Niki is native to Wake County, and though she has traveled extensively and lived abroad, she now resides in her hometown of Wake Forest with her husband, Thomas, and three children. She earned consecutive undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education from East Carolina University, specializing in Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) learners. University accolades include being named the College of Education’s Outstanding Senior, being awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award, and being asked to deliver the commencement speech for the College of Education’s ceremony.

 

Dedicated to advocating for all learners, Niki began her teaching career as a Math Intervention teacher in Wake County where she won the Diane Kent-Parker First Year Teacher Award. Following that initial year, she lived abroad, teaching and collaborating with the Board of Education in Kobe, Japan to improve elementary English Education. She returned home and went straight back to the classrooms of Wake County serving the needs of Title 1 and magnet schools. She progressed from classroom teacher and Teacher of the Year at different schools to Instructional Resource Teacher (IRT) and AIG teacher/Administration team member who developed and delivered professional development training to staff. She left Wake County to serve as the Student Services Director at a local Montessori school where she developed and implemented inclusive programs to meet the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students while spearheading recruitment efforts that resulted in increased program enrollment. She has also taught with North Carolina Virtual Public Schools (NCVPS) for years teaching and leading the Middle School Creative Writing course.

 

With over a decade of diverse instructional and leadership experience, Niki is committed to fostering academic excellence and personal growth in learners, regardless of age, but she values data and reflection as a means for guiding instruction. She has a proven track record of driving positive change within educational institutions, and her impact has transcended geographical boundaries and instructional landscapes as highlighted by her experience and accolades. Teaching virtually in the remote work environment was the perfect transition to allow for her kiddos to get the best education possible - at home.

 

Though trained in public education, Niki learned early on that education is not a one-size-fits-all (or even most) approach. Niki believes education requires a holistic approach, connection, and relationship in order to facilitate true learning and lasting change. Having the opportunity to learn from the Montessori Method truly opened her eyes to the idea that the environment plays a huge role in the learner’s ability to succeed, and the significance of following the child (i.e., ensuring the experience is student-led and self paced). Homeschooling now allows her love of teaching to meet her kids where they are and provide everything they need to succeed through play, exploration, and fun learning experiences.

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