Member Directory

Treasurer, Price Reading Council

Jill is a classroom teacher for Ashe County Schools in North Carolina. She is a recipient of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship and has taught for 7 years. Jill has obtained her master's degree in Instructional Technology as well as state certification for AIG instruction. Jill enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two children.

President-Elect, Price Reading Council

Tonya is the Media Coordinator at Blue Ridge Elementary School in Ashe County, North Carolina. Tonya earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education and master's degree in library science from Appalachian State University. She loves reading, traveling, and crocheting. Her dream is for everyone to have a love of reading.

Vice President, Price Reading Council

Danny has worked over 20 years in education. He has taught math, English/Language Arts, and science in grades 7 and 8, as well as social studies in 7th grade. He loves to read, and he feels it is very important to help students understand the value in becoming a literate, educated adult. Danny is certified in math (6-9 and 9-12), science (6-9), English/Language Arts (6-9), social studies (6-9), K-6 elementary education, K-12 Academically/Intellectually Gifted Education, and he has his National Boards Certification in Early Adolescence Mathematics.

Young Authors Committee Co-Chair, Price Reading Council

Julie has been teaching for over 20 years. She taught third grade for 12 years and the remainder of her time has been teaching in the AIG (Academically Intellectually Gifted) program at Blue Ridge Elementary School. Primarily, she serves grades three through six at the K-6 elementary school located in the rural mountains of Ashe County, NC. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in elementary education and National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood: Literacy and Language Arts, Julie has worked to keep abreast of current trends in education and technology for the classroom. Engaging, inspiring, and activating a passion for learning are paramount to Julie’s teaching mission.

President, Price Reading Council

Rachel is a former elementary school educator with Ashe County Schools. In June of 2021, she embarked on a new journey and started working for the Appalachian State University's partnership with GEAR UP. Within this role, she serves as the Academic Innovation Specialist for the Northwest Region. Working alongside district leaders, staff, students, and community, Rachel provides academic support to Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey County schools. Rachel is a National Board Certified educator with a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction and a Master's in Administrative Leadership from Gardner-Webb University. Her dream is to reach as many students through aiding teachers with a heart of servitude. "Literacy is in every aspect of our existence. Far more than just words on a page, it is embodied in the natural world, caught and processed in what we experience with all our senses through beauty, art, pain, turmoil, dreams, and hopes."

Young Authors Committee Advisor, Price Reading Council

Ellen was a middle school and high school English teacher with certifications in reading, math, and social studies. After 45 years as an educator, she enjoys long hikes, gardening, and promoting reading with young folks through book clubs.

Secretary, Price Reading Council

Connie has taught a sum total of 31 years to preschoolers, college students, Marines, middle schoolers, high schoolers, as well as Adult Basic Skills for Adult High School at the community college. While married and raising her son, she attended University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), taking eight years to finish her undergraduate degree in English and taking four more years to finally finish her Masters in Creative Writing English; therefore, she has experienced schooling from all sides and knows the importance of engaged reading. What she wants most is for her students to discover how important who they are weighs on whom they become. One of the greatest paths to exploring their human heritage and reaching their POWER potential is by reading books so that they encounter words, learn worlds, and enlist this knowledge to enhance their future. As Maya Angelou puts it, “We are living art, created to hang on, standup, forbear, continue and encourage others.” Connie, certified in 6-12 English, 6-9 social studies, and K-12 exceptional and academically-gifted children, currently teaches seventh grade language arts and social studies at Ashe County Middle School, hoping to energize her students to embrace their POWER.

Young Authors Committee Co-Chair, Price Reading Council

Allison has been teaching for 29 years. She currently teaches in Ashe County and has previously taught in Burke County and Wilkes County. She currently serves as a literacy specialist and testing coordinator for Westwood Elementary School. Allison enjoys spending time with her family and pets. She loves reading, playing the piano, and hiking.