Linda Bertman has been with NWCDC for over six years.  A valuable team player, Ms. Linda is the lead teacher of a class of very lucky 3 year olds.  Known as an innovative and creative teacher, Ms. Linda believes in making teaching purposeful as well as fun.  Her parents consider Ms. Linda a major contributor to their children’s academic success.  Ms Linda enjoys gardening almost as much as she enjoys hiking and swimming.

Julie Hairston has been with NWCDC for 6 months.  As the teacher of the Playful Pandas, she has made a significant contribution to her class in such a short time.  Ms. Julie can be depended on to be flexible and has never hesitated to pitch in wherever she is needed. Currently enrolled at Forsyth Technical Community College, Ms. Julie has had the wonderful opportunity to directly apply what she learns in the classroom as a student to her classroom as teacher.  Ms Julie collects butterfly figurines and is planning to be a September bride.          

Cynthia Joyner has been with NWCDC since 2005 and is lead teacher of the older Toddlers.  She has an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from Forsyth Technical Community College.  Ms. Cynthia’s outgoing personality radiates into a good rapport with her peers and parents.  She provides age-appropriate activities for her students and is able to make every moment a “teachable” moment.  Flexible and dependable, professional and committed, her authority in the classroom assures parents that their children will be well cared for.  Ms. Cynthia enjoys line dancing, shopping for shoes and the beach.            

Wilson Carrillo has been with NWCDC since 1999 and his may be the most important duty of all.  He prepares nutritious and delicious meals each day.  Committed to duty, Mr. Wilson boasts an excellent attendance record.  He has never been absent or called in late.  He is on a first name basis with every student and quite a few parents.  Mr. Wilson is a constant reminder of the commitment required to provide early childhood education.         

Jennifer Wiley has been with NWCDC since 2005.  Working with the twos and threes, she puts to good use the skills learned at WSSU where she is working towards a degree in elementary education.  Ms. Jennifer always plans a wide range of activities that keep her students engaged.  She enjoys getting on their level and holding meaningful conversations with them.  Ms. Jennifer is bilingual and serves as an excellent resource for Spanish speaking families.       

Adrienne Williams has been with MudPies since January 4, 2005. She has a Bachelors of Science in Special Education & Learning Disabilities and a Minor in Fine Arts from WSSU. Adrienne is very friendly to everyone. She is dependable and follows through in a timely manner with all required and extra tasks assigned to her. Mrs. Williams is very creative and a go -getter when it comes to planning age-appropriate activities for the children and their families. She shows a genuine love and concern for the children and her position as an early childhood teacher.

Coming soon

Michelle Stewart has been with MudPies for 4 years.  She has her certificate in Early Childhood from Forsyth Tech. Michelle is the co-teacher of  the 3-4 year old group , the Ocean Divers.  She is very pleasant and personable, and gets along well with all her peers. Michelle is very flexible as an employee and a teacher. She understands the importance of being flexible when teaching 3 year olds. On any given day or at any given time, she can be found on the floor engaging in activity with the children and the girls love to “fix” Michelle’s hair. She demonstrates good teamwork with her co-workers, and is not afraid to face a difficult task or a difficult parent.     

Ashley Pinkston has been with MudPies for 2 years. She is a teacher with the young 2 year olds. Ashley is very flexible and has grown a lot over the past 2 years. She is easy to talk to and communicates well with families. You will always find her doing something new in class with the kids, and looking for new ways to challenge them. Ashley accepts constructive criticism well and works toward making changes in a positive way. She enjoys reading and cooking. Ashley and her husband Tory have enjoyed 3 years of marriage.

Debi  Tranchese joined MudPies on August 20, 2007. She moved to NC from Arizona where she served in many capacities in the childcare field. She has taught all ages as well as performed Administrative duties. Debi is one of the Dandy Ducks (12 months-16 months) teachers. She is very friendly, outgoing and not afraid to get down on the kids level, get dirty with them both inside and outside. Debi is flexible and takes the initiative to get things done. She has good and positive communication with families.     

Pat Toney is one of Dino Myte ( 3 year old class) teachers. She has been with MudPies for 5 years. Pat is very flexible and dependable. She sets good limits for the children and is firm, but the children love and adore her. They also have a good time with her. She went back to school and received her Certificate in Early Childhood. Pat is very friendly and gets along with all her peers. 

Sharon Barringer has been with MudPies since its opening in 1993. She has her Associates Degree in Early Childhood and her Administrative Credentials. She was chosen for the T.E.A.C.H mentoring program in the late 90’s. Sharon has served as a mentor teacher for other centers as well as MudPies. She is dependable and reliable. She is constantly trying new ideas and implementing new challenges for the children. Sharon truly exhibits a love for young children and can be seen actively interacting with the kids not only in her class but all the children at the center. She is very personable and well liked by her peers and has a good rapport with all the parents.

Kat Johnson has been on the MudPies team for 10 years. She has filled the position of both infant and toddler teacher during her tenure here. While employed she went back to Forsyth Technical College and obtained her Certificate in Early Childhood. Kat is very friendly and well respected by her peers. She has established a very positive rapport with her parents and many children come back to visit Kat after they have left MudPies. She laughs and plays with the infants and they get very attached to her. She is outspoken and uses this to her advantage when it comes to best meeting the needs of the children.

Dawn Redd has her Associates Degree in Early Childhood. She is a teacher of older 2 and young 3 year olds. Dawn has been with the MudPies team for 3 years. She is very patient, calm, and loving with the children. She is very easy to talk to and communicates well with her families. Dawn is  very personable and friendly with all the staff.

Donese Gaskins is the MudPies April Employee of the month. She has her Associates Degree in Early Childhood. She has been with the MudPies team for 11 years. Donese is a Toddler teacher. She is very concerned about the safety of the children and their well being. Donese is very calm and loving. She has a gentle nature and she is friendly and gets along well with everyone.

MudPies May Employee of the month is Carla Reid. Carla is a recent graduate of FTCC where she received an AAS degree in Early Childhood.

She has been with the MudPies team for 5 years. Carla is a teacher of toddlers and young 2’s. She is very open and honest with families. Carla has good communication and is very friendly. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty with messy activities. You can find her laughing and on the floor with the kids anytime of the day.

Stacy Marts is in her 4th year of employment with MudPies Child Development. She is one of our pre-k teachers. Stacy has a BS in Communications with classes in child development and her NCECC. She is very creative. Her room is always bright and cheery with many displays of the children’s art work. Stacy enjoys letting the children explore different media to create projects related to her weekly themes. She plans many hands on activities for the children and involves the families in the class activities. Stacy enjoys her position and does a great job preparing the children for their new journey into Big School.

Lillian Moody has been with MudPies for 14 and a half years. She has been with our infants for the entire time. Lillian has been in the EC field for 25 + years and just recently obtained her Associates Degree in Early Childhood. She loves the infants and does her best to make the families feel at home especially with this being their first experience in childcare. Lillian has a very friendly and outgoing personality and gets along well with her peers. She can be found on any given day snuggling with an infant in the rocking chair, sharing a book or pictures with several babies or blowing bubbles outside with them on a warm sunny day! Lillian has been ‘mom” to many of the MudPies families –brothers & sisters – and is definitely a great teacher for a families first experience to childcare.

Sha Woodard has been with the MudPies team since 2004. She started out as an assistant teacher working with young 2’s,and moved up to co-lead teacher with our 3’s and 4’s. Sha is friendly and gets along with all the children and their families.

She can be seen running and playing with them in the class or on the playground on any given day. Sha demonstrates a good understanding of child development and this shows in her daily interactions with not only the children but their families as well. Sha has her BA in Child Development from NC Central University. We are glad to have her on our team.

Gloria Stephens has been a member of the MudPies team for 1 year and a part of the Northwest team for 18 years. She has worked with our toddlers and currently works with our infants.

She is very pleasant and offers a smile to everyone she meets. Gloria can be found laughing and cuddling with the infants at most any given time. She works well with everyone and demonstrates a willingness to tackle any task that comes her way. Gloria enjoys reading biographies, listening to music and spending time with her family.

Kenyata is a December 2007 graduate of WSSU. She received her BS degree in Birth-Kindergarten. She joined the MudPies team in September 2007 working on her senior internship and became an official staff member in November. Kenyata currently works with the toddlers but is interested in working with older children someday. She loves being creative and decorating her room to match the seasons. She can be seen at anytime playing and singing with the children as well as loving and cuddling with them also. Kenyata is a team player and understands the importance of flexibility and communication in this field. We are glad to have her on the MudPies team.

Chava joined the MudPies team on July 11, 2008. She currently works with our young 2’s but has had experience with 3 year olds also.
She has been in the childcare field for approximately 1 and a half years. During this time she obtained her NC Early Childhood Credential and is currently enrolled working towards her Early Childhood Associates Degree. Chava has a very friendly and quiet personality which is very soothing and calming for the children.
Her friendly disposition has helped her to establish a positive rapport with her families. She is liked by others and begins every day with a smile on her face.
We are fortunate to have Ms. Chava on our team.

Sonya Mills – Sonya joined the MudPies team on July 1, 2008. She currently works with our young toddlers and states that this is her favorite age group. She has been in the childcare field for approximately 1 year. During this time she obtained her NC Early Childhood Credentials. Sonya has a very friendly and quiet personality and gets along well with all of her co-workers. She has established a positive rapport with her families and communicates open and honestly with them on a daily basis. She begins every day with a smile on her face. Sonya is due with her first child – it’s a girl – on January 2009. She is excited about becoming a mom! We are fortunate to have Ms. Sonya on our team.

Courtney Massey – Courtney joined the MudPies team on January, 2009. She is one of the Pre-k teachers and states that she loves preparing children for kindergarten. She has been in the childcare field for 4 years. She has her Associates Degree from Forsyth Technical Community College and a Bachelor of Science Degree from WSSU both in Early Childhood Education and is currently enrolled in the Early Education Masters Degree program @ Salem College. Courtney also has experience with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders with special needs. Her main goal and first priority as a classroom teacher is to meet the needs of the children. Having served as both teacher and administrator gives her an advantage in the classroom. MudPies is lucky to have such a knowledgeable person as a team member.

Bertha Jones joined the MudPies team in October 2008. Even though she has only been with us a short time she has established a very positive rapport with both the families and her peers. She is very friendly and demonstrates a willingness to offer her support and assistance at any given time. She begins everyday with a smile greeting everyone she passes. Bertha is our Dandy Duck (toddlers) lead teacher. She can be found singing, laughing, rocking and hugging the children during the day. She communicates well with the parents and makes them feel good about the care and love she is providing for their children. Bertha is an asset to our program and for the toddler age group!  We hope she makes her home here for many years to come.

Sandra Toney has been with NWCDC for 12 years and joined the MudPies team in August of last year. Sandra has fulfilled many roles during her tenure with the organization. She has served as a classroom teacher and both Assistant Director and Director. She currently serves as the lead teacher for the Perky Penguins (young two’s) and afternoon back-up administrator. Sandra’s experience as a director gives her a head’s up in working with not only the children but with the families as well. This is evident in her communication and rapport she has established with everyone. Sandra has a quiet personality yet extremely friendly and pleasant to everyone. We are glad Sandra is on our team and we look forward to many years with her talents and knowledge.

Cynthia Mabe is one of the MudPies infant teachers. She works well with all the families and the children. She loves holding and rocking the babies as they slumber in her arms. Cynthia currently holds her NC Early Childhood Credential and will be returning to Forsyth Technical Community College for the summer semester to begin working on obtaining her Associates Degree in Early Childhood. Cynthia is very punctual and can be counted on to complete tasks without complaints. MudPies is glad to have Cynthia on our team and hope she chooses to make us her “home” for a long time. The children and families will benefit greatly.

Brittany Osborn joined the MudPies team in October 2008. Brittany currently works with our older infants and is a friend to all the children. She enjoys being on the floor playing, reading and singing with them! Brittany is enrolled @ Kaplan University and Penn-Foster University working towards Associates degree in Early Childhood. She is very quiet yet very friendly and gets along well with her peers. She is looking forward to having her won children someday and sharing her talents with both the children i8n her class and her own. Brittany is a great asset to our team!

LaWanda Speas joined the MudPies team on January 2, 2009 however has been a part of NWCDC for the past 20 years. LaWanda serves as a co-teacher with our old 2’s and young 3’s. LaWanda has worked with many different age groups but says she enjoys the older 2’s the best. She enjoys watching the children as they grow from being a “toddler” to a “preschooler”. LaWanda obtained her NC Early Childhood Credential and her Certificate in Early Childhood while working in the field. She is currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Associates Degree program @ Surry Community College anticipating a 2011 graduation.  She resides in Tobaccoville and is the proud mother of a daughter age 22 and a son age 15. She enjoys cooking in her spare time and spending time with her family. MudPies is fortunate to have had her transferred here and is an asset to our team!

Peggy Conrad has been in the childcare field for 11 years with 7 of those years being a part of the MudPies team. She currently serves as an assistant in the Penguin room and our general floater. Peggy has her Early Childhood Certificate with both Special Needs and School-age included. Peggy works well with all age groups and is loved by all the children and the families. She makes a great floater because she can quickly adapt to any age group and environment without fail. She always begins her day with a smile and that smile stays with her throughout the rest of the day. She is a great help to everyone and lends a hand wherever needed! She is a great asset to our center.

Cheryl Smith began her service with the MudPies family in September of 1995 and serves as Assistant Director
She is an asset to the center and staff in that she offers a vast field of knowledge and experience both to the staff and families regarding the EC field.
Cheryl is very outgoing and personable and her smile is always ready and waiting to greet the families or a child who might be having difficulty separating from mom or dad!. She can be found in the classrooms on a daily basis offering assistance when ever needed and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty doing the “hard“ stuff that comes with being an EC teacher. She is liked by her peers and families and MudPies is lucky to have her on the administrative staff.

Donese Gaskins has been a part of the MudPies team for 12 years. Donese currently serves as lead teacher for our 18-24 month old children. Donese has had to resign her position due to health reasons and will be missed very much, however she has had a great impact on every child (and their family) that have passed through her doors. Donese always has a big smile to give that melts the heart of the children especially those having difficulty separating in the early morning. She knows the importance of early education and this has always been evident in her activity plans and her interaction with the children. At any given time you could find Donese reading or singing to the children. These were two of her most favorite things to do with the children and of course they loved it as well. Donese will always be remembered here as she has been a vital part of our family for many years.

Tomeka Franklin joined the MudPies team in August of 2009. She works with our young 2 year old group and is a very pleasant and friendly individual. Tomeka is quiet in nature but can be seen being “loud’ with her kids as she engages in activities with them. No matter where she is in the room or what she is doing she always has a group of children around her feet and legs hugging on her. She exhibits a general love and concern for their well being and concentrates on what is happening with the children at any given moment. We are fortunate to have her as a part of the MudPies family.

Kimberly Hayes joined our team in January of 2009 as a substitute filling in for a maternity leave. We are fortunate however to still have her with us filling in as needed and has done a great job along the way. She is very flexible and gets along with all the kids no matter what groups she is with and is well respected by her peers and the MudPies’ families. She takes initiative and gets things done without complaint and begins everyday with a smile. She has become a regular part of our family and we are fortunate to have a person of this caliber filling in where needed.

Knyata Chambers has been a part of the MudPies team since May of 2008. She began as a floater and quickly proved that she had what it took to be a regular classroom teacher. She is a graduate of WSSU where she received her BS in Psychology with a minor in Elementary education. Knyata currently serves as one of our infant teachers. She can always be seen holding, talking to or playing with one or more babies during the course of her day. She is very quiet in nature, yet has a sweet and bubbly personality. Everyday is begun with a smile and she always gets right to work upon arrival. We are fortunate to have Knyata on our infant team!

MudPies would like to recognize Kim Person as the February employee of the month! Ms. Kim joined the MudPies team in November of 2009. She serves as co-lead teacher in the Space Travelers room! She graduated from WSSU May 2009 with her degree in Birth-Kindergarten. Ms. Kim always begins her day with a smile on her face and never meets a stranger. She is very personable and friendly and this shows in her disposition with the children and her daily interaction with them. She is also very patient and calm when dealing with typical conflicts that arise in the classroom. Shortly after joining our team a teacher transition occurred in her room. Ms. Kim approached the change with a positive outlook and has done a great job keeping the consistency and stability going in the room. We are lucky to have Ms. Kim on our pre-k team!

Dionne Buford has been a part of the MudPies team since August 2009. She serves as one of our toddler teachers with our 15-18 month old children. Dionne has a very bubbly personality that has proven to be a great asset for our little ones as well as her peers. She begins and ends her day with a smile and is always singing and dancing with the children during the day. Dionne has established a good rapport with the families and is very honest and open with them. She is currently enrolled at FTCC working towards her degree in Early Childhood. We are glad to have Dionne on our team!

Jasmin Brown. Jasmin has only been with the MudPies team for 3 months. However she has established an excellent rapport with the children and their families. She joined  one of our 4-5 year old groups after some turmoil in the room and came right in and put her best foot forward to join forces and create a solid team with her co-workers. Jasmin is pleasant when she begins her day and ends her day with the same pleasantries. She is a hard worker and she is always looking for new ways to inspire and motivate the children in her class. Our pre-k kids and the center are very fortunate to have her on our team.

Myesha Hudgins has only been with the MudPies team for 3 months however she has established herself well with peers and the families. She has her NC EC Credential and is pursuing continuing her education to obtain her Associates Degree in EC. She is currently working in our young toddler group yet seems to enjoy all ages. Myesha begins each day with a smile for everyone and by the time she steps in her class she has a child in her arms and several at her feet looking up at her with big grins. She shows a genuine love for the profession and she is an asset to our toddler team as well as MudPies as a whole.

Courtney Berry has only been with the MudPies team for about a month and a half however she has established an excellent rapport already with not only her peers but the families as well. She currently serves as co-teacher with our 2-3 year old group. Courtney is genuinely positive about her position and it shows in her daily engagement with the children the minute she walks in her room. The children are around her feet and legs most of the time and it took them a very short time to begin including her in their daily conversations with their families during pick-up time. Courtney is quiet by nature yet extremely pleasant and personable with everyone. She is currently working towards her Associates Degree in EC and we are looking forward to a long working relationship with her.

July – Michelle Stewart
Michelle Stewart has been with MudPies for 7 years and is the co-teacher of the 3-4 year old group, the Ocean Divers.   She has her certificate in Early Childhood from Forsyth Tech. Michelle is very pleasant and personable, and gets along well with all her peers. Michelle demonstrates flexibility not only as an employee but also as a teacher. On any given day or at any given time, she can be found on the floor engaging in an activity with the children or having races with them on the playground. She is a good team player and is not afraid to face a difficult task. We are glad to have her on our team.

August – Elisabeth Chesney
Elizabeth is one of our newest team members here at MudPies. She is an infant teacher working with our 6-12 month old babies. Elizabeth is a recent graduate (May 2010) of WSSU having received her BS in B-Kindergarten Education. She begins each day with a smile and leaves every afternoon with a smile as well. She demonstrates a love for the children daily and can be found rocking and cuddling with the babies at any given time. She is very personable and pleasant which makes her an asset to our infant program.

Jaceda Cherry - Jaceda has only been a part of the MudPies team since July 30  however she has established herself as a vital part of our staff. Jaceda works with the infants & is very friendly to everyone.  She begins and ends each day with a smile ready to get to work. She can be found cuddling a baby or on the floor reading to the infants at any given time. She has implemented new & fresh ideas in the room which demonstrates her commitment and dedication to the profession. She is enrolled at WSSU working towards her B-K degree. MudPies DT is fortunate to have Jaceda on our team.