Leadership Team

Norma W. Honeycutt is an expert, international award-winning early Childhood trainer and consultant. She is the Executive Director of Partners In Learning Child Development and Family Resource Center and a state-wide advocate for early care, education, and intervention.

She is certified to provide Triple-P, Special Instruction for Infants and Toddlers, and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Child and Family Development from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte and a Master’s Degree in Birth through Kindergarten.  For more than three decades, Norma has used her skills to support children and their families. She is a highly regarded and popular trainer and speaker.  She is passionate about quality in early childhood, making sure that children receive the best possible care and education to help them reach their full potential. She has worked within the education, health, and social services sectors, performing a wide range of roles such as teacher, director, education consultant, and child care commissioner.

Norma is married and is the mother of five adult children, which is why she is able to speak from the heart to parents and all those who care for or educate children.

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Emilie Scharf has been a dedicated member of Partners in Learning since 2014, demonstrating her commitment through various roles, including Finance Director and Center Director. While there was a brief separation in her direct services, her connection to the organization remained strong. Her current role as Family Support Director is where her true passion lies.

Emilie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Birth-Kindergarten Education from Catawba College and is accredited in multiple levels of Triple P (Positive Parenting Program), reflecting her expertise in family support. Outside of her professional life, Emilie is married and has two adult children. She is also the proud “GiGi” to a grandson and granddaughter. Her deep-seated calling to serve others is evident in her tireless efforts to support families in the county to the best of her ability.

For more than a decade, Katelin Rice has been a dedicated community advocate in Salisbury and Rowan County. She has grown to become a respected professional through her work with Salisbury’s elected and civic leaders, and service on various nonprofit boards and committees. Katelin’s career began as the Promotions Coordinator for Downtown Salisbury, Inc., eventually leading her to serve as one of the lead coordinators for Salisbury’s largest event, the Cheerwine Festival. Most recently, Katelin served as the Community Development Manager for Hotwire Communications.

In her spare time, Katelin has worked closely with the Rowan County United Way, Historic Salisbury Foundation, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina Main Street Association, amongst others. Katelin received her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Literature from Catawba College. She is also certified as a Public Information Officer, and recently received her certification in Full-Cycle Grants Management from Western Carolina University.

Katelin is passionate about the growth and development of Salisbury’s residents, further driving her philanthropic and engagement efforts

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 A passionate advocate for children and families, Cassie Karriker has dedicated herself to Partners In Learning since 2011. Her journey, which includes roles as Lead Mentoring Teacher, Afternoon Supervisor, and Early Intervention Director, has culminated in her current role as Clinical Services Director. Cassie, who holds a Master’s Degree in Education with a concentration in Leadership, operates on a fundamental philosophy: to proactively find the gaps in available services and work tirelessly to bridge them, providing all children and families with equitable access to crucial support. This commitment to inclusivity and resource accessibility has been her hallmark since her days in the classroom. She continues to oversee all support services, driven by a deep commitment to the community.

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Salisha Atkins blends human resources expertise with a genuine passion for supporting people. She holds a degree in Human Resource Management from UNC Greensboro and has hands-on experience in recruiting, employee engagement, and developing strong, connected teams.

Salisha is committed to creating positive work environments where employees feel supported, respected, and aligned with the organization’s mission. Her work centers on building a workplace culture that values collaboration, growth, and inclusion in support of Partners In Learning’s dedication to whole-family care and education.

When she’s not at work, Salisha enjoys quality time with her spouse and two children, traveling together, and trying new foods and recipes.

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Heather has three daughters who keep her on her toes. They are her pride and joy, and together they enjoy playing outside, exploring nature, and traveling home to Pennsylvania and New York to see their family. Growing up, Heather lived all over the country, as her father was a chief in the United States Navy.

Heather has an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and History from Elmira College in Elmira, NY. She has worked with children of all ages, including teaching high school in the private sector for 5 years, and has over 20 years’ experience working with preschool age children.

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Leah McCasland is a 2015 graduate of Catawba College with a degree in English Literature. Since January 2017, she has been employed at Partners in Learning, where she has served as as the Lead Infant Teacher for over five years. Her time at Partners has allowed her to foster a love of learning and provide nurturing care during the earliest stages of childhood development.

Outside of her professional life, she is happily married to her husband, Cole. She loves traveling the world, taking lots of photos, visiting Disney parks, and spending quality time with her nieces, Elayna and Emarie.

Leah began serving as Administrative Assistant at Best Street site in September, 2025. She is “excited to continue fostering connections, supporting families, and helping make Partners an even better place for our community.”

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Janine Cooper is a dedicated early childhood education and leadership professional with extensive experience in early learning, school operations, program development, and team leadership.

As an entrepreneur and educational leader, Janine has founded and owned multiple successful educational programs, including Magic Beings Nursery School; Cooper College; and Clever Kids Nursery School. Her experience includes overseeing school operations, developing educational programs, leading and supporting teaching teams, partnering with families, and creating nurturing, structured environments where children can thrive.

Janine is passionate about supporting educators, strengthening classroom practices, and ensuring every child feels safe, valued, and encouraged to learn. She brings a positive, hands-on leadership style and a genuine commitment to children, families, and the early childhood profession.

Outside of work, Janine enjoys spending time with family, exploring new places, and creating meaningful experiences with the people she loves.

Janine Cooper is a dedicated early childhood education and leadership professional with extensive experience in early learning, school operations, program development, and team leadership.

As an entrepreneur and educational leader, Janine has founded and owned multiple successful educational programs, including Magic Beings Nursery School; Cooper College; and Clever Kids Nursery School. Her experience includes overseeing school operations, developing educational programs, leading and supporting teaching teams, partnering with families, and creating nurturing, structured environments where children can thrive.

Janine is passionate about supporting educators, strengthening classroom practices, and ensuring every child feels safe, valued, and encouraged to learn. She brings a positive, hands-on leadership style and a genuine commitment to children, families, and the early childhood profession.

Outside of work, Janine enjoys spending time with family, exploring new places, and creating meaningful experiences with the people she loves.

Kelly is a dedicated education and leadership professional with over 20 years of experience across early childhood and school operations, bringing a deep commitment to supporting students, teaching teams, and families.

Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology, majoring in Education from South Africa, Kelly blends a strong child-development foundation with extensive hands-on expertise. Her diverse international background includes serving as the Operations Manager and Team Leader at Magic Beings Nursery School in South Africa, where she supported an early childhood environment for children from birth to age six. Demonstrating her versatile leadership, she also served as the Founding Principal and Director of Administration and Operations at Cooper College in South Africa, helping to launch, manage, and scale the school to approximately 850 students and 58 staff members.

While Kelly has a proven track record in high-level administration and staff supervision, her true passion lies in classroom support, preschool leadership, and student behavior guidance. She excels at creating safe, structured, and consistent routines that foster children’s social-emotional growth. Known for her calm judgment under pressure and dedication to absolute confidentiality, Kelly is deeply committed to partnering with teachers, specialists, and families to help every child thrive.

Outside of her professional life, Kelly recently emigrated from South Africa and is incredibly excited to expand her roots and connect with her new community. She shares her life with her husband, Rick, and their two children, Alex and Ava, as they proudly build their new life in America. In her free time, Kelly loves reading and exploring new locations with her family.

We are so glad that you are here and exploring counseling options for your child! When a child is facing challenges, it can impact the whole family—and that is why Jenya is here to support both your child and you throughout the process. Jenya provides individual play therapy for children, a developmentally appropriate approach to help them express themselves through play, their natural language, as well as offers parenting support to guide families through this journey together.

Jenya is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UNC Charlotte, along with a graduate certificate in play therapy. She is currently working toward becoming a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and has also completed training in an EMDRIA-approved basic Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which is trauma-focused.

With over four years of experience providing outpatient play therapy to children aged 3 through 12, Jenya specializes in addressing trauma, anxiety, depression, behavioral challenges, and attachment-related concerns. Her approach is grounded in meeting each child where they are, building on their strengths, and empowering them to develop confidence and healthy coping skills. Outside of the office, Jenya enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and being with her family.

You don’t have to navigate this difficult time alone—let’s talk about how Jenya can support your child and family together.

Melanie Fortner serves as an Early Intervention Inclusion Coach at Partners in Learning, working on-site 10 hours a week to empower educators and foster inclusive classroom environments. In her role, Melanie provides hands-on coaching and mentoring to classroom teachers, reviews student assessments, and helps design tailored classroom modifications and accommodations for children with disabilities and developmental delays. She also provides Community Based Rehabilitative Services (CBRS) and is an accredited Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Practitioner.

Bringing over 30 years of experience supporting children with disabilities, developmental delays, and complex medical histories, Melanie is deeply passionate about helping families and educators build thriving learning communities. In her personal life, she has been happily married for 30 years and is the proud mother of a recently engaged son. Outside of work, Melanie stays grounded and energized through gym workouts, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors.

Logan continues to make a meaningful difference at Partners in Learning through a dual role dedicated to comprehensive child and family support. Bringing over eight years of experience across early childhood intervention, project management, and leadership, he splits his time providing 20 hours a week of ABA Services—conducting assessments, developing individual treatment plans, and tracking client progress—and 15 to 20 hours a week as an Early Intervention Behavioral Specialist. In his behavioral specialist capacity, Logan directly assists classroom teachers and staff with tailored behavior strategies, de-escalation techniques, and hands-on training to foster positive, nurturing learning environments. Holding his master’s degree in Behavioral Psychology and actively working towards full accreditation as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Logan works collaboratively alongside families, educators, and the clinical team to ensure strong communication, consistent care, and empowering outcomes for every child PIL serves.

Alana has worked alongside individuals, families, school systems, and advocates in the autism community for over two decades. She had the opportunity to provide community-based services to individuals on the autism spectrum early in her career, prior to entering the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system. In this setting, she taught in a classroom supporting students with autism, before taking a role as an autism consultant for the district. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching with a focus in Special Education, as well as being licensed as a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA).  She worked with a variety of families across the state during her time with the Autism Society of North Carolina over the last six years, providing in-home behavior analytic services to families in the Charlotte, Asheville, and Morganton areas.  In her time with the Autism Society, she also delivered presentations, workshops, and ongoing coaching to school systems, service providers, and other stakeholder groups. She has experience implementing and overseeing programs that emphasize the integration of evidence-based practices in intervention for neurodiverse children, adolescents, and adults. Current areas of focus include equity in education and behavioral intervention, social emotional learning, naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions, and promoting self-advocacy skills for individuals in the autistic community. She is excited to join Partners in Learning to continue this journey!

Megan McIntyre is the Family Support Director at Partners In Learning, where she has been a dedicated educator since 2004. With a bachelor’s degree in Birth–Kindergarten Education from Catawba College and an active teaching license, she is also accredited in multiple levels of the Triple P (Positive Parenting Program).

Throughout her career at Partners In Learning, Megan has served in various impactful roles, including Toddler Lead teacher, NC Pre-K Lead, and Curriculum Coach. Her professional philosophy is rooted in the belief that “the best teaching comes from the heart.” She focuses on building strong relationships with children to help them develop confidence, independence, and social-emotional skills. She is deeply committed to supporting families and children through early care, education, and intervention services.

Outside of her professional life, Megan and her husband, Drew, have two children. Megan is an avid fan of the outdoors and particularly loves spending time at Topsail Beach, where she enjoys surf fishing, shell hunting, and shark tooth hunting. She is a dedicated walker, once tracking over 40 miles in a single week while searching for shark teeth.

Alesia H. Moore is an accomplished early childhood education leader, educator, author, speaker, and faith leader with over 16 years of experience empowering children, families, and educators. At Partners in Learning, Alesia serves as the Family & Clinical Navigator, acting as a primary point of compassionate support and guidance for families seeking services. In her role, she manages client intakes, screenings, and onboarding, coordinates scheduling and billing, delivers specialized staff trainings on DEI and family engagement, and supports daily program operations to ensure a welcoming, seamless experience for every family.

Alesia holds a bachelor’s degree in Child Development, a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, and is a North Carolina Level III Administrator. After operating a successful licensed family child care program in Connecticut for more than a decade, she relocated to North Carolina, where recognizing gaps in inclusive learning resources deepened her passion for advocating for high-quality early intervention and equitable care. Beyond her administrative and mentoring expertise, Alesia is happily married to her best friend, Troy, and is the proud mother of two adult sons, Lindell and Seth, mother-in-law to Gloria, and doting grandmother to her grandson, Koi. She remains dedicated to building inclusive learning communities, strengthening educators, and creating a lasting legacy of service for generations to come.