Laura Stauderman, President

Laura graduated from the University of the Arts, (BFA/Dance Ed) and Teachers College, Columbia University (MA/Dance Ed). She served as Dance Director at HWB Magnet School for the Arts, FL. and East Millbrook Magnet Middle School, NC. Additional teaching credits include North Carolina Dance Institute, Infinity Ballet, the former Virginia School of the Arts and the regional and national high school dance festivals in Norfolk, Miami, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Her choreography was commissioned by St. Petersburg College and The Tampa Visitor’s Bureau and was awarded to be performed at DPAC to open for the Radio City Rockette’s Christmas Spectacular. Ms. Stauderman is a National Board Certified Teacher and was one of the first educators to implement the National Honor Society for Dance Arts at both the middle and high school levels in North Carolina. She has presented at local and national conferences and is presently in her 15th year as the Dance Director at Holly Springs High School. Laura served on the board for the past year as President-Elect, and two years as the Vice-President for Professional Development (prior to she was Member At Large – Conference Support). Laura is currently enrolled in the Educational Leadership and Management Ed.D. program at Drexel University.

Amanda Cook, VP of Professional Development

Amanda is a 2008 graduate of UNCG with a BA in Dance Education and a minor in Communication Studies.  She has taught grades 6-12 in Title 1 and non Title 1 schools since graduating.  She currently serves as the Lead Dance Teacher for Guilford County Schools and teaches at Southwest Guilford High School.  In addition to teaching, Amanda is pursuing her Masters of Teacher Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction from Gardner Webb University and will graduate with honors in August 2021.

Ashley Cartledge, VP of Communications

Ashley Cartledge is a public school dance educator at North Pitt High School in Bethel, NC & certified teacher of BodyMind DancingTM. Her curriculum focuses on critical thinking, cultural/self-appreciation, and the development of kinesthetic intelligence using culturally responsive pedagogy & somatic approaches. Ashley received her BFA in Dance Education from East Carolina University and MA in Dance Education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. From 2010-11, Ashley served as the resident choreographer & dancer for The Distillery, a former arts collective based in Raleigh, NC.

In 2012, and 2013, Ashley served on the committee to write the Pitt County dance curriculum and pacing guides.  From 2016-19, Ashley collaborated with the dance educator coordinator at ECU in a yearly service learning project which exposed students to engaging lessons incorporating literacy & social issues. In 2017, Ashley began a community dance workshop entitled “empowHERment”, an inter-generational workshop for female students and their female role models which incorporated somatics and modern based movement practices to foster mutual trust, respect, and understanding.  Ashley has previously served on the board as Vice President of Communications.

Marissa Nesbit, Treasurer

Dr. Marissa Nesbit is deeply committed to the idea that all children should have the opportunity to attain an excellent dance education centered in the arts. As Assistant Professor and Dance Education Coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Nesbit supports aspiring dance educators to craft rigorous and engaging learning experiences that immerse their students in the creative process. Currently she teaches dance education methods and creative practice courses, supervises student teachers, and engages in qualitative research projects that investigate aspects of dance curriculum and pedagogy in K12 contexts.

Dr. Nesbit is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences including the National Dance Education Organization and dance and the Child, international, and has recently contributed to Ethical Dilemmas in Dance Education (Risner & Schupp) and Performing Arts as High-Impact Practice (Hayford & Kattwinkel). She has presented numerous professional development workshops for educators and has further supported the field through her service to the North Carolina Dance Education Organization.

Dr. Nesbit is influenced by a widely varied academic and artistic background that contributes to her understanding of dance as deeply intertwined with other academic, artistic, and life pursuits, which she applies across her teaching, research, and service.

Morgan Wilson, Secretary

Morgan Wilson is originally from Salisbury, North Carolina where her love for dance was fostered at an extremely young age. Morgan began her training at North Carolina Dance Theatre, now Charlotte Ballet, training in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Pointe. At the age of 13, she then transferred to Piedmont School of Music and Dance, directed by Juilliard Alumni, Daniel Wiley, and American Ballet Theatre soloist, Rebecca Wiley. Upon continuing her dance and pedagogy training at The Boston Conservatory, Morgan has worked with professionally accredited teachers, including Adriana Suarez, Leslie Woodies, Gianni Di Marco, Tommy Neblett, and Cathy Young. In 2015, Morgan graduated with a B.F.A. in Dance from The Boston Conservatory, returning to North Carolina to begin her teaching career. She is currently working as a Dance Educator developing a Dance department and curriculum for K-5 at China Grove Elementary School, an A+ School integrating core curriculum and art standards.  Morgan was accepted into the MA DE program at the North Carolina University of Greensboro in 2018, working on obtaining her Masters in Dance Education. 

Kimberly Quick-Blount, At-Large, Membership

Kimberly Quick-Blount was born and raised in North Carolina. She has been teaching as a public school dance educator for 7 years. She began dancing at a young age and developed a lifelong passion for the artform. Kimberly holds a BA in Dance from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she had the opportunity to work with many world-renowned educators and choreographers. After graduation, Kimberly pursued an Arts Administration career, working at The American Dance Festival for several years, before relocating to Maryland and working at The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. Kimberly obtained her master’s degree in dance education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, which is affording her the opportunity to further advance her career as a dance educator. Kimberly is a passionate teacher and advocate for dance education.

Chandra McCloud-Glover, At-Large, NHSDA

Chandra Glover is the Dance Department Chair at Northwest School of the Arts. In 2012, she received the Cato Excellence in Teaching Award for integrating academics into the arts, leading her to become a member of the Education & Outreach Committee at Charlotte Ballet, on which she currently serves. In 2015, she became a National Artist Teaching Fellow, allowing her to study at ADF and at Ailey. Glover then began a Repertory Scholarship Concert, which has given over $200,000 in scholarships, including her “Walk In Your Excellence Scholarship” that allows students to continue their dance training and purchase dancewear. In 2018, she was awarded Charlotte Ballet’s Dance Educator of the Year Award.  Glover currently serves as the Director for NC’s National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA), as well as a Jr. Chapter Advisor for her school’s NHSDA Chapter.

Sonya Monts, At-Large, Conference Support

Sonya Monts has over 20 years experience in the private studio setting. She previously owned and directed her own private studio, The Dancer’s Extension, and was the dance teaching artist for Polk County (NC) Schools. She currently teaches for Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre/New Studio of Dance in Asheville, NC. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia College (SC), and in 2015 earned her Certificate in Dance Education from the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). For the NDEO, Sonya is a chapter sponsor for the National Honor Society of Dance Arts; adjudicated the Artistic Merit, Leadership and Academic Achievement Award; served on the strategic planning committee; contributes to to online member forums; contributes and serves on the editorial board for the Dance Education in Practice journal; and has presented her work at the state and national levels. After a thorough review of her teaching portfolio, Sonya became a Registered Dance Educator in 2014.

Amelia Renee Byrd, At-Large, Advocacy

Amelia Renee Byrd (Memphis, TN) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre and Dance and a Bachelor of Professional Studies along with a teaching licensure in K-12 Dance Education from the University of Memphis (2005 and 2007). Amelia was the Dance Instructor at Colonial Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts and a member of Project: Motion Dance Collective in Memphis, TN (2008-2011). Amelia has presented work with Project: Motion, the University of Memphis Theatre and Dance Department, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Dance, Playhouse on the Square, and the Greensboro Fringe Festival. Amelia is a 2014 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, receiving a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Dance/Choreography and is now currently working as the Dance Educator at Penn-Griffin School for the Arts in High Point, NC where she serves as chair of the performing arts department. Amelia is formerly a member of JOYEMOVEMENT, a dance company in Greensboro, NC (2014-2018). Amelia is currently a member of the 2021 Artists-In-Residence Cohort through the North Carolina Dance Festival.

Kate Cummings, Past President

Kate Cummings is the Director of the Dance Program at Oberlin Magnet Middle School in Raleigh. Previously she served as the Fine Arts Department Chair and founded the dance program at Millbrook Magnet High School. She is one of the founding members of the North Carolina Dance Education Organization and previously served as President and Vice President of Communications. Cummings received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education from East Carolina University. She has taught younger students at several Raleigh studios, served on the education curriculum committee for Carolina Ballet as a curriculum writer, Teaching Artist for Carolina Ballet and participated in the organization of danceSPARK in downtown Raleigh as part of SPARKcon.

Sayward Grindley, NC DPI Arts Representative (Ex-Officio)

Sayward Grindley is the Dance and Visual Arts Consultant at NCDPI. Sayward has been on the Dance Faculty at Elon University, Meredith College, East Carolina University, and Appalachian State University. At ECU, she was the Interim Dance Education Coordinator overseeing the student teaching and K-12 certification program. She has guest taught at High Point University, Jacksonville University, UNC-Greensboro’s Masters in Dance Ed Program, University of South Carolina, Tulsa Ballet, Florida Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival, ADF as a sub for Gerri Houlihan, and presented at several NCDEO conferences. Sayward was previously the Education Director at Sarasota Ballet and Carolina Ballet, and danced/toured professionally with Sarasota Contemporary Dance. She taught middle and high school dance in the public schools in Florida, and was on the state committee to write the K-12 Dance Standards. Sayward holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Choreography from Jacksonville University-White Oak and a dual Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Dance Education with K-12 certification from East Carolina University.