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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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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Cassie Karriker has worked at Partners In Learning since 2011. Cassie has had many different roles at Partners in Learning. She has been a lead mentoring teacher, afternoon supervisor, early intervention director, and now clinical services director.  Her passion for children and families started in the classrooms here at Partners in Learning. Ensuring that each child and family felt included and had access to resources that they needed. As the Clinical Services Director, she will oversee all support services provided by Partners in Learning and will assist in supporting the community in any way possible.

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Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Appalachian State University and a Master of Science degree in Education from N.C. A&T State University. He has an extensive background in both education and business. In addition to working with high school students, he has experience working in the insurance industry as a corporate business analyst and as the operations manager of a residential development company. Dan is married and has two adult children and one grandchild.

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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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Aleshya Spruill began her early childhood career in 2006, when she was a senior in high school. She always knew that she wanted to work closely with children and was waiting for the right chance to do so.

Aleshya is married with three beautiful and amazing children. She started working at Partners In Learning at 18 years old, and received her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. In May 2020, Aleshya graduated with her bachelor’s degree in birth-kindergarten education.

While at Partners In Learning, Aleshya has fulfilled several roles, including afternoon staff, flexible teacher, assistant teacher, lead teacher, afternoon supervisor, school-age coordinator, assistant director, and now director of our Novant Site!

Aleshya’s philosophy on life is to simply have fun, make memories, and form bonds. Without this, you have a regular day that lacks zeal. She thrives on positivity and great work ethics and strives to be better every day.

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Angel L. Thomas was born in Brentwood, NY, but raised in Memphis, TN, and considers herself a Southern Belle. Angel received her Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Lane College in Jackson, TN, and her Master’s in Social Work from Alabama A&M University. She is a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist Associate (LCAS-A) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA). Angel’s passion is children, and she loves helping the community.

Angel is a wife and has been married since 2015. She became a mother in 2020 to her son, who is medically complex with a trach and g-tube. Angel states that being a mom to a child with special needs has made her more understanding and wanting to help others, even more now than ever before. Angel is also an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she is the Community Service Chair for her chapter.

Angel lives by the quote, “We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.”

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!

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.

Logan Garner is a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor’s degree in behavioral psychology. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in ABA. Logan has worked closely with children with disabilities for over a decade, but has over 5 years professional experience working in childcare and ABA. He loves camping, spending time outside, and hiking with his wife of 7 years and 6 year old daughter. Logan loves trying new foods, travelling to new places, and going to the mountains.