Durham PreK Governance Committee
The Durham PreK Governance Committee serves to provide vision and direction to the Durham County preschool expansion effort. In June 2018, Durham County Commissioners voted to support and fund the creation of a system designed to expand opportunities for all 4-year-old children in Durham to attend high-quality early learning programs. Durham PreK focuses on providing families access to preschool programs meeting the highest standards for early learning. The Governance Committee is involved in advising and approving plans, strategies, standards and policies for Durham PreK. Content-specific advisory committees with wider membership/participation support particular focus areas requiring more intensive engagement and input. The intent of the Governance Committee and its advisory committees is to establish an inclusive, community-driven initiative that will enhance public will and engagement and strengthen the resulting system of preschool services developed through the initiative.

Dr. Iheoma Iruka
Governance Committee Chair
Research Professor of Public Policy; Fellow and Early Childhood Health and Racial Equity Program Director, FPG

Leigh Bordley
Vice-Chair
Executive Director, LEAP Academy

Dr. Wykeshia Glass
Secretary
Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Human Sciences at North Carolina Central University

Peggy Ball
CCSA Board Chair

Cathy Collie-Robinson
Early Childhood Program Director, Durham Technical Community College

Deric Boston

Xavier Cason
Durham Public Schools Foundation Director of Community Schools and School Transformation

Wendell Davis
Durham County Manager

Dr. Anna Gassman-Pines
WLF Bass Connections Associate Professor of Public Policy and Psychology and Neuroscience, Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University; Faculty Affiliate of Duke’s Center for Child and Family Policy

Dr. Nakia Hardy
Deputy Superintendent of Durham Public Schools

Michelle Lyn
Chief of the Duke Division of Community Health, Community & Family Medicine Department;
Co-Director of Duke Center for Community and Population Health Improvement;
and Leadership Faculty for the Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership Program

Karen McLeod
Program Supervisor for Care Coordinator for Children, Durham County Public Health

Beth Messersmith
Mom’s Rising

Ben Rose
Director of Durham County Social Services

June Shillito
Director of Yates Baptist Child Development Center

Darnella Warthen
Owner and Director of A New Beginning I, II, III and IV
Non-Voting Resource Members

Marsha Basloe
President of CCSA

Dr. Linda Chappel
Senior Vice President of CCSA

Drew Cummings
Chief of Staff, Durham County

Cate Elander
Durham County Early Childhood Coordinator at Durham County Government

Danielle Johnson
Executive Director of Durham’s Partnership for Children

Dr. Alex Livas-Dlott
Durham PreK Manager, CCSA
Governance Meeting Agendas and Notes
2021
- January 21, 2021 Meeting Agenda
2020
- January 23, 2020 Agenda and Notes
- March 4, 2020 Agenda and Notes
- May 21, 2020 Agenda and Notes
- August 14, 2020 Agenda and Notes
- October 15, 2020 Agenda and Notes
- November 19, 2020 Agenda and Notes
2019
- February 1, 2019 Agenda and Notes
- March 15, 2019 Agenda and Notes
- May 23, 2019 Agenda and Notes
- July 25, 2019 Agenda and Notes
- September 13, 2019 Agenda and Notes
- November 13, 2019 Agenda and Notes