OFFICE MANAGER (SHE/HER)

Laura manages all things business and administration, including the TADS system, tuition, and financial and nonprofit compliance. She’s an organizational and efficiency expert! Laura has a BA in Literature and has studied theology at Duke Divinity School. She has been connected with Hope Creek since it opened in 2010. She has 4 children with special needs, so the school’s mission is very close to her heart. In her free time, she enjoys camping, hiking, cooking, and taking pictures of wildflowers.

If you have any TADS questions, please reach out!

admin@hopecreek.net

ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR (SHE/HER)

Roxy does a little bit of everything at HCA. She navigates families through the admissions process, helps HCA stay organized, and provides support to staff and students. Roxy is a former preschool teacher, has previous experience in the nonprofit sector, and also worked as an aide and substitute at Hope Creek. She has completed several trainings for Conscious Discipline, as well as attended The Educators Institute at Duke School for Project Based Learning. She has neurodiversity within her own family, and is the proud mother of three children. Roxy is passionate about self-advocacy in the neurodivergent community. She is the parent to one dog, two cats, one bearded dragon, and a parakeet. Roxy loves to hike, do puzzles, take photos, and play Mario Kart with her kids.

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER (SHE/HER)

Julie Hogue grew up in Durham and has always called the Research Triangle home. She studied English and Anthropology with a concentration in Women’s Studies and UNC and received a special education degree from Appalachian State University. She has been a co-teacher in a TEACCH demonstration classroom. taught in Wake County Public Schools in a self-contained classroom for students with behavior and emotional disorders, later supported special education teachers, and worked as a Day Teacher Counselor for elementary and middle-school students. At that time, she earned her MSW from UNC and worked as a therapist providing outpatient services for adults and adolescents. She helped to design a day treatment program for Wake County School and served as the clinician for the program. She then lead the Intensive Intervention Team, supervising a group of social workers, reading specialists, and special education teachers serving the highest-need students in Wake County. Julie left public education to stay home with her two sons, and then returned to the Wright School as a Liaison Teacher Counselor, helping students to transition into Wright School and then back home and then moved to to Chapel Hill Public Schools as an elementary & middle school resource teacher. Julie joined the team at Hope Creek Academy in the fall of 2021. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and scuba diving.

SCHOOL NURSE (SHE/HER)

Melissa is an NC native who attended both NCSU and ECU. She had worked as a nurse for nearly three decades, including psychiatry, emergency medicine, radiology, and patient safety in oncology and infectious diseases. Melissa’s family is a lovable assortment of differently-wired people. These life experiences fuel her passion for learning, growing, nurturing, and helping others to make sense of their social world, set goals, develop relationships, and advocate for themselves. In her spare time, Melissa likes spending time with her husband and four sons, loving on her four cats, hiking with her family in national parks, and dancing her face off during jam band concerts.

STUDENT SUPPORT (HE/HIM)

Kendall Isler is from Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Lee’s McRae College in May 2017, where he studied Sports Administration while running track. He also played basketball and coached his final year of college as a student assistant. Before joining HCA, Kendall mentored kids with Down Syndrome and was an Account Manager for C.B. Southern Group, Inc. After several years at HCA he is still extremely enthusiastic for this school year and humbled to be part of the team. During his free time, he enjoys working out, playing basketball, cooking, and dancing.

READING SPECIALIST (SHE/HER)

Ginny Brooks grew up in the Richmond, VA area. She received her Masters in Special Education from The College of William and Mary and has worked in self-contained classrooms and as a resource teacher in Virginia, Oregon, and North Carolina. Ginny has taught in both public and parochial schools in Durham and tutored in home settings and at Hill Learning Center. She supervised and taught a Montessori-based Sunday School curriculum at a local Episcopal church for 9 years. She received her Augustine Literacy Project training in 2010, and this is her eleventh year at Hope Creek. Ginny and her husband live in Durham and their children have flown the coop. During her free time, Ginny enjoys listening to music, visiting thrift stores, digging in the dirt, and thinking of new strategies to help students learn.

READING SPECIALIST (SHE/HER)

Robin Wallace grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has a BA in Political Science from Chatham University in Pittsburgh. She has worked at universities (Carnegie-Mellon, Stanford) as an administrator, and in high tech in Silicon Valley. She earned her K-8 California teaching credentials through Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA, and she completed her student teaching in Ravenswood City School District in East Palo Alto, CA. In 2006, she moved to North Carolina, substitute teaching and eventually landing in 5th grade at Mary Scroggs Elementary School. Robin trained with The Augustine Literacy Project in 2009 and was a coach for several summers. She started tutoring with The Hill Learning Center in 2017 and worked as a HillRap Interventionist at Y. E. Smith Elementary and Eastway Elementary. In her spare time, she likes to cook, to read (anything Jane Austen), and to go for long walks.

PRIMARY TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Anna Lee Warasila (Ms. Sila) is from the Chapel Hill/Durham area and graduated from UNC Asheville in 2016 where she earned a degree in Psychology. While attending UNCA, Anna Lee focused on educational psychology and development, and found her love for teaching students with disabilities. Since graduating, she has attended UNC at Greensboro to study specialized education with a focus on high-incidence disabilities. Anna Lee has been working with students with disabilities in many capacities, but most recently in Durham Public Schools as a resource teacher. She enjoys working with students and families to create a wonderful community in the classroom that lets every child shine bright. She is thrilled to be working in a smaller setting at Hope Creek that provides the opportunity for each child to focus on their strengths and areas of need, safely, confidently, and in their own time. Anna Lee enjoys gardening, cooking, playing with her dog Theo, and traveling.

PRIMARY TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Marni Wizwer moved to North Carolina in 1995 after graduating from Indiana University. She has worked as a special education teacher for 18 years in the public school system. In 2000, she married Howard. Together they have a daughter Charli (17) and a son, Jeffrey (15). She also has a pug named Potato and a cat named Paz. Marni lives in Durham, North Carolina, but loves to travel and have new adventures. Her favorite place to visit is the beach! In between adventures, she enjoys light hiking (emphasize light), reading, doing puzzles, and spending time with her family. She is very excited to be at Hope Creek Academy teaching your amazing children. She loves seeing the joy in kids’ eyes as they learn about the complex world around them, and looks forward to getting to know your kids this year!

UPPER ELEMENTARY TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Linda McDonough graduated from Western Carolina University in 1977 with a BA in English and minors in Reading and Education. She has taught at Waynesville Junior High, Ashe Central High School, and was chair of the English Department at The Patterson School, a private boarding school with a strong Orton-Gillingham program for dyslexic students. She has worked as a private tutor, teaching reading, writing, and spelling to dyslexic children and teens. From 1992 to 2008, she served as the Director of Christian Education at the Church of the Holy Family (Episcopal). She is the founder of the Augustine Literacy Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded at Holy Family to serve low-income children with reading difficulties. For this work, she was awarded the June Lyday Orton Award for service to dyslexics by the NC International Dyslexia Association branch. She has been a foster parent and transracial adoption trainer, and she presently works as a volunteer mental health advocate and is on the board for Josh’s Hope. Formerly director of HCA, Linda now works with upper elementary students in language arts and history and primary children in math. This is her fourteenth year at HCA.

UPPER ELEMENTARY TEACHER (SHE/HER)

LaRhonda Leslie graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 2011 with a B.S. degree. She moved to the RDU area in 2014. She has worked with children from birth through fifth grade for over a decade in various capacities. She has received her master’s degree (MLS - Master of Library Sciences) from NCCU focusing on school media. She started teaching at Hope Creek Academy in 2021. LaRhonda has been married for ten years and has two children. She enjoys animals but happens to be allergic to most of them. In her free time, she enjoys trying out various arts and crafts, gardening, and reading.

SUPPORTED LEARNING TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Lisa is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, with a degree in Business and German. All three of her adult sons have various disabilities, including ADHD, ASD, learning disabilities, and a mental illness. Lisa has worked in traditional and special education classrooms in a variety of capacities: as a volunteer, as a substitute teacher, as a reading tutor, and as a teaching assistant. She was an autism specialist for the Autism Society of NC as well as a private consultant in the areas of special education, special education law, and Individualized Education Programs. Lisa has presented at local and national conferences on ASD. She has received training from the Augustine Literacy Project, TEACCH for classroom teachers, Lindamood-Bell (Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking; Talkies: Visualizing and Verbalizing for Oral Language Comprehension and Expression), Bal-A-Vis-X, and Social Thinking, among others. Lisa has been a teacher at Hope Creek Academy since 2015.

SUPPORTED LEARNING TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Maria began as a parent volunteer at the school in 2013. She enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to teach language arts in the high school/middle school classroom the following year. She jumped even higher when asked to team up with Mr. Williams in the middle school classroom for the 2015-2016 school year. In preparation for that year, she trained with the Augustine Literacy Project and attended some TEACCH training. Ms. Dontas speaks Spanish fluently and is learning Greek. She is a student of the world and since 1988 she has also attended The North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, Stonybrook University in Long Island, NY, and The New School in NYC, NY. She continues to take classes when time and her busy life will allow. She is married and has two children, one of whom attended HCA. She sings in her church choir and enjoys movies, the theater, all animals, your kids, and life!

SUPPORTED LEARNING TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Katie Fain is a proud Durhamite, and has loved exploring the Triangle since coming back to Durham in 2017. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Wofford College and has since served individuals with disabilities in many capacities. Katie was a cabin counselor at Victory Junction Camp, the Family Care Coordinator at the Ronald McDonald House of Durham and Wake, and spent the last three years as a teacher for Durham Public Schools in a separate setting classroom for students with autism. Katie is so excited to join the Hope Creek Academy team and meet all of your awesome kiddos! In her spare time, Katie loves to thrift, go to the beach, travel, spend time with her husband, and do anything related to dogs!

SUPPORTED LEARNING TEACHER (THEY/THEM)

Cal Ruback moved to North Carolina from Wisconsin after graduating with distinction from Winona State University with a Bachelor’s in Teaching. They majored in Academic Behavioral Strategy and love to analyze the intersection between behavior and academic performance. They worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician and acquired extensive knowledge of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) techniques, though they hold a strong preference for naturalistic methods. They worked with individuals with various diagnoses ranging from mild to severe, and have extensive training in de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and person-centered approaches. Cal worked in partnership with Hope Creek last year and loved how the school fosters a sense of joy and wonder for each student. They immediately felt at home in the Supported Learning classroom, and cannot wait to continue building an inclusive space for all students to thrive. In their free time, Cal enjoys reading fantasy novels, birding, and hosting music bingo.

SUPPORTED LEARNING (SHE/HER)

Robin graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's in International Studies. She has experience working with young adults and in co-op settings. Robin has worked as an IA in ECS classrooms, supporting children with cognitive disabilities, and as an IA in a resource room. She is excited to join Hope Creek full-time in the Supported Learning classroom. In her free time, she enjoys trying new recipes, being outside, and spending time with her family.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Ms. Auler spent most of her life in the Sunshine State, and arrived in North Carolina in 2016. She homeschooled her 9 children for over a decade with the support of a variety of specialists to give her neurodivergent children the best care possible. 

When her children transferred into the public school system, Ms. Auler brought her experience to Asheboro City Schools. Soon, she found her place working within the Exceptional Children department and subsequently took a position the following year as a teacher’s assistant in the middle school’s cross-categorical resource room. She greatly enjoyed working with her multi-language students and her team that worked cohesively to execute proper behavioral interventions.  Upon completing her bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology at Liberty University, Ms. Auler happily took the head teaching position in a room she had grown to love. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER (HE/HIM)

Mr. Slone was born and raised in Pikeville Kentucky, and moved to Knoxville Tennessee when he was a little older. He went to High Point University and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BA in history. He has worn many hats: working in restaurants, working in a call center, and has been an IA in Chapel Hill Schools. Having a stutter himself, he is passionate about serving others with differences and wants to show his students that having a disability doesn’t hold them back. He is an avid lifter, loves Star Wars, and enjoys hanging out with his corgi (Lucy) and cat (Lobster). 

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER (HE/HIM)

Jim is a North Carolina native. He attended Western Carolina University with a major in Psychology and Sociology. He brings a variety of work experience including twenty-plus years in retail management, eight years with Wake County Area Mental Health as a Teacher Parent Supervisor working with behaviorally disordered youth, two years as a Substance Abuse Counselor in the adolescent unit at Charter Northridge Hospital, and 15 years as a professional photographer. After working as a substitute at HCA, he joined the teaching staff full-time.

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER (HE/HIM)

Rob Hirtz earned his BA from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in English and psychology, and his MA in Liberal Studies from Duke. After a brief career in advertising, Rob became involved with political campaigns as a campaign manager and consultant with several non-profit organizations, including the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as a consultant on mental health issues with the Pennsylvania state government. During this time, Rob also worked as a political reporter and columnist for Philadelphia City Paper, and as a political commentator on Morning Edition for Philadelphia’s public radio station, WHYY. He then moved to Durham, where, after he and his wife Jenny authored a travel guide to North Carolina (The North Carolina Handbook), he became an editor with Duke University. After almost 20 years with Duke, Rob moved on to become a special education teacher with the Durham public school district, before joining Hope Creek Academy in 2019.

INDEPENDENCE ACADEMY TEACHER (SHE/HER/THEY/THEM)

CJ earned her BA in Psychology at Meredith College. CJ participated in the Meredith College Autism Program (M.A.P.) and received extensive training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT), working with children aged 2-7 in school and home settings. After graduation, she was offered a staff position at M.A.P. providing one-on-one teaching and assisting the behavioral consultants and director with training and supervising undergraduate student teachers in ABA and DTT techniques. While completing her Masters in Education for Early Childhood Intervention and Family Support at UNC-Chapel Hill, she continued to work with children with autism aged 5-9 in home and community settings, gaining training and experience using Verbal Behavior teaching techniques. She thoroughly enjoys eating tacos, watching soccer, and being a stellar human parent to her doggies.

INDEPENDENCE ACADEMY TEACHER (SHE/HER)

Cat is a Georgia native happy to be here in North Carolina. She received her BA in English with a minor in poetry writing from Kennesaw State University in 2014. During this time she also completed the education certification program for secondary education. After spending a year teaching in a local high school, Cat decided to combine her love of education with her love of theater. In addition to acting and directing, Cat helped develop and run several children’s theater programs. These programs focused on offering free acting and improv classes to kids with various levels of experience and previous knowledge. She has been teaching at HCA since 2021. In her free time, Cat enjoys reading, cooking, playing board games with friends, and hanging out with her dog.

STUDENT SUPPORT (SHE/THEY)

Born and raised in the triangle, Amabel is happy to return to her hometown and join Hope Creek Academy as a teacher! Amabel graduated Summa Cum Laude with disciplinary honors in Theatre from UNC Greensboro, where she earned her BA in Theatre, BA in Psychology, and a minor in Interdisciplinary Art and Social Practice. As a "multi-hyphenate" performing artist and educator, Amabel is fascinated by the intersection of performing arts and our psychological, social, emotional contexts. During her time at UNCG Amabel wrote, directed, performed and participated in a variety of community-based and socially conscious programming, serving as BA representative on UNCG School of Theatre's DEI committee and volunteering with NC Youth Playwrights Festival, among other things. Culminating her undergraduate career, Amabel spent her senior year as a Pubantz Student Artist in Residence, where she authored "Retelling the Life of Grace Sherwood", which awarded 1st place in the 2023 Thomas Undergraduate Research Exposition. Before joining Hope Creek in Fall of 2024, Amabel worked as an extended Theater Arts substitute teacher for Orange County Schools and at Clapping Hands Farm, an outdoor arts and culture learning center in Pittsboro, NC, where she was given the opportunity and encouragement to foster her interest in alternative/supported education. In addition to teaching at Hope Creek, Amabel continues her work in the performing arts--one of her favorite experiences being her work as a puppeteer with Paperhand Puppet Intervention. Amabel enjoys hiking, yoga, thrifting, spending time with her dog, and reading her ever-growing collection of books.