (students with emotional and learning disabilities), served as district behavior specialist, safe schools coordinator, and high school assistant principal before taking on the director role. 

• K-12 licensed in EC-Behaviorally/Emotionally Handicapped, School Administration, Program Administrator Special Education

Teresa Owens

NCCASE Treasurer

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

NCCASE Higher Education Representative

Clinical Instructor, Specialized Curriculum High Point University

Years in Education: 40

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I earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Special Education from Appalachian State University.

I began my career in Lexington, NC as a teacher of preschool students with disabilities.  I was employed by High Point City Schools and Guilford County Schools as a special educator at Ferndale Middle and Northwood Elementary Schools. During the years I worked in the classroom, I was selected as Outstanding Young Educator by the High Point Jaycees, Educator of the Year by the ARC of High Point and Teacher of the Year by Northwood Elementary School.

I moved from the classroom into a supervisory position as a Program Facilitator for Exceptional Children Services and then a Program Administrator for Special Education Services.  From 2005 through 2013 I served as Coordinator for Exceptional Children Services in Guilford County Schools.  In this capacity I was responsible for the development and support of short and long-range goals and objectives for the improvement of system wide instruction for students with disabilities.  

I served as an Ex-officio member of the Exceptional Children’s Parent Advisory Committee, with Guilford County Schools from 2005 – 2013.  I served on multiple project teams for the Guilford County School district including PACE (Personalized Achievement, Curriculum and Environment), School Reform, and BAT (Building Advisory Team) for Haynes-Inman Education Center, CJ Greene Education Center, Herbin-Metz Education Center and the Allen Jay Preparatory Academy.

After serving students with disabilities and their families for 34 years as a teacher and an administrator for special education services, I retired from Guilford County Schools in August of 2013 and joined the Stout School of Education at High Point University as a Clinical Instructor.   I am also the  faculty advisor for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Student Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). I also serve on the Board of The Piedmont School in High Point as a member of the Trustee Committee.

Glenda Starr

NCCASE Secretary

NCCASE Executive Committee

NCCASE Full Board of Directors

Director of Exceptional Children Programs

McDowell County Schools

Region 7

Years in Education: 37 years

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Glenda is the Exceptional Children Programs director for McDowell County Schools. She has been in this position since the spring of 2011. Glenda received her Bachelor of Science in Special Education, Cross Categorical and her Master of School Administration from Appalachian State University.
Prior to becoming the director, Glenda was an educational diagnostician and EC program specialist in McDowell. Before working in the EC office, she taught public school for 19 years. Her teaching experience in special education includes middle school, preschool and elementary where she received the honor of being named teacher of the year.
Glenda is a member of the Council of Administrators of Special Education, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the Autism Society. Glenda has represented region 7 on the Director’s Advisory Council 2013-2015, as well as serving on several state stakeholder committees.
Glenda is a resident of Marion, North Carolina living in the North Cove community.

She loves family, children, music and special education.