ALP Team

Shannon Blair graduated from The University of South Carolina Honors College and pursued a career in teaching English, first at the secondary and then post-secondary level. After teaching for more than fifteen years as an English professor at Central Piedmont Community College, she embarked on a new career path during the pandemic as a freelance writer with a nutrition certification. During that time, while supporting her own children with remote schooling, she discovered the important work ALP was doing in the community and wanted to become involved. She began tutoring with ALP in 2021 and grew increasingly fascinated by and committed to literacy intervention. Shannon joined the ALP staff as a site coordinator in 2023 and is thrilled to support other tutors, new and experienced, in their efforts with aspiring young learners.

I have been an ALP tutor for five years. I am a wife, mother of three CMS elementary students, and native Charlottean. I enjoy cooking, gardening, and spending time outside with my family. I am invested in the future of our city and believe the kids who live here are our greatest asset. I am looking forward to the upcoming school year diving into a new learning community with tutors and scholars to help meet the literacy needs in our city.

bio coming soon!

Vernon Carr, Jr. graduated from Towson University with a BA in Sociology and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. He then spent 15 years in education as a Counselor Aide, College Advisor, Behavioral Specialist and Dean of Students. Vernon is grateful for the opportunity to serve under ALP and is excited to combine his educational background and passion for being a Servant Leader to help others overcome their educational challenges. Vernon lives in Charlotte with his wife and 3 children.

Kari Heyink joined ALP as a remote tutor in Fall 2020, transitioned to in-person tutoring for two years at Oakhurst STEAM and then became a Site Coordinator in August 2023.  She graduated with a BA in Elementary Education and went on to earn a Master of Arts with a Literacy Concentration, both from Michigan State University.  She holds a current teaching license and has ten years of elementary teaching experience.  She has been an active volunteer at her children’s schools and also serves on her neighborhood association board.  For the past six years she has been raising two young readers of her own.  But as a teacher she experienced firsthand the impact strong reading and literacy skills have on a child and is grateful for the opportunity to support CMS students, tutors and teachers through the ALP mission.  A Michigan native, she has called Charlotte home since 2007.  Kari lives in East Charlotte with her husband, two children and two Australian Shepherd dogs.  Her interests involve visiting family in Michigan and Ohio in the summer, tent camping and hiking all around North Carolina in the fall and spring and getting lost in a good book.

Charlotte McGhee, Student Success Coordinator, joined ALP in March 2025. Charlotte graduated with an MA in Spanish Literature from UNC Charlotte and a BA in Latin American Studies/Spanish from Elon University. After traveling throughout her 20’s in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, she settled down back in Charlotte close to her family and friends. She brings over 12 years of education experience (teaching English and Spanish) to ALP and is excited to continue working with elementary students and the amazing ALP volunteer tutors. In her spare time Charlotte enjoys hiking with her husband, Ryan and their rescue pup, Maya, or planning their next trip.

Philisha Orr, joined ALP as a tutor in January 2023. While being a Therapeutic Foster parent, she realized that many kids that came into her care were struggling readers and she wanted to continue to make a huge impact in their lives, not only by opening her home but also opening their minds to a world of possibilities while in her care. This led her to ALP while seeking out volunteer opportunities to learn how to teach reading skills to aspiring readers. The growth that she saw in her student while tutoring has made the biggest impact in wanting to get behind the ALP mission and help drive the organization forward. Philisha graduated from The University of Phoenix with a BS in Business Management. She is a true Charlottean and can be found at the Zmax Dragstrip (need for speed) or riding the trails after a rainy day (all things muddy) with her husband, 3 boys and a slew of bonus kids that call her Mom.

Leslie grew up in the Deep South in a house filled with books and kids. As an adult, she still lives in a house filled with books and kids! She has earned her Reading Recovery Certification, her BA from Montreat College, and her MA degrees from Princeton, Auburn, and East Carolina Universities. Leslie has taught public school children in Arctic Alaska, Vermont, and North Carolina for over 25 years, and sees joining ALP as the just-right place to now be of service. A few other facts about Leslie: She has the best spouse and kids in the world, but one of the worst cats. She would rather be around kids than most people of other ages. She is small and strong, likes to laugh, and loves family, music, sunshine, and a good story.

Sara Smith, a proud mom of two elementary school kids. I’ve had the joy of working with students from kindergarten through fifth grade, including those with special needs and behavioral challenges. Every child is unique, and I love helping them grow and learn in their own way. When I’m not working or cheering on my kids, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling whenever we get the chance.

Sandy Barnett joined the ALP Advancement team in July 2025.  For over 20 years she has served the Charlotte region in the non-profit sector with a special interest in building strong partnerships between funders and deliverable impact for the mission.  As a community volunteer, Sandy has served on the founding board of the Matthews Charter Academy, Town of Mint Hill Parks and Rec, Independence HS Academy of Engineering, co-founder of Independence HS lacrosse club and Carolina Crush Youth lacrosse program. She lives in Mint Hill with her husband Jay and has three adult children and one grandchild.

Grey Timberlake Brownlow is a native Charlottean, a graduate of Davidson College, and a former teacher with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. She most recently served as a third grade teacher at Selwyn Elementary, and she is also a former ALP tutor. Grey and her husband Robbie are parents to three young adult children. Grey is thankful for the opportunity to serve and make an impact on the community through ALP.

Judy Degernes joined ALP as a tutor in 2017. Tutor friends recommended Augustine to her and she felt an immediate connection with the work that was being done by ALP. She has a love of reading, and hopes to instill that love in young struggling readers. Judy has been involved in education for many years, as a volunteer and as a staff member. She was a Teaching Assistant at Providence Day School and also worked in the PDS Admissions Office for 6 years. She has lived in seven different states and is happy to call Charlotte home.

Kate Degernes joined ALP as a Site Coordinator in August of 2023. She has been involved in education for many years working in admissions for schools in New York and California. Kate is passionate about education equity and believes reading is the foundation of education. She is excited to join ALP and to help aspiring readers in the Charlotte community. Kate has a Bachelors degree from Drew University. A native New Yorker, she is happy to be a North Carolinian. Kate lives in South Charlotte with her husband and is raising two little southern girls. When not in carpool, she enjoys practicing yoga, doing crosswords, and baking.

Carolyn Drake began tutoring for ALP in 2022 and joined the training team soon after. Carolyn comes to ALP with 20 years of high school English teaching experience. She holds a Masters of Arts in teaching and is at the associate level in Orten Gillingham. She is excited to be part of an organization that is meeting the literacy needs of our children. Carolyn is from Albany, New York and has lived in Charlotte for 12 years. She, her husband and two daughters enjoy traveling, cheering for the Buffalo Bills and playing tennis together.

Kathy Graham began volunteering as a tutor with ALP in 2019 and joined the recruitment team in 2024. Kathy has a very active volunteer history with her church and her children’s schools. She has recruited and coordinated volunteers throughout the years for both. Kathy is a graduate of Appalachian State University – Go Mountaineers! She has a MA in Communication Disorders and worked as a Speech Language Pathologist for a CMS school as well as an adult rehabilitation center. She expanded her knowledge of reading development and instruction by completing the Orton-Gillingham training with the Institute of Multi-Sensory Education. Kathy strongly believes that reading and writing are essential communication skills. Her experience as an ALP reading tutor, Speech Language Pathologist, and avid volunteer drives her desire to recruit and train ALP tutors to impact the literacy development of more students in our community.

Juanita Green, Director of Partners and Growth, joined ALP in August 2023. She is mission-driven and comes with 10 years of nonprofit experience. Juanita is excited about sharing her love for reading with all children. In her spare time, you can find Juanita roaming around town in search of Art, good eats, and second-hand books.

Abby Gruber, Data Operations Lead, joined ALP in October of 2024. She is originally from Columbia, Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland, starting her career at a federal technology consulting company. She later transitioned to a role at the US Department of Agriculture as a supervisory statistician, managing a team of data analysts and statisticians within the Food Safety and Inspection Service. She is extremely excited to be part of the mission and vision of ALP, and to enter the nonprofit world. She is a mom of two boys and enjoys CrossFit, reading, and exploring Charlotte with her husband, Joe.

Steve Hall is an action-oriented leader with deep roots in the Charlotte non-profit community and a steadfast commitment to educational equity. He first partnered with ALP while serving as Head of School at Brookstone Schools, later joining ALP’s Finance Committee to help guide strategic growth and sustainability. In 2022, Steve officially joined the ALP staff, bringing with him a unique blend of business acumen, systems thinking, and a heart for children.

With an engineering background and a career grounded in process excellence, Steve leverages his expertise to build and optimize systems that help ALP maximize its impact. His leadership is informed by both professional and personal experience—since 2009, he has served as a therapeutic foster parent with Thompson Child and Family Focus and has also served on their Board of Directors.

Coming from a family of educators, Steve is especially passionate about ensuring that all children become functional, confident readers. He is driven by the belief that literacy opens doors to opportunity and is foundational to lifelong success.

Steve’s dedication to education is shared by his family: his wife is a National Board Certified teacher in Literacy, his daughter teaches middle school English, and his son works full-time for an education-focused community center in Raleigh. The Hall family has called Charlotte home since 1995.

Jess Heath, Communications Specialist, joined ALP in May 2012. She spends her time managing ALP’s social media accounts & communications and preparing for special projects & events. Jess loves working for ALP; she says, “Everyone at ALP, the staff, board and tutors, are such an inspiration. It is amazing to see the amount of dedication they selflessly devote to the students they work with.” With two little readers at home, Jess knows the importance of reading and is honored to be a part of ALP’s mission to assist struggling readers that might otherwise not receive the help they need.

Shellie Hubbard is a Charlotte native and graduate from N.C. State University where she earned a B.S. in Elementary Education. Shellie is very passionate about children’s education and wrapped up her seventh year of teaching this past June. She has worked with ALP Tutors as a teacher and saw the wonderful things they did for her students’ progress and confidence. Shellie is excited to be a part of the ALP team where she can support children’s learning in a different way!

Amy is excited to bring her passion for literacy to the ALP community. She has worked in elementary education since 1994, focusing on early childhood literacy since 2000. Amy specializes in interventions, phonics, and developing strategies to support student success. A proud graduate of Western Carolina University, she is dedicated to helping young learners thrive.  She and her husband have recently relocated to North Georgia to be more centrally located to family, including their four grown children.

Bio coming soon!

Martha Overaker, Director of Advancement at ALP, brings over 15 years of experience in event management and nonprofit leadership. Most recently, she served as Director of Volunteers, Charity, and Events for the Wells Fargo Championship, a signature PGA TOUR event. Her expertise spans strategic planning, volunteer management, and community engagement, highlighted by impactful initiatives like the “Reading Champs” literacy program and overseeing nearly $6M in annual charitable contributions.

Originally from Knoxville, Martha moved to Charlotte on a golf scholarship and holds a B.A. in Corporate Communication from Queens University of Charlotte. She is passionate about volunteering, with active involvement in organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Carolina Breast Friends. She also enjoys reading, playing golf with her husband Jeremy and two daughters, Olivia and Lillian, and taking walks with her rescue Labrador, Mills.

A Pennsylvania native, Renae came to Charlotte for college and never left! She attended UNC Charlotte where she graduated with a B.S in Elementary Education and a M.ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching English as a Second Language. She taught for almost 10 years in both public and charter Title I elementary schools. She also worked for Caterpillar Ministries along the way as an ESL Teacher, Program Coordinator, and Tutoring Director. After piloting ALP’s first curriculum with Caterpillar students, she was honored to join the ALP staff on their newest endeavor. She is so grateful to be able to combine her educational background and her passion for helping others who are overcoming challenges. She lives in Huntersville with her husband and young daughter.

LaShonna Smith joined ALP in November 2022.  She comes with over 16 years experience in education. With teaching experience at the elementary, middle and high school levels, she set out on a mission to impact more children educationally by joining the ALP team. She is excited to use her knowledge, passion, leadership skills to help meet the needs of aspiring readers in the Charlotte community and beyond.

LaShonna has a Masters degree from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelors degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She resides in the Charlotte Metro area with her husband and three boys.

Caroline Walsh, comes to ALP with over eleven years of elementary education experience. Most recently, Caroline taught at Trinity Episcopal School in Charlotte as well as in other schools in Pennsylvania, New York, Arizona and North Carolina. She holds her Masters in Teaching and is Orton-Gillingham certified. Caroline attended both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University but is a loyal Tar Heel fan. Caroline is a native Charlottean and enjoys traveling, working out, and and spending time with her husband, John, her daughter, Liza, and her Golden Retriever, Archie.