Leadership

President & CEO

Dr. Louis Finney Jr.

Dr. Louis Finney Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

As President and CEO of Smart Start for Forsyth County. Dr. Finney, DBA, is a passionate practitioner, advocate, and leader in the field of Early Childhood and Corporate leadership, working to advance the accessibility of quality, equitable childcare experiences for all children.

Dr. Finney has over 25 years of experience as an Educator, Executive, and Leader in Non-Profit Executive Leadership and Early Care and Education. As an authority on the nation's early childhood development, Dr. Finney served in an advisory and leadership capacity on several national panels and associations that have included the Immediate Past President of the National Association for Family Childcare, Treasurer of the National Head Start Association, and a Commissioner of the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC's) Power to the Profession Taskforce. He currently serves on NAEYC's Commission On Professional Excellence and the Aspen Institutes Early Years Climate Action Commission. He is also the founding President of the Greater Tampa Bay area Black Child Development Institute.

Dr. Finney began his career in early childhood as a Head Start Family Engagement Coordinator and has since held positions in Head Start as Head Start Director, Executive Director, Vice-President, and Executive Vice-President for one of the largest Head Start grantees in the U.S. Dr. Finney is a U.S. Army Veteran and has served in combat and humanitarian missions in Iraq, Kuwait, and Haiti. He is an experienced Non-Profit Executive responsible for leading efforts to secure over $200 million in grants from local, state, and national funders to enhance Early Childhood and Education opportunities for children and families.

Dr. Finney holds a doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Liberty University, a master's degree in Public Administration from Wilmington University, and a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He is also a certified executive coach from the Center for Executive Coaching and is an Internationally Certified GENOS Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. Dr. Finney's Research Project was "The Necessity of Early Childhood Leaders to Adapt their Leadership Style to a COVID-19 Workplace.” He is also an active member of his fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, where he is the current President of the local chapter, and enjoys cooking, fitness and bicycling.

Administration

Marvin Fulwood

Director of Corporate Operations

Malcolm Winston

Human Resource Manager

Finance Department

Elizabeth Wallace

Finance Director

Amanda Campbell

Sr. Finance Specialist

Aaron Burbidge

Finance Specialist

Oliver Michels

Finance and Data Specialist

Programs Department

Wilma Perry

Center Based Infant/Toddler Success Coach

Rashida Mitchell

Teaching & Learning Services Specialist

Wendy Dickens

Teaching & Learning Services Specialist

Crystal Saulter

Pre-K/Inclusion Success Coach

Jessica Glass

Pre-K Success Coach

Brianna Branche

Pre-K Success Coach

Debora Garrison

Family Childcare Home Infant/Toddler Success Coach

Daniel Ferguson

Workforce Development Manager

Tabitha McAllister

Chief Program Officer

Saquana Terry

Director of Children and Family Services

Sherri Jones

Family Intake Manager

Keturah Oglesby

Public Health Education Manager/CCHC

Glynnise Highsmith

Director of Pre-K Initiatives

Juwon Crowell

Special Projects Director

Alisha Holt

NC Pre-K Coordinator

Vanessa Sawyer-Wilson

Education Manager

Timothy Campbell

Program Administrative Coordinator

Sonia Alvarez

Bilingual Program Assistant

Jalissa Truesdale

Family Intake Specialist

Alexia Mitchell

Family Advocacy Counselor

Je’Lisa Myers

Pre-K Success Coach

Tekeshia Duncan

Family Engagement Specialist

Deysi Reyes

Bilingual Family Intake Specialist

Susan Smith

Teaching & Learning Services Manager

Susan Gunter

Teaching & Learning Services Specialist

Strategy Department

Carrie Pasquale

Chief Strategy Officer

Melissa Estler

Director of Continuous Quality Improvement and Partnerships

Emily Garcia

Community Education and Outreach Manager