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Tillery Christian Academy
TCA School Board
2024-2025
The school is governed jointly by a school board and the headmistress, Mrs. Jennifer Keely.
Dr. Beverly McIntyre
Chair
Longtime resident of the Norwood area and member of Memorial Baptist Church, Board of Directors Chair Beverly McIntyre holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, with a specialty in literacy and urban education, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and has more than 40 years of teaching experience in the education of preschoolers, elementary and college students. Since retiring from Norwood Elementary after 31 years, she has worked as a literacy consultant and adjunct professor at UNC-Charlotte, conducted local and international workshops and seminars for parents and teachers, and authored articles and book chapters on juvenile literacy. Dr. McIntyre has written and received multiple grants for innovative classroom programs and projects.
Kathy Haynes
Vice Chair
Kathy Haynes received her Elementary Education degree from Pfeiffer University in 1990. She received her Master of School Administration in 2008. Kathy has her NC Teaching License in K-6, Academically Gifted K-12, Principal K-12, and is a Curriculum Specialist. Kathy served 29 years as a teacher/administrator in public education and 2 years in private Christian education. Kathy attends Porter United Methodist Church where she is active in the finance committee. Kathy retired in 2021 and currently enjoys traveling with her husband David and spending time with her three children, their spouses, and her four grandchildren.
Sam Turner
Treasurer
Sam K Turner, Jr., is the managing partner of Turner & Tarlton, CPA firm in Wadesboro, NC for 29 years. He worked in private business at Rocky River Mills for 19 years. He graduated from Wingate College in 1965 and Pfeiffer University in l968. He has served as Treasurer of Memorial Baptist Church for 40 years. He is currently serving as Treasurer of Tillery Christian Academy. He is married to Sandra; they have three daughters and two grandsons.
Brenda Lilly
Secretary
Brenda Lilly has served on our board since 2019. She has volunteered as our school librarian since the school was established. She is a graduate of South Stanly High School and Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. While living in North Wilkesboro, she was a library assistant and tutor in the Wilkes County schools She and her husband, Richard, attend Memorial Baptist Church. They have two children.
Tom Gray
Member
Tom Gray has been a TCA board member since inception in 2015. He was the Board Chair from 2015 until 2019. He also oversees the building and grounds for TCA and Memorial Baptist Church. Tom has been the Physical Education Teacher for TCA the past two years. He also serves as a deacon at Memorial Baptist as well as a member of the new building committee. He retired from the United States Postal Service with 33 years of service.He was Postmaster of Norwood the last 15 years of his career. He was the high school volleyball coach at South Stanly High School for seven years. Tom is the Director of Ultra Volleyball Club in Stanly County. He also coaches at his club at the 18 year old division. Tom is married to Robin Gray, a retired teacher of 33 years. His oldest son, Jake, is a teacher at Bolger Elementary in Concord. Jake's wife is the principal at Graystone Middle School. Tom's daughter is an Occupational Therapist in Asheville.Tom's youngest son Hunter is in his second year of medical school at MUSC.
Dawn Valler
Member
Dawn Valler has been a TCA board member since 2017. Dawn’s family has lived in Norwood for the past six years and joined Memorial Baptist Church shortly thereafter. She has been a public school teacher for the past 20+ years. She has also served as a children’s ministry director and served in home missions right after graduating from Campbell University.
Frank Hare
Member
Mr. Frank Hare joined the board in 2022. Frank is retired from Spectrum as a Field Operations Supervisor. He is a member of Porter United Methodist Church. He attended Southeastern University and double majored in History and Philosophy. He also attended Assembly of God Theological Seminary, where he obtained a Master of Divinity degree. He is a Desert Storm veteran.
Richard Alexander
Member
Richard Alexander joined the board in 2023. Richard is the Music Director at Memorial Baptist Church. Richard and his wife, Suellen, have been a member at Memorial since 2013. Richard volunteers at TCA by leading chapel with the younger kids. He loves teaching them songs about Jesus. In Richards free time, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, and anything outside!
Kay Hawkins
Member
Kay is our newest board member joining us in 2024. Kay Lawhon Hawkins spent most of her young life in North Carolina. After graduating high school in Raleigh, she received an AAS degree in Respiratory Therapy from Duke and Durham Technical Institute. She worked in several hospitals in that field, ultimately advancing to Department head. Desiring to further her education in the medical field, Kay returned to school at UNCC and obtained her BS degree in Biology. Then she continued her education at Bowman Gray School of Medicine, earning her MD Degree. After 4 years of residency in California, Kay returned to North Carolina to begin her solo medical practice in Mooresville, NC. Several years later, she married her husband, Mark and moved to Monroe, NC where she joined a group practice and was active in women's healthcare through the health department. With a passion for teaching, Kay helped start the PA Program at Wingate University and was on staff there for several years until she retired to spend more time with her mission outreach in the country of Nicaragua. Kay has been instrumental in building 3 churches, a hospital emergency room, and several women's clinics in this third world country. She has been honored to perform thousands of colposcopies to help identify early signs of cervical cancer in this country that continues to lose many women every year to this preventable malignancy. She has provided colposcopes and instructional education to 10 physicians in their local clinics. And every patient has heard that it is God's grace that gave them clean health, or identified their pre-malignant disease, or will be their anchor as they are treated for cancer. Kay has just recently retired from medical practice and is excited to spend more time with her 3 sons and 5 grandchildren as well as her husband, Mark. She also enjoys teaching a Bible Study at home every week.
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