Her Story
About Jamie
I did not originally set out to work in adult education. After going through a divorce in 2018, I was looking for stability, consistency, and a career that could provide long-term security for myself and my children. For 11 years, I had worked at a private homeschool center that offered flexible hours and good pay, which allowed me to be present for my kids while still working. But at 38, I realized I needed something more sustainable, including retirement, insurance, and benefits.
When I saw an opening at Fletcher Technical Community College, I took a chance on a part-time coordinator position with the promise that it could eventually become full-time once funding was allocated. What started as a practical decision turned into something much more meaningful. A few years later, when my supervisor announced her retirement, I decided to go back to school and earn my master’s degree at 42. After she retired, I was named interim director, and after several months of proving myself in that role, I became the Director of Adult Education.
It was not until I had been in this work for a few years that I realized this was where I was meant to be. My mother was a high school equivalency graduate, and I am a first-generation college graduate. Because of that, this work is deeply personal to me. I know how life-changing education can be, and I know that many of the students we serve may not always see college or career training as something meant for them. I believe part of my purpose is to help them understand that they are deserving of those opportunities too, and to help them navigate a path forward.
What I love most about adult education is that no two days are ever the same. We have to be ready to pivot at a moment’s notice and meet people where they are. When someone is in need, we show up. We often serve people who have been overlooked, underestimated, or forgotten, and we help them get across the finish line when no one else has been able to. It is the most fulfilling work I have ever done, and I am grateful every day to be in a position where I can help change lives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jamie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. Life did not always unfold the way I expected, but I kept moving forward, continued my education, and stayed open to new opportunities. I was also shaped by my family’s example, especially my mother’s journey to earn her high school equivalency and my own experience as a first-generation college graduate. Those experiences taught me that success is not about having a perfect path. It is about working hard, staying grounded, and using your journey to help others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have ever received is to be willing to do the work before the title comes. In other words, do not wait for someone to hand you permission, recognition, or the perfect opportunity. Show up, stay prepared, keep learning, and let your work speak for itself. That advice stayed with me because much of my career has been built by stepping up, figuring things out, and being willing to grow into roles I had not originally planned for. It reminded me that leadership is not just about position. It is about responsibility, consistency, and how you serve others along the way.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in adult education right now is funding. Our field is drastically underfunded compared to K-12, and that creates a constant need to advocate not only for resources, but for recognition. We are always working to help people understand that adult education is about far more than earning a credential. It is about changing lives. It is about helping people gain the skills and confidence to support their families, help their children, find stability, and build a different future. In many cases, it is truly changing family trees.
At the same time, I believe that is also our greatest opportunity.
The opportunity is to tell the full story of this work in a way that people cannot ignore. Our students are not just coming to us to earn a diploma. Many are navigating poverty, working full-time, raising children, overcoming trauma, criminal backgrounds, or substance abuse recovery, all while trying to better their lives. There is nothing basic about that. It takes incredible courage to walk through our doors and say, “I’m ready.”
For those of us in this field, the challenge is that we have to do both. We have to care for people deeply while also collecting the data, measuring the outcomes, and proving the value of what we do. We have to show the numbers, but we also have to tell the human story behind them. If we can continue doing that well, I believe the opportunity is to gain the support, investment, and visibility adult education has deserved for a long time.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are compassion, resilience, authenticity, and service. In both my work and personal life, I try to be the person I needed when I was younger. I want others to know that where they come from, what they have been through, or what others think of them does not define their future. I believe people are capable of growth, change, and more than what the world may have expected of them.
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