Faculty and Staff
“How much everyone wanted not only to create a great environment for the kids but a great environment for the adults as well. | The opportunity to be involved in a wonderful school environment. | I appreciated the philosophy and values of the school and the PBL focus. | The school’s values.”
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE SCHOOL THAT ATTRACTED YOU? - Survey responses from staff members who were brought on together following the Built on Values process.
Principal
“Rich helped us dig deep as a new school to understand and fully flesh out our shared values and then to integrate and live those values throughout the school. The shift takes time, but for us, it has paid dividends over the years in creating a cohesive group of adults who are moving forward toward a common educational vision.”
- Tammy Finch, K-8 Director of The Expedition School, one of the highest-rated in North Carolina.
Teacher Preparation Authority
“Teacher turnover is much more than a pipeline, preparation, and pay issue. It is an organizational alignment problem. Great schools reflect their community or their culture. Principals, including great ones, come and go. I know this, having spent my life in education. Rich knows this too, and he is not just talking about it.”
Dr. Charles Coble, a long-time authority on teacher preparation and development and past Vice President of the Education Commission of the States
Principal
“I put my heart and soul into the school, and I was concerned that, like so many other schools that lose a long-term leader, the turnover rate would soar and damage the program we had built together over so many years. … Rich’s guidance was completely successful. After I left, the turnover rate did not spike, and the framework continues to be in place years later.”
- Mitch Stensland, retired principal of Chatham Central High School (NC)
Superintendent
“Having a people-centric culture, that is, one that nurtures your employees, students, and families, can help your school system stand out from the competition. If you are new to the superintendency or your board and team are ready to go to the next level, consider speaking with Rich. Our experience impressed us, and we hope to work with him and Gayle again.”
- Dr. Markley, former superintendent of New Hanover County Schools (NC)
Practician
“For years, I, like Rich, have been partnering with Ann Rhoades and People Ink. Today, the framework is reflected in the cultures of the five universities that make up the Texas Tech system. The shift has allowed students, faculty, staff, future health practitioners, and other graduates to thrive and grow in ways not previously realized.”
- Steve Sosland, Leader and Culture Development Vice Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System
P-12 Education Authority
“Too many times we have gone into a school, and the work failed to take root as a result of the culture not being ready from the start or the conditions changing when the principal left. Rich’s initiative can help change this common paradigm and the related long-term growth of our kids.”
- Dr. Terry Roberts, long-time director of the National Paideia Center, one of the oldest school reform models in the United States
Compassion Health Care
(The partnership followed a referral from a pilot school.)
“We incorporate our values into everything we do, starting with hiring & onboarding. Our staff embodies our core values because these principles are not just words on paper—they guide every aspect of how we care for our patients and interact with our community. Through quarterly staff meetings focused on our built-on-values model, regular recognition of value-based behavior, and open discussions about the importance of these values, our team is deeply committed to living them out daily. From leadership setting the example to ongoing training and support, we ensure that every staff member understands and incorporates our core values into their work, creating a culture of compassionate, patient-centered care.”
CHC, including The Caswell County Family Medical Center, serves multiple rural communities on or near the Virginia-North Carolina border.
