Leadership

Welcome from Dan Quesnel, Head of School

Dear Oakwood Community,

It is my great honor and privilege to serve as the Head of School at The Oakwood School. Whether you are already a member of the Oakwood community or are considering joining us, I am confident that you will find Oakwood to be a truly wonderful place to learn, play, work, and grow.

From the first time I stepped foot on campus, I was struck by the strong sense of community and inclusiveness. Students, faculty, and parents alike have #EaglePride and are eager to welcome guests and share their love of Oakwood. On your next visit, take time to observe students who are truly excited about what they are learning and dedicated teachers, coaches, and administrators who give their time, energy, and talents to make Oakwood such a terrific learning environment.

Oakwood is unique in the Greenville area as a non-sectarian, independent, college preparatory school with an approach to education that includes hands-on, inquiry-based learning, service to others, and a commitment to exposing students to a broad range of academic, fine arts, and athletic opportunities. Oakwood’s students broaden their horizons further through a combination of community outreach, travel in the U.S. and abroad, and a robust international student program. Our graduates regularly attend and excel at some of the best colleges and universities throughout North Carolina and the nation.

I welcome you once again on behalf of the Oakwood community and hope to see you the next time you are on campus. I am confident you will find that The Oakwood School is truly living its founding mission to instill, not just in our students, but in our school community as a whole, the strength of character, the creativity, and the wisdom to make a difference in the world.

Go Eagles!

Dan Quesnel
Head of School

Board of Trustees

The Oakwood Board of Trustees strives to be a diverse entity comprised of individuals who work at being a team and bring to it a variety of different perspectives, balance of skills, and broad thinking.

Election to the board of trustees carries with it a responsibility of stewardship. By definition, trustees are the custodians of the school: they hold "in trust" the mission and the school's reputation. Current trustees accept the obligation to not only preserve, but to also add to the enterprise. Beyond these duties, the work of trustees focuses exclusively on policies and strategies that are future-focused, and not on daily operations, which are delegated to the head of school. Trustees are called upon to contribute their time, thought, and energy, as well as financial resources, to support the viability and growth of the school. — National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)

A copy of The Oakwood School’s Bylaws can be found here.

2020-21 Board of Trustees
Board Bios

2020-21 Board of Trustees

Board Bios

Ogugua “Ogi” Obi, President

Ogi Obi and her husband, Reggie, both physicians at ECU, are parents of two current Oakwood students Ozioma and Chigozie, and NCSSM boarding student Nnamdi who attended Oakwood from 1st through 10th grades. They have been Greenville residents since 2003 and have come to call Greenville and Eastern North Carolina home. She has previously served as Chair of the Committee on Trustees, as well as a member of the Head of School Search Committee. Ogi works in Greenville and specializes in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine with East Carolina University and Vidant Medical Center. Ogi has a passion for Oakwood, believes in it's mission and is deeply appreciative of all the teachers and staff that make Oakwood exceptional. She is especially thankful for the protective, safe and nurturing environment that Oakwood has provided for her boys. As Ogi puts it "my boys have thrived at Oakwood" and "I want as many people as possible to experience the excellence and greatness that is Oakwood". Ogi has served as President of the Board since 2018. She joined the Board in 2016 and looks forward to a future where Oakwood continues to grow and excel in every way. She wants Oakwood to be the preferred school of choice for everyone in Greenville and beyond.

Ira Adler, Vice President

Ira Adler and his wife Jodi are the parents of two current Oakwood students, Arrington and Addison, Oakwood graduate Alex '18 (who left for Duke University), and Abbie (who attended Oakwood from K to 10th grades and graduated Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut in 2020 ). With his four children, Ira has had many years experience at Oakwood serving on the Development Committee and Co-Chairing the Annual Fund for two years with his wife, Jodi. Ira also served on the most recent Head of School Search Committee and currently serves as Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Development Committee. He has a passion for the school and its mission. Ira is a partner with Eastern Radiologists, Inc., a faithful Oakwood Corporate Partner for many years. Ira joined the Board in 2017.

Brandon Tate, Treasure

Brandon Tate and his wife, Tamira, have two children who are lifers at Oakwood: Kennedy '20 and Weatherly. Brandon has extensive experience having served Oakwood on the Resources, Facilities, Audit, Human Resources Committees, as well as having been a Horizons Board member. Each year he assists with raising money for the Annual Fund and even served as a past Co-Chair with Tamira. Brandon is a 1998 graduate of ECU with a BS in Marketing and an MBA. Brandon and Tamira are the owners and operators of Atlantic Wireless Communications, Incorporated in Greenville since 1996. Atlantic Wireless operates

15 U.S. Cellular retail locations in North Carolina and Missouri and has been a loyal Oakwood Corporate Partner since the program’s inception. Brandon has extensive experience in building a company with a strong Biblical mission, vision, and core values and received national attention with his revolutionary compensation structure that ties employee pay with these behaviors. Brandon is currently chairing the Resource and Endowment Committees and joined the Board in 2019.

Scott Barker

Scott Barker and his wife, Monika, are the parents of Oakwood graduate Simon '20. Scott, Monika, and their family relocated to Greenville from Santiago, Chile where Scott served as the Army Attaché in the U.S. Embassy. The Barkers are a military family that has lived in numerous overseas locations before settling down in Greenville. Scott is currently a counselor and occasional teacher at East Carolina University who is involved with numerous veteran organizations in Greenville and the eastern part of the state. Scott is a member of the Head Support & Evaluation Committee. He joined the Board in 2019.

Jesse Boyd

Jesse and his wife, Danielle, moved to Greenville in 2015. Their son Jacob attended Oakwood for his junior and senior years (Class of 2017) and is currently pursuing a Computer Science degree at Western Governors University. Jesse and Danielle are very thankful for the warmth and welcome Jacob received at Oakwood. Jesse is a senior financial professional with Thermo Fisher Scientific. His career started in the U.S. Navy submarine community as a nuclear engineer before moving into pharmaceuticals with Eli Lilly in 2001 and then Patheon, now Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2015. Jesse strongly supports the mission and impact Oakwood has on the community and is excited to help further that mission. Jesse joined the Audit Committee in 2016 and the Board in 2020.

Chris Dyba

Chris Dyba is the parent of a Oakwood graduate Jack '20. Chris and his wife, Eva Marie, are both from Louisiana but lived in Durham for many years where they both attended school. Since relocating from New Orleans to Greenville, Chris has served as Vice Chancellor for East Carolina University Advancement and is President of the ECU Foundation. Jack thrived at Oakwood and for this reason Chris and Eva Marie both continue to give their time, talent, and treasure to the school. Chris joined the Board in 2016.

Sue Ann Forrest '12

Sue Ann was a member of Oakwood's third graduating class in 2011 and was this year's commencement speaker. Sue Ann completed her undergraduate studies at Campbell University majoring in English and Communication Studies with a minor in Marketing and served as student body president. In 2018, she completed the Master of Public Administration program at East Carolina University. She currently works as a lobbyist in the North Carolina General Assembly as the Director of Legislative Relations for the North Carolina Medical Society, which represents 11,000 physicians and physician assistants. Additionally, she is a current student in the Doctor of Health Sciences program at Campbell University concentrating in Health Administration. She firmly believes in Oakwood's mission and credits Oakwood for helping to develop meaningful skills to grow academically and professionally.

Jason Higginson (LEAVE OF ABSENCE)

Jason Higginson is a parent of two Oakwood students, Callan and Ellory. He and his wife, Amanda, are both pediatricians at ECU. Their time at Oakwood is a major reason they have loved Greenville since relocating from Washington DC. Jason is a member of the Head Support & Evaluation Committee. He joined the Board in 2018.

Jimmy Hite

Jimmy Hite is a life-long Greenville resident, father of two grown children, and grandfather of one. Jimmy is also an uncle to Oakwood alumnus Hannah Clark '13. He is an architect and works with his wife, Krestin, in their practice, Hite Associates: Architecture, Planning, Technology, a K-12 educational facility design, engineering, and planning firm. Jimmy serves as the Chair of the Board’s Facilities/Technology Committee and Strategic Planning Task Force. He is also a member of the Resource Committee. Jimmy joined the Board in 2018.

Karsin Landis

Karsin Landis is an alum of Oakwood. She attended the school from Kindergarten to 8th grade and was a member of the 2nd class that was eligible to complete all grades. After attending ECU and earning a degree in Fine Arts and Communication and a degree in Business Management, she decided to join her family business: Jenni K Jewelry. She recently opened a second location for the business in Uptown Greenville and manages the family horse farm, located directly behind Oakwood. Karsin believes that Oakwood is the foundation of why she is successful in her life ventures and is happy to be able to serve the school now in hopes of giving the children of tomorrow the same opportunities. Karsin is a member of the Development Committee. She joined the Board in 2015.

Jeff Longshore

Jeff Longshore and his wife, Shannon, have been residents of Greenville since 2013. They quickly identified Oakwood to be the only choice for their children, Harper and Hank. Jeff enjoys volunteering at Oakwood’s OASES Farm. Jeff holds a BA in Economics from the University of Memphis and has experience in IT, Electronic Medical Records, and now owns a small real estate business. His wife, Shannon, is a Pediatric Surgeon at Vidant Medical Center. Jeff serves on the Board’s Resource Committee. He joined the Board in 2019.

Kelli Pack Smith

Kelli Pack Smith has three children at Oakwood: Ryan, Norah, and Mason. Kelli and her husband, Anthony, who both work at Vidant Health, have been part of the Oakwood community since 2008. Kelli has a background in public health and hospital administration and is Vice President of the Vidant Health Medical Affairs Office. Kelli is Chair of the Head Support & Evaluation Committee. She joined the Board in 2016.

Nick Pantelidis

Panagiotis "Nick" Pantelidis has been an Oakwood parent for several years and continues to serve on the Board's Facilities Subcommittee and its Security Task Force. A longtime Greenville resident, he attended East Carolina University, completing both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science in Information Technology. He currently works at ECU in the Instructional Technology and Computing Services Department.

Linda Roberson

Linda Roberson comes with experience from various executive positions at Vidant Health and a small software business process management business. Linda has an MBA, is a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) and Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). Her leadership responsibilities focused on building strong operational structures including financial oversight, defining marketing and customer relation initiatives, and strategic planning. She now works as an Adjunct Instructor at ECU teaching marketing and leadership in health care. Linda is married to Richard Roberson and live in Williamston. They have two sons and brought their youngest son, Kelby '13 to Oakwood as a junior. As a student, his only regret was that “he did not come to Oakwood sooner.” Linda is Chair of the Committee on Trustees. She joined the Board in 2019.

Kimberly Swank

Kimberly Swank has been part of the Oakwood community since 2008. She and her husband, Steve, chaired the Annual Fund for two years, and Kimberly has served as Treasurer of the PSA and volunteered with various other Oakwood activities throughout the years. Kimberly serves on the Committee on Trustees. She is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. She joined the Board in 2019.

Sangita Tewari

Sangita Tewari and her husband, Andy, have two boys who began attending Oakwood in 2002 and are now alumni. Ravi '15 left Oakwood for UNC Chapel Hill and Jeevan '18 left for Duke University. Sangita is a CPA and was an auditor with Price Waterhouse for almost 10 years. Sangita served on the Head of School Search Committee and recently served as Chair of the Resource and Endowment/Investment Committees, as well as a member of the Facilities/Technology Committee. Sangita currently chairs the Audit Committee and serves on the Development Committee. She believes in Oakwood's mission and is excited to support Dan and the excellent work he is doing as Head of School. Sangita joined the Board in 2018.

Jennifer Youngs

Jennifer Youngs and her husband, Kevin, have three boys at Oakwood: Davis, Jacks, and Cy. They have been part of the Oakwood community for several years and own and operate Youngs Physical Therapy & Sports Performance, a faithful Oakwood Corporate Partner. Prior to opening their business, Jennifer worked as a Reading Specialist and Literacy Coach for Pitt County Schools. Jennifer served on the most recent Head of School Search Committee and Co-Chaired the Annual Fund for two years with Kevin. She joined the Board in 2018.

Dan Quesnel, Head of School (ex officio)

Dan Quesnel has been Oakwood’s Head of School since July 2018. He and his wife, Ellyn, are also parents of Oakwood students Emily and Nate. Dan graduated from UNC Asheville and received his Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University. Prior to Oakwood, Dan served for 11 years as a Middle School Coordinator, teacher, and coach, as well as General Counsel for Forsyth Country Day in Winston-Salem. Dan joined the Board in 2018 as an ex officio member by virtue of his role as the Head of School and the Board’s sole employee.