Instructors
Listed below are biographies for instructors of the Community Programs courses.
SUZANNE ADAIR has an MBA from Georgia State University. She writes a historical mystery series and is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the North Carolina Writers Network. She has received the 2007 Patrick D. Smith Literature Award and was nominated for both the 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award and the 2009 Sir Walter Raleigh award. www.suzanneadair.com
LOIS CAVANAGH-DALEY has a B.A. in elementary education and English from National Louis University. She co-authored “The Many Paths of Self-Esteem” and has taught the course to women throughout the Triangle.
ROBIN COLBY has a Ph.D. from Duke University and is head of the English department at Meredith College. Colby specializes in nineteenth-century British literature.
MEGAN CUTTER graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College with a B.A. in English/creative writing. She is a local freelance writer with published works in the The News and Observer (North Raleigh News), Natural Awakenings as well as included works in A Taste of Taffy: Samplings From the Triangle Area Freelancers. www.cuttersword.com
DONNA RHODES DARNELL has a B.A. in art from Meredith College and a master in art history from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has taught at Ravenscroft School and at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va.
DINA M. DI MAIO is a Meredith alumna and a licensed attorney in Tennessee and New York. With an MFA in creative writing from New York University, Di Maio has worked as a freelance writer and editor for publications and publishers like Glamour, Family Circle and Scholastic, Inc.
TAMMY FINCH has a Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has created SkillSense, a local educational business dedicated to teaching practical and common sense life skills to tweens, teens and their parents. www.skillsense.org
LAWANA HARRIS is a nationally accredited personal fitness trainer and group fitness instructor. She is committed to igniting a passion for an active lifestyle in everyone she meets.
DON KING has a B.A. in business administration from Campbell University. He has been a fulltime, professional calligrapher since 1982. His commissioned work is held by individuals and corporations from Japan to South Africa. www.dkingstudio.com
LINDA L. JONES earned a B.S. in elementary education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and an M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has taught in the public school system, and at Campbell University, Methodist College and Meredith College.
SARAH LEVITT founded and grew her own start-up company to occupy the top 5% and capture 40% of the wholesale market for the entire state of North Carolina. Her passion is transferring her hard-won, real world business knowledge to other entrepreneurs to make them successful. She has a B.A. in philosophy.
SHARON MALLEY is a faculty member at Meredith College. Malley has a bachelor’s degree in physical education/athletic training from California State in Long Beach and a master’s degree in exercise and sports science/sports medicine from UNC-Chapel Hill.
JOHN ORR, an instructor at Duke University, has led meditation retreats globally and workshops in stress management in the Research Triangle Park. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk while living in Thailand and India for eight years. www.newhopesangha.org.
ALICE OSBORN has an M.A. in English from NC State. She is a poet, essayist, creative writing instructor, and
is the author of “Right Lane Ends” (Catawba, 2006). She is a former English teacher at Raleigh Charter High School and a freelance editor. www.aliceosborn.com
JANICE RUSSELL is North Carolina’s first Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization. She and her firm, Minding Your Matters® Organizing, have built a reputation for helping business and residential clients organize their space, items, documents and time.www.mindingyourmatters.com
SUSAN SCHMIDT has an Ed.D. in counselor education from NC State. She is a former high school counselor who works in private practice with adolescents and families.
CHIP SLADE is currently a lieutenant with the Meredith College Campus Police. He is a nationally certified rape prevention instructor and has been the chief instructor for the Bushido Women's Self Defense program since 2003. Though he is a judo instructor and a student of a variety of martial arts, his rape prevention classes concentrate on simple, effective techniques any woman can do. (www.bjswomensselfdefense.community.officelive.com)
GREGORY WHITT is a facilitator, educator and rhythmatist. He holds a B.A. in communication, is a professional member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild and is a trained HealthRHYTHMS facilitator.www.drumforchange.com
SUSIE WILDE has an M.Ed. from Tulane University, has reviewed children’s books for Learning Magazine and currently writes a monthly column for the The News and Observer. She has taught writing and reading in classrooms for 13 years. She is a reading-writing advocate. www.ignitingwriting.com
SCOTT WRAY is the aquatic director and an assistant
Science Department at Meredith College. He has been teaching water safety, swimming lessons and lifeguarding classes for over 20 years.
