Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith has been working in education for over 20 years. In 2014, she earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership. She has worked and gained expertise in a variety of roles, including as a teacher, mentor, new teacher coach, administrator and, most recently, as the Director of Board Policy and Operations for the North Carolina State Board of Education. Prior to that role, Dr. Townsend-Smith served as the assistant director in the NC Office of Charter Schools. Deanna has a passion for education and has dedicated her life’s work to the field. Most of her career has been spent in North Carolina, where she resides with her husband and son. In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, reading, and traveling.

In her capacity as Senior Director, Dr. Townsend-Smith advances and expands the current programmatic and policy efforts of the Flood Center in an effort to achieve its mission of addressing issues of systemic racism by advocating for structural changes in policy and practice to build an equitable education system that meets the social, emotional, and academic needs of NC’s diverse student population.

Ashley is the Associate Director for the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity at the Public School Forum of North Carolina. In this position, Ashley guides policy and research priorities related to racial equity, manages the Flood Center Fellowship program, and oversees the programmatic efforts of the Flood Center. Her current research has centered around strengthening the teacher pipeline, focusing on understanding the barriers within licensure policies and requirements that prevent candidates, especially those from diverse backgrounds, from entering the teaching workforce within North Carolina. Ashley is also a member of the Governor’s DRIVE Task Force, charged with creating a plan of action to increase racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity within North Carolina’s educator workforce.

Before moving to the Triangle, Ashley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University. After college, she gained a passion for education and racial equity through influential experiences such as facilitating social justice workshops for students as an Americorps member in Memphis, TN, and collaborating with community members to promote the academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral well-being of students as a Program Coordinator at Big Brothers Big Sisters.

To continue making strides in social justice, Ashley completed a dual Masters’ degree in Social Work and Public Administration at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Her focus on understanding and addressing systemic issues surrounding race, organizational culture, and practices has been a consistent motivator and has validated the work she does at the Public School Forum of North Carolina. Ashley recognizes the disparities and inequities within education and nonprofit leadership and as a native of High Point, NC, she has a strong passion for advocating for all people throughout the state.

Malasia is the Strategy & Impact Specialist at the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity. As the Strategy & Impact Specialist, she informs and supports the strategic efforts of Flood Center. She helps to evaluate progress toward goals and objectives in the approved strategic plan and works with the Sr. Director to consistently evaluate, creating innovative solutions and communications during & post implementation making necessary recommendations to expand impact across the state. Malasia supports the programmatic work of the center such as Mapping the Movement, Rural Teacher Leader Network, Color of Education Summit, and other programmatic efforts as needed. Prior to joining the Public School Forum, Malasia was a Fellow at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation where she made funding recommendations in accordance with the Foundation’s grantmaking strategies, organizational values, and priority areas. Additionally, she managed the recruitment and selection processes for the Non-Profit Internship Program and the Fellowship Program.

Malasia is a native of North Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Carolina State University.  During her undergraduate experience, she participated in the North Carolina General Assembly Internship Program, supported research as a Research Assistant at the T.E.A.C.H. National Center, and interned with the James B. Hunt Institute. On campus, Malasia created safe spaces for students of color and those disproportionately affected by systemic inequities by reactivating the campus chapter of the NAACP. Additionally, Malasia participated and led service trips internationally to teach English. Malasia is pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Malasia has a heart for public service and believes that education is essential to access and opportunity for everyone. She aspires to experience a world where policy is informed by quality research and accounts for historical inequities faced by marginalized communities.

Kevoni Polanco-Nelson joins the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity as the new Program Coordinator. As the Program Coordinator, she will provide overall support and organization for the Flood center, support communications, and disseminate information about the Flood Center’s programmatic and research efforts. Additionally, she supports the programmatic work of the center such as the Student Voices Webinar Series, Rural Teacher Leader Network, Color of Education Summit, and other programmatic efforts as needed.

Prior to joining the Public School Forum, Kevoni worked with national organizations like the Girl Scouts and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Kevoni is a native of Boston, Massachusetts and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts.  She has devoted over 20 years to youth advocacy, mentorship, and empowerment.  Starting her career in child welfare and behavioral health before transitioning to the nonprofit sector.  She has over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.  She’s excited to join the team and support educational equity for all students.

Camry Wilborn Mercer serves as the Equity Coach at the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity. In her role, Camry focuses on four key areas:

1. Research: Developing and maintaining an equity dashboard to visualize educational disparities across North Carolina.
2. Framework for Change: Guiding organizations in implementing equity-focused strategies to achieve measurable outcomes.
3. Technical Assistance: Providing specialized training and consultation on equity-related topics to educational institutions and community organizations.
4. Policy Support: Assisting with the implementation of Governor Cooper’s DRIVE Task Force recommendations to increase racial and ethnic diversity among North Carolina educators.

Through these efforts, Camry works to address systemic inequities and foster sustainable changes in the state’s educational landscape, supporting the Dudley Flood Center’s mission of promoting educational equity and opportunity.

Camry earned a  Bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and a Master of Arts from The University of Chicago. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Higher Education: Opportunity, Equity, and Justice at NC State University. She is a qualified administrator for Intercultural Development Inventory, and a licensed facilitator for Change Style Indicator/ Navigator.

Prior to her current role, Camry served as Associate Director of Inclusive Excellence at Wake Forest University, where she developed strategic initiatives to enhance diversity and foster belonging. Her expertise includes learning and development , evaluation, critical research methods and inquiry, program/project management. Camry serves on the boards of Winston Salem Freedom Schools and Love Literacy, and volunteers as a poll worker. Her extensive experience in promoting equity, access, and belonging uniquely positions her to create more equitable educational opportunities in her role at the Dudley Flood Center.

Gabriel Montague is the Part-Time Researcher-in-Residence at the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity. He is a North Carolina native and received his elementary and secondary education through Wake County Public School System. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Statistics from North Carolina State University. While working both as a Data Technology Intern for Enrollment Management and Services and an Intern for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions during his undergraduate career, he began to understand the intersection between data and education and developed a passion for using data as a tool to for antiracism and equity in education research, policy, and practice. Eager to further develop this passion, he earned his Master’s in Education Policy & Analysis from Harvard University. While earning his Master’s degree he was a Nichols Fellow of Higher Education Research at The Education Trust, where his work has focused on college affordability, student success, and access for Black, Latino, Low-Income, and Parenting students. As the Part-Time Researcher-in-Residence, Gabriel supports the Dudley Flood Center’s strategic efforts, research, data, programmatic, policy, and advocacy efforts. He analyzes and manages research data to facilitate providing consistent equity-based resources to support Dudley Flood Center programs and educational stakeholders.