Founding Board

A graduate of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, Caroline Kelly has over 30 years of US teaching experience, first in an inner-city High School and later in a K-12 Christian School and then online for a Community College. She has served as a curriculum specialist for Latin and other world languages and worked with the NC DPI on various world language related projects. She has been an educational consultant, author and curriculum developer, and national test writer (ALIRA, NLE), and held leadership positions in several regional and national WL and Classics professional associations, for whom she is a regular conference presenter. Kelly also served on the Board of School Trustees for Covenant Day School, Matthews, NC. In addition, as a parent of five children, she was actively involved in a variety of different schools, some well established, others just starting up. 

Karen McKellar Manning has worked in advertising for over 30 years and recently retired from Sandhills Community College where she served as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the past 17 years. She is a Moore County native and a graduate of Pinecrest High School. She earned a BSBA in Marketing and a BS in Graphic Arts from Appalachian State University,

Becky Graham recently retired from Sandhills Community College as a Data Management Analyst, where she compiled and analyzed data for internal use and federal reports. She brings valuable experience also from her years with various industries as an Industrial Engineer, where she planned building and product layouts to use available space efficiently and worked with contractors when doing an addition to the distribution center. Becky also served on the Board of School Trustees for Chester County School District in South Carolina out of a desire to improve the education available to her own child as well as to families in that community.

Ariane Mestelle is a Hillsdale College alumna, graduating Cum Laude. She has two young daughters and manages a homestead family farm in Moore County. Her husband is an Air Force Pilot.

Ariane is an entrepreneur, having begun and operated a wellness studio for three years. She has held roles as Director of Sales, Director of Corporate Business Development, Director of Sales/Ops Analysis & Strategy, Business Intelligence Director, Senior Marketing Analyst, and Financial Analyst in the oil and gas sector. Ariane also served as a Business Development/Financial Controller for a medical corporation and as a Controller in an automotive prototype manufacturing corporation.

Dr. BethAnn Pratte is an enthusiastic and caring individual who is committed to school choice and wants to see educational success for the underserved in our community. School leadership, administration, governance, curriculum, instruction, and assessment experiences have all been part of her professional life. She has served as a classroom teacher, educational leader, college professor, special education advocate, and dyslexia interventionist. Dr. Pratte holds a Superintendent, Curriculum Instructional Specialist, Principal and an Exceptional Children’s Program Administrator license, and Pennsylvania Instructional II Elementary Education K-8 Certificate.

Leonard Bryant earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from Liberty University in 2008. He has served as a soldier in the US Army, US Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard, where his work experiences have included Senior Religious Affairs Supervisor (Active) for the US ARMY Forces Command, Master Religious Affairs Supervisor (Combat Deployed, US Army Reserve), Master Religious Affairs Supervisor (US Army Reserve), and Religious Affairs Supervisor (Active Mobilization, US Army Reserve). In addition, Leonard has worked as a Lot Attendant for Enterprise Car Rental and as a Youth Counselor Corrections Officer.

Deborah Lawson has been a Licensed Real Estate Agent since 1995. She has represented buyers and sellers for lots, acreage, single-family homes, horse farms, and commercial properties. She has worked as  the Director of Institutional Advancement, Office Manager, Admissions Director, and Director of Marketing at a Moore County private school. She has also led fundraising efforts for a local crisis pregnancy center.

Caleb served on the Founding Board for ten months. Due to work and family responsibilities he has stepped down from the Board.