I graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Art Education and went on to earn my M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University. I taught Integrated Arts for 9 years prior to becoming the Dean of Students in a PK-4 school in Massachusetts. I received a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership from Worcester State University. I have been the Principal of a PK-8 International Baccalaureate School in Provincetown, MA for the past eight years where I worked with teachers to prepare students to become open-minded, active, caring, lifelong learners who demonstrate respect for themselves and others. I look forward to joining the CFCI learning community and getting to know the children and families who have made the choice to embrace inquiry to better understand the world in which they live, learn, communicate, and work.
My husband, Brian, is a farrier and we have two daughters, Hunter – who is a casting assistant for film and television in Chicago (Elon ’16 graduate) and Sage – who is a high school senior. We enjoy spending time together traveling, cooking, kayaking and hanging out at the beach. We have a little dog – Sailor and two cats – Bella and Bleu. We look forward to exploring the Wilmington area, getting to know our new neighbors and giving back to our community.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” – Albert Einstein
Paul Allen- Network Engineer and IT Specialist | pallen@cfci.netPaul Allen is originally from Savanna-la-Mar Jamaica, but has resided in Wilmington, NC with his family since 2005. Paul graduated from Miller-Motte College in Wilmington, NC with a certificate in Computer Systems Network Administrator. Paul has worked in the IT field for many years, constantly keeping abreast of the latest in technological advancements.
When he is not repairing a computer, designing a network, or troubleshooting IT issues, Paul enjoys spending time with his family. A proud father of four girls, Paige – Brown University / Providence, RI | Miranda – Duke University / Chapel Hill | Gabrielle – Northeastern University in Boston, MA and 4 year-old Stella (Future CFCI Student) but for now her goal is to go to every park in North Carolina. Paul also has a passion for reggae music and enjoys organizing and promoting reggae concerts throughout the United States.
Lisa Cole- Academic Intervention Specialist | lcole@cfci.net Lisa Cole has been a classroom teacher since 2004 after realizing her love for working with children as a potter. She joined the CFCI team in 2016 as the Academic Intervention Specialist. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising/Art Direction from the University of Texas in Austin, where she grew up and worked for IBM for several years. Lisa received her teaching certification in San Diego, California where she began her career in bilingual kindergarten. In search of warmer waters, Lisa found Wilmington her next home, teaching in NHC schools for many years. She has also received her Master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction and Supervision from UNC Wilmington.Lisa enjoys time on the beach reading and swimming, working in the garden and kayaking with her husband, and traveling anywhere and everywhere! She also loves lazing around with her two fur babies when possible. Michal Cohen- School Counselor | mcohen@cfci.net
Michal Cohen comes to us with 5 years of K-8 school counseling experience and 8 years of teaching experience, Pre-K-5. She has worked in schools in Greensboro, Israel, Boston, India, San Francisco and, most recently, at the Friends School of Wilmington. Michal holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from New College of California and a Masters Degree in Education from Wheelock College in Boston, MA. Michal moved here 3 years ago with her family, in order to be close to her parents. She considers herself a bit of a foodie and loves making ice cream and pasta most of all. Her favorite thing to do, however, is build Lego creations with her 3 1/2 yo son, Ethan.
Michal is extremely excited to join the CFCI community and looks forward to getting to know all of you…and, please, don’t be shy about asking her how to pronounce her name:)
Jenny Campbell| School Counselor- jcampbell@cfci.net Jenny Campbell is originally from Grove City, Ohio. She has been in Wilmington since 2001 and is a two time graduate of UNCW. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Master’s in Clinical Social Work. She is a licensed clinical social worker in North Carolina and has a background is mental health counseling. Jenny if thrilled to be working with the students, parents and faculty at CFCI! In her free time she enjoys traveling with her family, music and concerts, boating and all holidays. Kelli Leiner-School Psychologist | kleiner@cfci.net
I am honored and excited to join CFCI as your School Psychologist. After a two year hiatus from education, I’m looking forward to getting back into the field my heart never left!
I moved to Wilmington two years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area with my husband and son. Before that time, I worked in California schools as a school psychologist for over a decade and served as a coordinator for district Early Mental Health Intervention programs. I have been privileged to work with students from ages 2-22 in a number of different settings, from preschools and elementary schools to comprehensive and alternative high schools, as well as post-secondary settings.
Previous to these roles, I was also in mental health crisis and counseling for two years and also have a background in writing. I have a Masters in Counseling with emphases in Clinical/Child/School Psychology and Marriage Family Therapy, with a particular passion for how academic, social, and emotional learning intersects, as well as utilizing the unique strengths of each learner. I cannot wait to join CFCI and look forward to supporting CFCI students and staff!
Kelly Rooney- Behavior Specialist/ Compliance Coordinator | krooney@cfci.net Kelly Rooney is originally from Chicago, Illinois but moved to Apex, North Carolina in 2002. She came to Wilmington to attend UNCW where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education as well as her Elementary Education license. She also played soccer all 4 years at UNCW and enjoyed the challenges of being a college athlete. Kelly has been involved with CFCI since she first completed field experience here in the spring of 2011. She returned to do her student teaching with Lori Benazzi, in the Spring of 2012. Kelly is very proud to be a part of the CFCI community as an Exceptional Children’s teacher and Behavior Specialist. Her teaching certifications include Special Education K-12, Behavioral and Emotional Disabilities K-12, Middle Grades Math 6-9 and Elementary Education K-6. In her spare time Kelly loves spending time with her husband, working on their new house or her three siblings, including her twin sister. On the weekends, you can often find her on a soccer field, either playing or coaching her 03 girls travel team.Annesophia Richards- Interventionist l arichards@cfci.net
After spending a decade as an English teacher in Florida, Annesophia moved to Wilmington six years ago to be closer to family. As a freelance writer, Annesophia’s work appears in various local magazines and parenting publications. She is mother to two current CFCI students and is very excited to join the school community in her new role as an Academic Interventionist. In her free time, Annesophia can be found reading, going for a run with the family goldendoodle, or competing in creative writing contests, in which she has received awards for several pieces of her flash fiction.