Meet Our Team · The Hunt Institute

Our Team

Javaid E. Siddiqi, Ph.D. | President & CEO

Michele Lockwood Jordan | Vice President

Minda Watkins | Chief of Staff

Veronica Butcher | Director of Programs

Ashlee Louise Canty, Ph.D. | Director of Equity Initiatives

Casta Childress | Director of Instructional Design and Strategy

Joanie Lawson | Director of Legislative Engagement

Annie McCray-Gore | Senior Director of Finance & Operations

Madeline Smith, Ph.D. | Director of Higher Education

Erica Vevurka | Director of K-12

Dan Wuori, Ph.D. | Senior Director of Early Learning

Jessica Au | Senior Policy Analyst

Kristin Baddour | Senior Policy Analyst

Sean Banks | Educator Diversity Program Manager

Greg Barnette | Human Resources Manager

Lucy Berrier | Policy Analyst

Katie Boyle | Events Coordinator

Mallory Burns | Communications and Social Media Coordinator

Juan-Pablo Camacho | Research Assistant

Sara Carlson | Events Coordinator

Emily Chavis | Research Analyst

Guy Cheatham | Research Analyst

Allison Goff Clark | Deputy Director of North Carolina Programs

Tanessa Cowan | Program Coordinator for State Engagement

Julia Cunningham | Deputy Director of State Engagement

Winn Decker, Ph.D. | Senior Policy Analyst

Sara Dittman | Events Manager

Amanda C. Eastern, Ph.D. | Policy Analyst

Theresa Fernandez | Executive Assistant

Phytina Gonzalez | Accounting & Payroll Specialist

Becca Hanlin | Associate Policy Analyst

Julia Ahrns Hoffman | Associate Policy Analyst

Deja Huggins | Events Assistant

Jon-Taidje Joyner | Senior Graphic Designer

Jasmine Kelly, Ed.D. | Senior Program Manager

Lexy Locklear | Program Assistant for State Engagement

Josh McGee | Associate Policy Analyst

Karen McKnight | Deputy Director for Early Learning Programs

Marina Mendoza, Ph.D. | Senior Policy Analyst

Erin Meyer | Multimedia Specialist

Mikkaka Overstreet, Ph.D. | Instructional Specialist - Literacy

LaDana Reid | Grants Manager

Michael Sheehy | Policy Analyst

Maria Spinetti | Research Analyst

Julia Whitfield | Associate Policy Analyst

Tarik Woods | Associate Policy Analyst

Lauren Zbyszinski, Ph.D., LLM | Deputy Director for Early Learning Policy

Abby Furman | Policy & Research Intern (Wake Forest University)

Kelly Jasiura | Policy & Research Intern (Duke University)

Anupama Joy | Policy & Research Intern (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Derrick Stanfield | Policy & Research Intern (North Carolina Central University)

Amber Igodan | Belk Impact Fellow

Jamison Lowery | Belk Impact Fellow

Mike Hafner | Senior Advisor

Jennie O’Holleran | Senior Advisor, Virginia

Rachel Schumacher | Senior Advisor, Early Childhood

News & Resources

EdSurge: With No Federal Solution in Sight, States Step Up to Improve Pay for Child Care Workers Read More

WCHL and Chapelboro: The Hunt-Lee Report: Finding Solutions for Education, That Might Actually Pass Read More

A public pre-K expansion doesn’t have to box out private care Read More

See All News & Resources