Meet Our Teaching Team

Debbie Allen is the Music Teacher and Cheer/Dance Coach at Northpoint Christian Academy. With over 30 years experience, Mrs. Allen has dedicated her life to education and the arts, combining music, movement and performance training built on Christian values.

In addition to owning and operating her own Performing Arts School for over 25 years her background includes extensive work with Show Choirs, Dance, Drill and Cheer teams as well as the nationally ranked Performance Companies and All-Star Dance and Cheer teams from her school. Mrs. Allen has served as a National Talent Competition judge, State Show Choir Adjudicator, and choreographer for several touring bands from the US and Canada.

Her belief that every child has God given talents to be developed and a light to shine, has shaped her philosophy that an educator’s responsibility is to nurture and encourage those talents while building confidence and self-esteem. It is her mission to provide the tools for a strong technical base and the unique space to explore all aspects of music and movement.

Mrs. Allen attended West Virginia State College and holds a certificate in paralegal studies from West Virginia University. She lives in Indian Land, SC with her husband Charlie and their charcoal lab Jaxson. They have three children, Brett, Josh and Blair and one grandchild, Kingston.
Let them praise His name with dancing, making music to Him with timbrel and harp. Psalms 149:3

Amy Attieh is entering her 2nd year as the Upper School Assistant. In her role she helps monitor class changes, front entrance doors for safety, and study hall for students. She also works with students that need support with assignments, and helps with teachers as needed. She has previously worked at a faith-based school for 9 years and substituted at our school our first year. Amy currently resides in Waxhaw with her husband Jay, who she has been married to for 25 years, and their two children Ellie (22) and Zack (19). In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family, do yard work, or just be outdoors, and especially loves any opportunity to go to the beach.

Mrs. Ballantyne resides in Waxhaw alongside her husband, Joe, and their three children: Tyler Marie (28), JoJo (26), and Christopher (19). Originally hailing from Verona, New Jersey, they made the move to Waxhaw in 2015. Fond of spending quality time with her family and indulging in beach vacations, Mrs. Ballantyne's upcoming endeavors include her role as a 2nd-grade Teacher Assistant and Media Teacher for the 2023-2024 school year. Over the past two years, she has been a valuable T.A. for both First and Second grade, and her excitement is palpable as she takes on the new challenge of guiding the upcoming batch of Second graders.

Mrs. Benton is native South Carolinian. She attended UNC Chapel Hill and the University of South Carolina, majoring in English with a minor in History. For many years, she taught Expository Writing at Central Piedmont Community College. Mrs. Benton served as the History chair at a private high school, taught A.P.U.S. History, World History classes, as well as Literature classes at the middle school level since 2021.

Mrs. Benton and her husband currently serve as associate pastors at a church in Charlotte. Over the years, they have served in short-term missions in many nations. She enjoys teaching Bible classes, speaking at seminars, and leading prayer ministries. She and her husband have four wonderful adult children and two grandbabies. Mrs. Benton is excited to be a part of the staff here at Northpoint Christian Academy.

Alison Earley is the Office Administrator at NorthPoint and has been part of the team since NCA opened in 2021. Alison graduated from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration. Prior to NCA, Alison worked in various administrative positions prior to the longest portion of her professional life as an analyst and project manager in Health Care IT.

Alison grew up in Kentucky until age 12 when her family moved to Massachusetts as her father accepted a ministry position there. Alison met her husband of 24 years in college and they resided in RI with their son Aidan (19) and daughter Grace (17) until moving to Charlotte 12 years ago. In her spare time, Alison enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, cooking, entertaining, and photography.

Savannah Fulford is a High School teacher at NorthPoint. Savannah was born and raised in Central Illinois and attended Crown College in Knoxville, Tennessee where she met her husband Kenny. They currently serve together as the youth directors at their church in Monroe, North Carolina.

It has always been a passion of Mrs. Fullwood to become an educator and help build a strong educational foundation for her students. Therefore, she followed her passion and earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a reading and ESOL endorsement at Florida Atlantic University. It’s her goal to utilize the 14 years of combined experience to be a compassionate and enthusiastic teacher. It’s her desire to educate young minds and help students blossom into well-rounded, responsible and successful individuals, while teaching them God’s Word. Mrs. Fullwood loves to create a Christ centered learning environment that will help students build their confidence and be challenged academically. When Mrs. Fullwood isn’t teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their 2 children.

Kenneth Fullwood teaches 8th grade Earth Space Science and P.E. He received his undergraduate degree from Nova Southeastern University in Sport and Recreation Management and Business. He has served in education for 10 years with a total of 6 years in Christian Education. He has taught Physical Education and Computer Science. He has also coached basketball from the elementary to NCAA level and owns Peak Hoops Basketball club. Kenneth has a passion for youth development, sports and entrepreneurship. He loves spending time with family, playing basketball and fishing. His favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6.

Sarah Gagne serves as the School Counselor at NorthPoint Christian Academy. Sarah grew up in Wingate, NC and remained in Wingate throughout her undergraduate program. She received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Wingate University. She will receive her Masters in Counselor Education with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling this December. In her free time Sarah enjoys serving in her church with her husband. She always enjoys spending time with her Cavalier, reading books, and going to coffee shops.

Devin Goodman is the Athletic Director at NorthPoint Christian Academy. He teaches 7th grade science and physical education / weightlifting. Devin graduated from Methodist University in 2009. He taught Science, History, and physical education at Piedmont for 11 years. He served as Athletic Director for 6 of those years. Devin enjoys coaching multiple sports throughout the year. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family and friends.

Mrs. Goodman is the Dean of Students for the lower school at NorthPoint Christian Academy. She attended University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She began her teaching career in title one schools where she taught fourth and first grade. She then became an interventionist serving students in grades K-6th. From there she transitioned to a new school to help serve as the ELA teacher for students enrolled in the Spanish Immersion program. Following that, she moved back into the classroom and taught first grade and kindergarten. God then called her and her family into Christian education where she began teaching first grade at NorthPoint. This is now her second year as the Dean of Students. She feels that God has called her to help reach the needs of all learners and help them to succeed to the greatest potential. She has a heart to serve teachers and work as a collaborative team to help all learners.

Mrs. Goodman is married and has two sons that enjoy playing multiple sports. The Goodman family enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors camping. Their favorite vacation spots are the beach and the mountains.

Mr. Gorley is the 7th and 8th grade math teacher. This is his twelfth year teaching middle school math. He taught in the public school system in Union County for 10 years before making the move to NorthPoint.

Mr. Gorley has two boys, one who is in first grade at Northpoint this year and one who is three years old. His wife does the behind the scenes work for the business that they own. Their company is Waxhaw Kettle Corn and Lemonade Company. You will see them at most events around Waxhaw making their kettle corn and lemonade.

When Mr. Gorley isn't teaching or working his business, he enjoys going to college football games, hiking, and lifting weights.

Hannah Green is a first grade teacher at NorthPoint Christian Academy. Hannah is originally from Connecticut, but moved to the Charlotte area two years ago with her husband who she met at college. She received her degree at Crown College located in Knoxville, TN and has been working in various roles of education for the last four years including teacher, assistant teacher, and summer camp director. Hannah's passion has always been to work with children and finds nothing more fulfilling than investing in the next generation.

Jennifer Gregory is from Chicago, Illinois but grew up in the Maritime provinces of Canada. She attended Bob Jones University where she received her bachelor’s degree in history and her master’s degree in secondary history education. Over her ten years of teaching, Jennifer has taught both secondary English and history, collaborated on the BJU Press ninth grade grammar textbook, and spent a summer in France teaching conversational English. Jennifer and her husband moved to Waxhaw in 2021, and she has taught high school English at NorthPoint Christian Academy since 2022.

Melissa Harding is the upper school Bible and elective teacher. This is her third year teaching at NorthPoint. Melissa attended Capernwray Bible College in Cambridge, New Zealand. She and her husband, Ryan, have been married for 21 years and have three incredible children. They served as missionaries in Costa Rica, and more recently, spent a year “down under” in Australia. While in Australia, Melissa taught Bible, missions, and outreach classes to international students. She also worked in the publishing industry for almost a decade as a writer, editor, and writer trainer. She attended Seminary at Columbia International University, where she received her Master’s Degree in Theological Studies.

Amber Huntley teaches 7th/8th grade ELA. This will be her 8th year in education and 3rd year here at NorthPoint. She and her husband, Neal (High School History teacher) have been married for 5 years and have 2 kids; Graham who is 4 and Caroline who is 1. When Mrs. Huntley isn’t at work, you can find her spending time with her family which is her most favorite thing to do. Mrs. Huntley also enjoys going to the beach, cooking, and drinking coffee.

Mr. Huntley is our high school history teacher and is in his 3rd year of teaching. Graduating from UNC Charlotte in 2016, Mr. Huntley loves bringing his knowledge and story-telling style of history to the high school students of Northpoint. Along with teaching, Mr. Huntley is in his 5th year of serving as a Youth Pastor at Midway Baptist Church in Wingate, NC. Mr. Huntley is the head coach of the Northpoint Flag Football team and has led the Nighthawks to a Conference Championship in 2022 and a Season Championship in 2023. Mr. Huntley loves spending time with his family outside of school along with owning a graphic design company that creates logos and promotional materials for local businesses.

Jeri Lynne Porter is the Assistant Kindergarten teacher at Northpoint Christian Academy. In her role she provides support to the lead teacher by preparing daily activities, helping children participate in classroom activities and monitoring the well-being of the students. Previously she worked at other faith-based schools and has a total of 16 years of experience.

Jeri Lynne was born and raised in Southern Maryland on her family’s farm. She currently resides in Indian Land, SC with her husband Steve and her two children Brooke (19) and Max (15). Jeri Lynne enjoys outdoor activities, watching her son play baseball, riding horses with her daughter and walking her two dogs, Zena and Vega.

Annette Marin is a seasoned kindergarten teacher with 7 years of educational experience. Her background includes specialized training with exceptional children and a strong foundation in MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports). She has effectively worked with students ranging from Kindergarten to Fifth grade. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ashford University, Annette's passion for teaching is evident in her fascination with the curiosity and enthusiasm for learning displayed by 5-year-olds.

Before discovering her true calling in education, Annette nurtured dreams of becoming a professional ballerina and had a penchant for dance. Now married to John for two decades, they have two sons, Matthew (16) and Max (14) as well as an adorable 2-year-old aussiedoodle named Zeus. Relocating from New Jersey in 2007, they now call Waxhaw home. In her leisure time, Annette cherishes moments spent with her family and enjoys exploring new places through travel, with the beach ranking high among their favorite vacation destinations.

Mr. William F. Maslin is Head of School and Principal at NorthPoint Christian Academy.
He is entering his 27th year in education. Mr. Maslin has served as an administrator in
both private and public education. He spent 18 years in public education before moving
into private Christian education. His passion is for teaching students and growing
teachers. He loves the Lord and seeks to glorify Him every day. He is married to his
wonderful wife Kimberly, and they have one son, Powell. Mr. Maslin enjoys being active
outdoors and coaching young people.

Kimberly Maslin is the Director of Operations at Northpoint Christian Academy. In her role, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the school and assists with school planning. She began her career as an Elementary School teacher where she served as a classroom teacher and instructional support teacher. During this time, she also obtained her nursing degree. Over the past 14 years she has been an emergency room nurse and continues to work in the emergency department throughout each month. One interesting fact about Mrs. Maslin, is that she once tried out for the tv show, Fear Factor. She has been married to her husband, Bill for 15 years, has one son, Powell, and one Labradoodle, Fenway. Some of her hobbies include being outside, working out, running, cooking, baking, and having down time with her family.

Christy Penner's experience as a classroom teacher spans 15 years and 3 countries. She has taught all levels of secondary math, from 7th grade through AP Calculus, at Christian schools in Russia, Germany, and the Charlotte area. This is her third year at NorthPoint, where she currently teaches Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Consumer Math. Outside the classroom, she helps with her church’s food distribution ministry, serves on the welcome team and prayer team, and leads Bible studies. She enjoys kayaking, hiking, traveling, and experiencing different cultures.

Ms. Perry grew up in WV and attended Marshall University. She gave her heart to Jesus at the age of eight. Ms. Perry came home in first grade saying that she wanted to be a teacher and is entering her 42nd year of teaching. Ms. Perry has a brother, a sister and brother-in-law that live nearby and also has two spoiled rotten cats. She enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and sports.

Mrs. Ashley Pizarro is our 5th and 6th grade math teacher this year! She is a Western Carolina University and Montreat College graduate with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Education. She is also AIG certified and graduated from UNCC. Ashley was born and raised in Houston, Texas but has lived in Charlotte for many years now. She is married to her high school sweetheart, John, and together they have two children. She believes that all students learn best when they feel welcomed, comfortable and safe in their classroom. All children have unique gifts and strengths. She is looking forward to building relationships with each of our families this year and growing together here at NorthPoint.

Charlene Plyler offers Resource Assistance to students who require additional support. She is a graduate of Meredith College, has been trained in Orton Gillingham, and offers 17 years of experience in education. The BEST part of her job is the look of satisfaction on her student’s faces, when they have a breakthrough on whatever they’re struggling with!

Charlene and her husband Jack have three adult children, Jacquline, Jackson and Chase. The entire family is celebrating the arrival of their first grandchild, Carson!

Melissa Pugh is our art teacher, offering art classes to elementary and high school students. Before joining the NorthPoint staff, she taught art in South Carolina and in Union County Schools. Mrs. Pugh earned a B.S. in Art Education from Wingate University. In her free time, she enjoys painting and spending time with her family. She and her husband have three children and three grandchildren.

Rina Samuel is excited to be teaching 5th and 6th Grade Science, as well as 6th Grade History and Bible this year! She was born and raised in Toronto, Canada where she pursued both her passions: Science at the University of Toronto, and Education at York University. She has had the privilege of teaching homeroom classes as well as being part of the science faculty in public, private, and charter schools in Toronto, New York City, and North Carolina. She loves engaging her students through hands-on activities in order to foster critical thinking and a love for lifelong learning. She has been blessed with a wonderful husband and two amazing daughters! She loves to travel, cook, decorate, and spend time with friends and family.

Mrs. Slover grew up in Charlotte Mecklenburg, but made the move over to Union County when she went to college. She attended Wingate University graduating with a bachelors degree in Elementary Education with an add on licensure in reading k-12. Shortly after college, Mrs. Slover began teaching for UCPS. She was with UCPS for 9 years. When she is not teaching, she is spending time with her husband, Matthew and two children Kate and Walter. She is thrilled to be spending her 10th year with NorthPoint and cannot wait to see what God has in store for her and her family.

Christa Thomas grew up in the Indian Trail area and has lived in Union County for most of her life. She attended college at Liberty University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. In her free time, Ms. Thomas enjoys doing anything outdoorsy. She especially loves hiking, biking, and kayaking. Ms. Thomas has two years of experience teaching in a 4th grade classroom. She is excited to be teaching 2nd grade at NCA this year!

Mrs. Wagner lives in Waxhaw with her husband Mark. They have been married 25 years and have 3 children, Grace (19), Amelia (17) and Tyler (14).
Mrs. Wagner graduated from Samford University with a degree in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine. She felt called to be a full time mom and support her husband as they moved across the globe and back for his military career. She is slowly stepping back in the workforce, but has served as the Director of Religious Education in Rota, Spain, substitute taught in Union County and Northpoint, and been a resume editor. She currently assists all families as they enter NorthPoint, whether it be for late check-ins, left behind lunches or a number of other things. She also is organizing and coordinating the school's hot lunch program.

Mrs. Zelaya is the NorthPoint lower school Spanish teacher, this is her second year at NorthPoint. Mrs. Zelaya was born and raised in El Salvador and came to the US as a teenager. She met her husband in high school and they later married. Mrs. Zelaya and her husband have three children. For over ten years, Mrs. Zelaya has worked with small aged children introducing Spanish in Maryland, she also served as an interpreter for the school system. Her family moved to North Carolina in 2017. Mrs. Zelaya enjoys crafting, biking, and loves to spend time with her family. Her favorite place is the beach.

Ms. Zolotarev has had a passion for teaching since she was 13 years old and has taken every opportunity to teach in her church and various places. Ms. Zolotarev was trained through Child Evangelism Fellowship and led Bible clubs in the summers and in the public school system for 7 years. She also counseled a wide range of age groups at Camp Good News and absolutely loves being creative and doing activities that help children enjoy learning and gain confidence in themselves, with their peers, and in their learning.