First Row (left to right): Lindsey Ray Molusky, Cynthia (Cindi) Rigsbee, Everly Broadway, Virginia Leonor Cardenas, Traci Tillis Blount, Emily MacNaughton Doyle, Carol Lynn Vandenbergh, Faustina Faye Atkinson
Second Row (left to right): Kendall Jordan (Co-Coordinator), Precious Mudiwa, Jo Ann Norris (Co-Coordinator), Angela Hinson Quick, Donna Albertone, Bobbie Lou Grammer, Emily Jean Loney, Patricia (Pat) MacNeill, Kathy Seeger Rhoades, Katrina Yvette Billingsley, Phil Kaufman
Third Row (left to right):Kevin Michael Coleman, Ross White, George Batten, Jr., Del Lorenzo Ruff, Ira B. Wolfe, Frank Cernik, Brenda K. Williamson, Wendy Kuhn, Donald (Don) Phipps, Michael (Mike) Martin, Robin Burley, Shana Overdorf, Casey Wyant, Lori Bruce
Not Pictured: Rodney N. Ellis, Jennifer Brayboy Locklear, Susan Tant Ruiz

Since its inception in 1979, the North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program has graduated almost 600 Fellows. The program was sponsored by the North Carolina School Boards Association until 1991 when it became affiliated with the Public School Forum of North Carolina, Inc.  The EPFP site is in Raleigh, the state capital, which affords the Fellows greater exposure to the diverse policymakers who affect state policy. The program site is comprised of individuals from the education arena including public schools, higher education, and community colleges, as well as participants from human services, political disciplines, and corporate and nonprofit sectors. Fellows focus on technological, fiscal, legislative and administrative issues, as well as on factors affecting children and families. The program meets every week from mid-September to mid-May in a dinner-seminar setting. In this setting, Fellows increase their awareness of how public policy is made, learn who the key players are in the formation of this policy, and become more confident and involved in the policy-making process.

NORTH CAROLINA COORDINATORS

Kendall Jordan (EPFP 07-08)

Director of Public Policy Research
Public School Forum of NC
3739 National Drive, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 781-6833 x 102
FAX (919) 781-6527
kjordan@ncforum.org

Kendall Jordan serves as the Director of Public Policy Research of the Public School Forum of NC, a not-for-profit policy think tank which is a partnership of business leaders, education leaders, and government leaders in North Carolina. The Forum was founded in 1985, and has evolved into an organization that has made a significant contribution to schools across North Carolina.  In addition to research and work in the public policy arena, the Forum oversees programs in communities across the state.

As the Director of Public Policy Research, Kendall is responsible for providing financial and statistical support to the Forum staff and initiatives, policymakers, school administrators, and local schools boards.  In addition, she is responsible for publishing and distributing both the Forum’s weekly newsletter, The Friday Report, and the annual Local Finance Study. 

Kendall Jordan did her undergraduate work at Wesleyan College and completed her MBA degree at Pfeiffer University in Charlotte where she concentrated on Finance and Organizational Development.  Prior to joining the Forum staff, Kendall was employed at the NC Department of Public Instruction where she served as both a Financial/Statistical Analyst and Teacher Allotment Supervisor.  Prior to joining the NCDPI staff in 2003, she worked her way through the ranks of Midway Airlines serving as the Senior Internal Auditor for the North Carolina based Airline. 

Jo Ann Norris

Associate Executive Director
Public School Forum of NC
3739 National Drive, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 781-6833
FAX (919) 781-6527
jnorris@ncforum.org

Jo Ann Norris serves as the Associate Executive Director of the Public School Forum of NC, a partnership of business, political and education leaders in North Carolina working for public school reform. The Forum was founded in 1985 and has developed numerous policy initiatives for school reform that have been enacted into law. Jo Ann is responsible for the administration of the Teaching Fellows Scholarship Program and for coordinating Forum and Teaching Fellow relationships with statewide policy making bodies such as the State Board of Education and the North Carolina General Assembly. Upon graduation from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jo Ann began her career in 1964 as a classroom teacher. She was honored in 1979-80 as North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Prior to joining the Forum, she was the Political Affairs Specialist and lobbyist for the North Carolina Association of Educators (NEA affiliate). She also served as education liaison and campaign manager for Congressman Ike Andrews. Jo Ann has served as Coordinator of the NC EPFP since 1991. She has been recognized by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy and Research in numerous surveys, most recently in 1998, as one of the "most influential lobbyists" in the state. She was the first woman to be named in the top twenty "most influential lobbyist" list in 1986. Jo Ann is a past president of the Women's Forum of NC and is a founding member of the Wake County Kids Voting Board of Directors. She was inducted into the 1991 Wake County YWCA’s Academy of Women in the field of education. In 2002, she was awarded the Razor Walker award by UNC-Wilmington’s Watson School of Education and in 2004, she was inducted into East Carolina University’s Educators Hall of Fame.

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