Our Team

Executive Director

Tressell Carter

Tressell Carter is a distinguished executive with over 30 years of experience in nonprofit management and 20 years in C-Suite leadership. Renowned for her exceptional leadership in organizational effectiveness, Tressell’s business acumen, enterprising spirit, and political savvy have driven positive change and engaged diverse stakeholders. Her dedication to community excellence and mission-driven work continues to inspire those around her.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Governmental Administration from Christopher Newport University and a Master of Public Administration from Old Dominion University. Tressell is also a Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) and a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Tressell’s expertise lies in revitalizing organizations through strategic planning, securing sustainable funding, transforming operations, strengthening governance, and community engagement. Her innovative approach to financial management and fundraising has successfully raised $25 million.

As an experienced DEIAB (diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging) facilitator and public participation expert, Tressell’s leadership principles of leadership by example, people first, and good stewardship ensure public trust. She excels in securing private donations, grants, and foundation awards and has launched inaugural fundraising events. Tressell fosters a culture of philanthropy essential for strengthening external stakeholder support and creating a diverse, sustainable funding portfolio.

Tressell has conducted seminars on fund development and change management and has facilitated strategic planning sessions for organizations like the United Way of Greater Williamsburg, Williamsburg Area Transportation Authority, and the City of Hampton, VA. A lifelong learner, she has attended conferences with the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership and the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference.

Actively involved in her community, Tressell is a Life Member of the NAACP and a member of the League of Women Voters. She has received awards such as the Social Justice Award from the Lambda Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Business Associate of the Year from the Mary McLeod Bethune Chapter of the American Businesswomen’s Association in Richmond, VA.

Tressell enjoys spending time with family, friends, and a good book. A native of Virginia, she loves experiencing all four seasons in her home state.

Deputy Director

Julie Duregger

Julie has worked for FirstSpark since 2012 and is honored to serve as its Deputy Director. With a lifelong focus on early childhood, she values the opportunity to work closely with FirstSpark’s Executive Director and staff to achieve its mission. All children deserve to have an opportunity to succeed in school and life, and Julie is proud of the work FirstSpark does to make this happen for families and children on the Greater Peninsula. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University and has spent most of her career in this field. A lifelong resident of Newport News, Julie enjoys spending time outdoors and being with her husband and three adult children.

Prenatal Resource Manager

Michelene Menapace

Michelene supports our staff of Prenatal Resource Specialists in providing resources to pregnant women. She works with core health and human service community partners to ensure pregnant women connect with this program and serves as the liaison between SBVP and the Virginia Department of Health. Michelene has worked at SBVP since 2014 and was a specialist before becoming manager in 2021. The Army brought Michelene, her husband, and their four children to the Peninsula in 2003, and they made it their permanent home when her husband retired in 2008.

Early Childhood Program Access Manager

Ashlyn Ramey

Ashlyn Ramey is a dedicated early childhood professional with over 10 years of experience in nurturing young minds and creating inclusive learning environments. Passionate about early childhood development, she believes that all children deserve equitable access to early childhood care education opportunities. Ashlyn holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science along with a Master of Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Special Education. She is committed to building strong relationships with families and the community, ensuring that every child is prepared for kindergarten and beyond. In her role, Ashlyn prioritizes connection and team building for her staff, creating a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and success. Ashlyn is excited to continue making a positive impact on the lives of children and their families in the community. 

Early Childhood Program Success Manager

Mary Sheldon

Mary Sheldon is an Early Childhood Professional with 29 years of experience working with and supporting children, families, and Early Childhood Professionals.  She’s currently the Early Childhood Success Manager at FirstSpark where she works managing the VQB5 program for Ready Region Chesapeake Bay.

She’s a graduate from Radford University where she majored in Interdisciplinary Studies.  Mary lives in Williamsburg with her husband, two sons, and pup-Jeter.  She and her family enjoy the beach in the summertime and skiing and snowboarding in the winter together. 

“I enjoy my role with FirstSpark as I can continue to work with teachers, administrators, and family day home providers in the Early Childhood field. I can offer them assistance to help them grow and learn in the field of Early Childhood Education.” 

Family Engagement Specialist

Adriana Arrington

Adriana is our Family Engagement Specialist. Adriana specializes in communication and collaboration and uses these skills to connect local families to valuable resources that support Early Childhood development. She also creates opportunities for families to share feedback about their experiences in the Early Childhood Care and Education system.

Adriana is a native of Newport News, Virginia. As a wife and mother, she understands that families are the foundation of our communities and equipping families to become local leaders is essential to advancing the Early Childhood system. Adriana is passionate about child development and education and will be finishing her B.S. in Psychology at Christopher Newport University. She began working at First Spark in 2024 and is excited to bring her fresh knowledge and enthusiasm to the team.

Prenatal Resource Specialist

Mennie Nelson-Barnes

Mennie, a dedicated human services professional, has over 20 years of experience assessing client and organizational needs and coordinating services.  As a Prenatal Resource Specialist, she uses her knowledge and passion to connect expectant mothers and families to community resources that will help them during pregnancy and as new parents.  Mennie has been with FirstSpark since 2021 and holds an MSE.

Mixed Delivery Specialist

Arianna Bryant

Arianna is happily married to her husband Jay and raising two beautiful children: Adio who is 2.5 and Jinora, 16 months.

 Arianna began her journey in Early Childhood Education 19 years ago when she had the opportunity to work one on one with children in an inclusive pre-kindergarten classroom. Working closely with these children, Arianna discovered her passion for education and seeing young children thrive in quality education settings. In 2013, Arianna graduated from Bay Path University (Longmeadow, MA) with a BA in Child Psychology and a Certificate of Advanced Paralegal Studies. In the last 19 years, Arianna’s career has extended from interning with the Department of Youth Services in Western Massachusetts to teaching in Early Childhood Education classrooms here in Virginia. Arianna taught in both Newport News and Hampton before joining Hampton Roads Community Action Program in 2021. Prior to accepting her position as the Mixed Delivery Specialist, Arianna was the Assistant Director of a childcare facility in Williamsburg. Joining FirstSpark in September 2024, Arianna is incredibly excited to extend her reach within Early Childhood Education; specifically in helping families across our region gain access to quality, affordable childcare. 

Office Manager/Executive Assistant

DiAhnna Grandberry

DiAhnna has been an Executive/Administrative Assistant for over 8 years, bringing a variety of knowledge to the business. Her commitment to meeting high performance standards and providing top organizational help is a valuable asset to the organization.

As the mother of one, she recognizes the critical relevance of the work and resources managed by the entire FirstSpark team.

Prenatal Resource Specialist

Lorraine Leach

In 2016, Lorraine Leach began working with FirstSpark as a Project Assistant for an Oral Health Initiative and in 2020 went on to lend her assistance to other areas under the FirstSpark banner.  In 2021, she was offered a position as a Prenatal Resource Specialist, and to date she is still working to provide moms-to-be with information and resources that will help them during their pregnancies and as new mothers.

Lorraine retired from the Newport News Department of Human Services after 20 years in Employment Services.  She was also a member, mentor and officer in the non-profit group, Working Moms Survival Network.  Ms. Leach has worked in the field of Human Resources since 1975, where she has had roles in the areas of Education, Training & Development and Community Relations. She has been a Facilitator of corporate sponsored workshops and trainings, a Motivational Speaker and has focused much effort on working with young adults around employability and developing their potential.

She also enjoys working on several committees at her church and is most happy when she can spend time with friends and family, but most importantly her four beautiful grandchildren.  Her “raison d’etre” is to help make the world a better place.

Coordinated Enrollment Specialist

Samantha Mabry

Samantha is a local to Hampton Roads. She grew up on Langley Air Force Base and spent most of her adult life living in York County. She is a dedicated and experienced educator with nearly two decades of experience in the field. With a strong foundation in both classroom teaching and leadership roles, she has taught in various settings, including preschool and inclusion classrooms, and has also led a childcare center as Director. While her husband was an active-duty Marine, she spent her time at Camp Lejeune working as a certified Behavior Therapist, supporting children with autism to enhance their learning and development. Holding a B.S. degree in Human Services with a minor in Special Education, Samantha has a passion for education with a deep commitment to supporting diverse learners. As a mother of four, including three sons and one daughter, she brings a unique understanding of family dynamics and the importance of educational support to her role.

VQB5 Specialist

Maya Michaux

Maya graduated from Virginia Tech with her Bachelor of Science in Human Development in December of 2023, where she majored in Childhood Pre-Education. Maya has 6+ years of experience as a teacher in various childcare centers and age groups. She is newly married and currently resides in Newport News with her husband. Maya delights in spending time in nature, some of her favorite memories are from enjoying a sunset cruise on Lake Gaston or walking on the Nolan Trail with friends. 

Program Engagement Specialist

Nancy Null

Nancy provides training to child care providers, preschool and Head Start teachers and family day home providers. Nancy retired from a career with Head Start but wanted to continue her life’s work of ensuring that children receive a proper pre-k education.

She studied at Gulf Park Junior College, University of Tennessee, University of Virginia Darden School of Business (Early Childhood Leadership) and the National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations.  She and her husband have two children and one grandson. They enjoy spending time with extended family and friends at the beach, pool, or river–any activity related to water! Nancy delights in lots of laughter.

Administrative and Accounting Clerk

Danielle Pack

Danielle grew up in Southern California, but shortly after high school moved to Key West, FL where she met her husband. The United States Coast Guard moved them from coast to coast, island to island where their last move was to Suffolk, VA in 2017. Her husband retired in 2021 where they made Virginia their permanent home for their young kids.

Danielle studied Criminal Justice at Argosy University in Hawaii. Her love for Early Childhood Education began when she became a Teacher Assistant at a daycare in 2003 and then continued working in the public school system in 2015 as a Paraprofessional helping students with reading and comprehension.

She joined FirstSpark in January 2023 as the Accounting and Administrative Clerk.

VQB5 Specialist

Jamie Ruffin

Jamie is a VQB5 Specialist in Ready Region Chesapeake Bay, where she manages the region’s CLASS Observation Cycles and helps early childcare centers provide exceptional care to all children ages birth-five years.

She grew up in Chicago’s suburbs, but the United States Coast Guard brought her family to Gloucester, Virginia, in 2017. Her husband retired from the USCG in 2021, and they made it their permanent home with her mother and three children, ages 8, 7, and 4.

Jamie studied business at Indiana University and then Early Childhood Education at Ashworth College. She grew up coaching figure skating and has always had a passion to educate others. In 2019, Jamie began her career as a before and after schoolteacher at a childcare center. She later became the Pre-K teacher and promoted to Director of the organization in 2020.

She joined FirstSpark in August 2024 and looks forward to making a monumental impact on early childhood education in our region as part of the VQB5 Team.

Outreach and Resource Specialist

Angie Russ

Angie supports our Prenatal Resource Specialists Team.  She provides outreach services for Prenatal Care providers and partners, facilitating referral of prenatal families.  Angie also serves as a Prenatal Resource Specialist providing resources to pregnant women.  Angie has a BSN in Nursing and has 35 years of experience working in Community Health and Maternal-Child Health.  Angie has worked at FirstSpark since 2022. 

Prenatal Resource Specialist

Judy Vega

Judy is a member of our Prenatal Resource Specialist team. Judy has been with FirstSpark’s Prenatal Team since 2013. As FirstSpark’s first Prenatal Resource Specialist, she has a wealth of experience to share with expectant mothers during this free consultation. She is a native of Hampton. Her first experience with families came when she opened her Home Daycare center and operated the business for 15 years. She subsequently worked with families as a Family Support Worker and Family Resource Specialist for Hampton Healthy Families for another two decades until retiring in 2018. Judy likes spending time with her family, especially her granddaughter.