Staff

Jennifer Stevens

President & CEO

Jennifer Stevens began her life-long career in education in 1995, first serving as a teacher in Halifax County and then moving on to lead education initiatives with Longwood University, Virginia Tech, and NASA Langley Research Center. In 2007, she led a team of educators and community leaders to secure a $13M grant from the National Math and Science Initiative to start the nonprofit corporation, Virginia Advanced Study Strategies – now known as Virginia Ed Strategies. Stevens has been in a leadership role with the organization since that time and has served as its President and CEO since 2019.

As part of her work with the organization, Jennifer is also the Project Director for CHOICE, a $10.8M Education Innovation and Research (EIR) initiative funded by the US Department of Education (USED) in FY2020 which is providing financial resources and support services to over 1000 teachers representing nearly all the public school divisions in Virginia. CHOICE is one of only seven such USED innovation projects nationwide to ever study the effects of giving educators autonomy in their professional learning. Since its inception in 2007, Virginia Ed Strategies has garnered over $45M in private and federal funding to positively impact K-12 education in the Commonwealth and has been the recipient of two other multi-million-dollar USED grants to research and develop new, innovative education models, for which Stevens has provided programmatic and fiscal oversight.

Jennifer passionately supports the alignment of education with workforce needs and has worked with numerous schools and employers to develop programs that better prepare students for high-demand, high-wage careers. She is a sought-after presenter for state, national, and international conferences on various topics related to innovations in teacher professional learning, business and education alignment, and the importance of early career exploration and work-based learning opportunities for our youth. Stevens is certified by The Ohio State University as a DACUM facilitator and has used her training to conduct numerous job analysis sessions for the purpose of creating new training and degree programs at community colleges and universities nationwide to prepare students for high-demand career fields. Jennifer is a faculty member of James Madison University’s College of Education, a 2023 graduate of Lead Virginia, and a 2024 graduate of the Virginia Rural Leadership Institute.

Jennifer lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, John, and they are the proud parents of 5 sons – Jared, Noah, Caleb, Isaac, and Levi.

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Amanda Adams

Vice President & Chief Innovation Officer

Amanda Adams has dedicated the last 14 years to Virginia educators and students with a focus on community building, fostering opportunities for historically underrepresented populations, and supporting teacher professional learning.

As a first-generation college student, Amanda has a passion for addressing structural inequities in the education system and strives to be an advocate for low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students. She launched her career in education in 2009 working as an AmeriCorps college advisor in Pittsylvania County. Serving two high schools, Amanda assisted underserved students with navigating the challenges of pursuing post-secondary college and career options. She would continue this work years later while serving as a college advisor to the Charlottesville Boys and Girls Club.

At 26, Amanda became the executive director of a Bedford, VA nonprofit focused on infrastructure revitalization, business recruitment, economic development, and stimulating long-term growth and investment in the region. Simultaneously, Amanda also served as a testing coordinator for Bedford County schools. She worked diligently to streamline comprehensive testing and diagnostic results in order to better align instruction to student needs. Amanda was also able to formalize a data input and tracking method to ensure IEP and 504 students received all necessary testing accommodations in real-time.

She left Bedford to work as an instructional specialist for adult education in Fairfax County. Amanda worked tirelessly to train educators and assist adult students in their pursuit of high school completion. Her desire to assist students in overcoming adversity took her out of school buildings and into the community to partner with civic organizations willing to assist in empowering students to not only earn a GED but pursue new opportunities in the local workforce.

Amanda joined Virginia Ed Strategies in 2018 in the role of Outreach & Development Coordinator, with a focus on rebranding the organization and expanding its overall capacity. In 2022, Amanda moved into the role of Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer. In this capacity, she provides general oversight for all operations and technology integrations and is responsible for driving the organization’s ability to innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing environment. Amanda also serves as the technology lead for CHOICE, a $10.8m Education Innovation and Research (EIR) project funded by the US Department of Education. She is the mastermind behind a virtual dashboard that identifies PL opportunities, tracks teacher funding, and facilitates educator collaboration and networking.

Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Virginia. She currently lives in Front Royal with her husband Mickey, a high school social studies teacher for Prince William County, and their son Grover. They also have two furbabies, Cali the cat and Loki the boxer.

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Sandy Wilborn

Director of Operations & Programs

Sandy Wilborn has been in the field of education since 2006. She began her career as a mathematics teacher with Halifax County Public Schools in Southside Virginia. She taught at both the middle and high school levels and taught dual enrollment courses through a local community college.

Sandy joined Virginia Ed Strategies in 2013 and serves as the Director of Operations and Programs. She is the Project Manager for CHOICE, a $10.8m Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant awarded by the US Department of Education (USED) in FY2020 which is providing financial resources and support services to over 1000 high school teachers across Virginia while studying the impacts of giving teachers autonomy in their professional learning.

She is a co-author of “The Math Learning Gap: Preparing STEM Technicians for the New Rural Economy” which is published in The Rural Educator. She has presented at numerous state and national conferences on topics such as motivating students to learn and succeed in math, supporting teachers in a virtual networked improvement community, and the importance of math in high-demand technician careers.

Sandy received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Elon University and a Master of Science in Mathematics Education from Nova Southeastern University.

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Alicia Belcher

Support Services Manager

Alicia is a Southwest Virginia native who began her career in the non-profit sector and spent fifteen years serving domestic violence victims, the homeless population, and at-risk youth. In 2013, Alicia returned to college as a non-traditional student, going from high school diploma to a Ph.D. in six years.

Alicia has an Associates in Pre-Teacher Education, a Bachelors in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Mathematics, a Masters in Mathematics Education, and a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Curriculum and Instruction. Alicia is licensed to teach Pre-K – 6th, Special Education K-12, and High School Mathematics and has spent several years working in the public school setting.

Alicia was most recently awarded Outstanding Woman Scholar of the Year by the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Outstanding Alumni of the Year by Mountain Empire Community College, and Dissertation Poster of the Year by Northcentral University.

Alicia’s passions lie in innovation and education. It is her goal to guide teachers in increasing their instructional effectiveness and as a result, improving outcomes for students across the Commonwealth.

Alicia lives in Saint Paul, Virginia with her husband, Russell, who is a teacher and aspiring Speech-Language Pathologist, their three sons, Brandon, Brady, and Dylan, and their two dogs, Stewie and Gus.

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Megan Ferrell

Program Support Specialist

Megan has been in the field of education since 2009. She began her career as an elementary school teacher with Halifax County Public Schools in Southside Virginia where she taught various grade levels. In 2014, Megan was given the prestigious honor of being awarded Teacher of the Year for both her school and the Halifax County Public School division. She also served as a Lead Teacher for several years where she raised funds for students and teachers. During her time as Lead Teacher, she led several trainings for co-workers that included professional development and student information systems.

As a 2008 graduate of Longwood University, Megan completed her B.S. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Elementary Education. Megan has actively retained her teaching certification in grades PK through 6. Aside from her active role as an educator, Megan enjoys being an engaged member of her church through children’s activities and serves as a board member of the church’s WEE school.

Megan lives in Alton with her husband, Jason, who is the Division Director of Parks Maintenance with the City of Danville. They have two sons, Graham and Sawyer.

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Rachel Petterson

Administrative Assistant

Rachel is the Administrative Assistant of Virginia Ed Strategies, having joined the team in 2024. She has worked in a wide variety of industries, and the majority of her professional experience in education comes from assisting the after-school program at Staunton Montessori School. While attending public K-12 herself, she always had an eye on the systems that promoted and hindered her own education. She is enthusiastic about supporting the learning and well-being of students and teachers. Rachel also has experience in news reporting and enjoys working to convey information clearly and accurately to support others in making informed decisions.

Rachel earned a Bachelor of Science from Bridgewater College in Health & Exercise Science and Spanish. She has completed coursework in psychology, public health, and social justice, and she continues to learn as much and as often as possible. She has volunteered with Casa Refugiados in Mexico City, working with their Educación para la Paz team, and has completed a season as an AmeriCorps member of the Appalachian Conservation Corps.

Rachel lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia and enjoys being an active participant in the local roller derby league and the community events around her. Her passion lies in connecting with others in meaningful and productive ways, and in turn helping others connect more fully to the world around them.

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