Carolyn has a long career in public education. She had over 25 years’ experience in the classroom and numerous leadership roles at the local and state level. As an elementary classroom teacher, Carolyn encouraged teacher leadership, advocated for children, and lead professional development to change and improve mathematics instruction for elementary children. As state president and vice president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, she promoted teaching as a profession, higher salaries for all educators and funding for public education, and improved teacher working conditions, and advocated for a strong, basic education for all children in public schools. As Executive Director of the NC Professional Teaching Standards Commission, she implemented the NC Professional Teaching Standards, the NC Educator Evaluation System, and the NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey. She was presented the UNC-G Distinguished Career Award in 2008 in recognition of her contributions to the teaching profession. She retired in June, 2011, but continued her work as a consultant with Research and Evaluation Consultants during 2012.

In January, 2013, Governor Perdue awarded her the highest civilian recognition in North Carolina, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, for her contributions to teaching and learning for educators and children. She and her husband, Ron, have 2 children. Ron and Carolyn are members of Christ UMC. Carolyn served as secretary of the Trustees from 2013-2015. She currently serves as chairman of the Church Council.

Carole Stoneking recently retired from a distinguished career as a college professor and academic administrator. After completing a PhD at Duke University, she began teaching at High Point University where she served as a professor, a department chair and later as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She is also a retired clergy member of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Carole has served on a number of boards, including a current term on the Board of Triad Goodwill. As a Guilford County guardian ad litem volunteer, Carole understands the importance of safe emergency housing for children in foster care. Carole and her husband Hal are the parents of four daughters.

Mildred’s career in Greensboro began in 1983 when she was hired by the Greensboro Housing Authority as Budget Analyst then as Assistant to the Executive Director. She later worked as the Community Relations Director for the Greensboro Police Department, Executive Director of the Greensboro Education & Development Council, Program Director for the YWCA Greensboro and Housing Services Administrator for the Greensboro Planning Department. She ended her career as Organization Administrator for the Fund for Democratic Communities, a private non-private foundation awarding grants to organizations/efforts with social justice as its focus. She is a graduate of NC Central University with a BS in Commerce and UNC Chapel Hill with a MA in Regional Planning.

Mildred has had a very extensive civic career. Among the Boards on which she has served are YWCA Greensboro, Greensboro Community Television, Weatherspoon Arts Foundation, Leadership Greensboro Alumni Association, Planned Parenthood of the Triad, United Services for Older Adults and the Mental Health Association.

She served as chair of the United Way Family Services Committee, Friends of the Jackson Library (UNCG) Board of Directors and Community Housing Resource Board. Served as President of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, Triad Chapter; NC Central University Alumni Association, Greensboro Chapter; Brooks Global Studies Extended Year Magnet School PTA. Mildred has held membership on the Summer Olympics Torchbearers Selection Committee, Women’s Hospital Community Education Advisory Committee, United Way Planning and Allocation Division, United Way Community Services Committee, Other Voices Steering and Selection Committee and Women Improving Race Relations. She is an Elder for St. James Presbyterian Church, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, previously a member of the Junior League of Greensboro and Women’s Professional Forum.

Tim is a retired banker and computer programmer, most recently having served as Vice President of Reporting for Wells Capital Management and Senior Project Manager for Wells Fargo.  During retirement, he has chaired the Board of Trustees of the Greensboro Public Library and serves on the board of the Library Foundation.  He also enjoys working as a docent for the Greensboro History Museum, primarily focused on educating elementary school groups.  In addition, he has volunteered with Hospice and Mobile Meals, and taught adult Sunday School classes.  He is married to Maria Davis Hanlin, who is the former CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, and is now an associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church, and they have three adult children.

Valerie Rogers is one of the three founders of Anchor Hope.  Valerie grew up in Ohio where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Deaf Education with a Minor in Psychology from Kent State University.  She has a passion for foster care, and the effects that the foster care system has on both the children and their foster families.  She experienced foster families, and their dynamics by growing up next to a foster family that took in children with special needs. Witnessing this loving foster family brought a passion for foster children that has grown over the years.

Michelle is one of three founders of Anchor Hope.  Michelle received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Psychology from Kent State University in Ohio.  She has a passion for children in need, and volunteers at her church in Greensboro, North Carolina in a variety ways to help those in her community.  Through Anchor Hope she wants to help the children in the foster care system find safe and secure housing where they can thrive and grow.

Heather has been the County Extension Director for Guilford County since 2021. Prior to working in Guilford County, Heather worked in Cooperative Extension in Wake County as the 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent and Program Manager from 2007 until 2021. In that role, she led and managed positive youth development programs from school-aged youth, including youth who were in kinship care, foster care, and aging out of foster care, and youth involved with the juvenile justice system. Heather’s interest in supporting youth experiencing foster care comes from a personal place, as she has a family member who was once in foster care. Previously, Heather served as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem with Wake County and she and her husband are now in the process of becoming licensed foster parents. Heather has an undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, a Master’s in Public Administration from NC State University, and a graduate certificate in Public Policy Analysis from NC State University.

 Statement of Interest:

I have been excited to learn about the work that Anchor Hope does and has done in the past to support youth experiencing foster care, and for the possibilities of what the organization can do in the future. Working in local government, I know that our departments face very real challenges, and I also believe in the power of partnerships to overcome many of those challenges. If it is of interest to the Board, I would be honored to serve Anchor Hope and to work with you to create safe, stable, and positive futures for youth experiencing and aging out of the foster care system.

Joanie’s career as a medical technologist provided rewarding experiences in hospital and university settings. Her skills in diagnostic testing, laboratory quality processes, and regulatory consulting led to biotechnology sales and marketing management.

Upon retirement, Joanie became involved in several local nonprofits dedicated to solving food insecurity, especially among school aged children. She is an active member of Christ United Methodist Church and that is where she met the founding members of Anchor Hope. Their mission to meet the needs of children transitioning into foster care was awe-inspiring and Joanie felt the call to extend her passion for serving children by becoming a part of Anchor Hope.

Rick Brown (BA, High Point College) has spent the entirety of his 40 + year professional career working with and for youth in various capacities. He was the first Director of High Point’s Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, leading the growth of that program for 14 years, during which time he was recognized by the NC Jaycees as an Outstanding Young Man of NC. For the past 27 years he has been the Director of the Children’s Home Society of NC’s Wise Guys program, a healthy relationships educational series for teen males. Under his leadership, this program grew from a local resource to one that was implemented in numerous communities across the country. During his tenure the Wise Guys program won a Special Program Honor from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy for its innovative work involving males in teen pregnancy prevention, and Rick was honored with the inaugural Impact Award from SHIFT NC (Sexual Health Initiatives for Teens). Rick also leads the world hunger ministry Helping Hands for Hunger at his church, Christ United Methodist. He is married with one adult, child, and can often be found on his back deck with a cup of coffee and a stack of good books.

My husband Corbett and I fostered through Seven Homes and adopted our son in 2014. I am very active in my church, Sandy Ridge United Methodist. We are also very active with the Oasis Shrine raising money for the Shrine Hospitals. I am interested in working with and helping children in the foster community. Due to our work schedules and the needs of our son long term placements are something we are not currently doing. I still have a big heart for foster children and want to continue helping them. I have seen the need for an organization like Anchor Hope for many years not only as a foster/adoptive parent, but as a 911 dispatcher. We often have to contact DSS in the middle of the night and the social worker will sit in the office with the children. By being on the board I would be able to help with a problem that I have seen for many years and that has broken  my heart for many years.

PAST BOARD MEMBERS:

Greg Brown

Rev. Steve Allen

Michie Dew

Tiffany Alston

Rev. Alice Kunka

Bob O’Neal

Blair Somers

Ron Eberhardt

Carolyn Higgins

Brett Crisp

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