Meet the Team

Ginny was born in North Carolina and raised in Kentucky and Ohio, before returning to North Carolina to attend high school and college. After earning bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and psychology from Meredith College, Ginny taught elementary school in North Carolina and Texas. Ginny ultimately landed in Georgia and began SparkPoint Innovations, the company which brings the Big Canyon Balloon and Orbit Earth Expo in-school science programs to schools in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Minnesota. Ginny is married and lives in Alpharetta, Georgia with her two sons, two stepsons, and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, reading, and eating copious amounts of cheese.

Tracy was born in Winston-Salem, NC, and moved to Concord with her parents the day after graduating high school. She was a NC Teaching Fellow at Elon College and started her teaching career in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, before moving to Cabarrus County and earning her MLIS degree from UNC-Greensboro. She retired after twenty plus years as a classroom teacher, school librarian, and technology guru in NC public schools. She was the Orbit Earth Expo lead teacher for the Carolinas from 2015-2019 and is passionate about making earth science accessible for K-8 students. She is married and has two children in their mid-twenties. When she is not working, she loves to read, play cozy video games, listen to her ever-expanding vinyl collection, and spend time exploring her new home, Chicago, with her husband.

Carrie was born in Burlington, Vermont, raised in Buffalo, NY, and attended college at the University of Dayton in Ohio. She graduated with a dual degree in Special Education and Elementary Education and has ten years of teaching experience in classrooms across the country in California, Colorado, Missouri and Georgia. She has taught a wide variety of ages ranging from the pre-school to high-school level. Carrie currently lives in Johns Creek, GA with her husband, two boys and their dog, Findley.  She enjoys spending time on the lake, traveling with her family, discovering new restaurants and listening to live music.

Studying Geology at the University of Rochester sparked Deb’s love of learning and teaching through field trips and outreach programs! She has since led science programs in urban, rural, and wilderness settings, in a wide range of ecosystems! Deb directs the Nature Program at Camp Pemigewassett in New Hampshire in the summer, and is excited to engage student groups with Rocky & Orb in Texas during the school year.

Bri was born and raised in Eastern Wisconsin before earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has over 12 years experience teaching in elementary and middle school classrooms, Title I, and English Language Learning in Kansas and Wisconsin. Bri settled in River Falls, Wisconsin with her husband, four sons, and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, traveling the world, going on adventures with her family, and watching movies.

Rujanee is a producer and director known for her versatility, adaptability, and creative vision. Her diverse background spans architecture, design, fine art, music, teaching, technology, and science, providing her with a unique perspective in her teaching and in life. She holds a BFA in Interior Architecture and an MFA in Studio Art (with an emphasis on Sculpture, Installation, and Performance Art) from Northern Illinois University. When she’s not working, you can find her running by the Lake, enjoying the real Thai food, or watching awesome films like Starship Troopers and Finding Nemo while cuddling with her 4 cats.

Terrence Parson was born and raised in NC. He enjoys traveling around the world, meeting new and interesting people. His time spent studying abroad and becoming immersed in the culture of others has shaped his character. His knowledge and passion for motivating youth make him relatable to students without losing their respect.  He has been called to use his passion for science to cultivate a commitment to empowering the next generation. His life and experience will continue to motivate and inspire our youth for the future.

Kristy is a lifelong resident of Dayton, Ohio. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Wright State University where she also received her master’s degree in educational leadership. She retired from the classroom after spending 16 years teaching elementary and middle school and 10 years in the curriculum field. During that time, she was trained in Project Based Learning, STEM, Universal Design for Learning, and Formative Instructional Practices. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children ranging in age from 24-17. Kristy and her family are avid sports fans and cheer for The Ohio State Buckeyes and USA Soccer.

Casie was born and raised in San Antonio, TX. She has a BS in Psychology from Texas A&M University – San Antonio and is actively pursuing her M. Ed. at Texas A&M University. She has experience teaching science to grades K-12 and beyond and was a STEM programs coordinator and instructor for five years before coming to SparkPoint. Casie particularly enjoys earth science, and loves to go on hikes where she can hunt for fossils to add to her collection. She currently enjoys the country life south of San Antonio with her husband, three children, and an assortment of chickens and barn cats.

Laura is originally from Connecticut, but now lives in the Sandhills region of North Carolina. After earning a bachelor’s degree in 2012, she spent 10 years working in the field of education before earning a Master’s in Elementary Education in 2022. She has taught every age from preschool through college, and a multitude of different subjects. Laura loves learning and is excited to bring her enthusiasm to schools throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. In her spare time Laura enjoys reading, arts and crafts, spending time outdoors, and learning foreign languages.

A native of Atlanta, Dr. Anna Smith is an experienced educator, nonprofit leader, and public health professional who is passionate about helping children and communities thrive. She holds a B.S., Master of Public Health (MPH), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), and has served in leadership roles with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta and as a professor at the University of West Georgia. At SparkPoint Innovations, Anna uses her expertise in grant writing, fundraising, corporate sponsorships, donor engagement, and community partnerships to help schools find the funding they need to bring SparkPoint programs to their students. She loves building relationships and finding creative ways to turn great educational ideas into opportunities that schools can afford. Anna lives in Douglasville, Georgia, with her husband and two children. When she’s not helping schools find ways to fund amazing experiences for their students, she enjoys spending time at the beach or pool, trying new foods, exploring new activities, and making memories with her family

Parker is a senior at Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek, GA. He is studying engineering in school and helps out at SparkPoint building frames and stands for our teaching models. He also assists with marketing tasks and is learning skills related to business. In his free time, Parker plays baseball and golf and works his other jobs.

Laurie Henry is a 20+ year teaching veteran, having taught preschool through high school science, as well as spending time as a district elementary science coordinator. Laurie was named District Teacher of the Year in 2006 for McKinney ISD, and received awards including radio station KLAK Teacher of the Month and MetLife Technology Teacher of the Month. In 2008, Laurie formed Trinity Science Solutions LLC utilizing her patented and unique inflated teaching models. The Big Canyon Balloon, a 15ft tall, 40ft wide inflated canyon model has wowed students to new levels of understanding of earth science while Orbit Earth Expo, her space science program, highlights a 16ft realistic globe and 4ft moon to recreate the relationships between the earth, moon, and sun. With her kid speak program curriculum, Laurie impacts students across Texas in a way that makes these difficult concepts come to life, leaving a lasting, score raising impression. Laurie also spends time leading professional development, creating challenging science games, and other science related pursuits. She is a wife to Joe, a mother to Cory and Cody, a watercolor and alcohol ink artist, and a student of nature.