DR. JONI Y. ALBERG - Executive Director
Since 1999, Joni has served as Executive Director of BEGINNINGS. Joni has
been a special education teacher, administrator, researcher and business
executive. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at UNC-CH, Division of Speech & Hearing Sciences. Joni served as President of the International Council for Exceptional
Children (CEC) in 1990-91. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Special Education
from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in Special Education from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
MS. CHRISTENE A. TASHJIAN - Assistant Executive Director for Research & Development
Christene joined BEGINNINGS as the Assistant Executive Director in December 2004. She has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Education from the University of Texas – Austin, graduating with honors in the field of special education. Christene has taught students with learning and emotional disabilities in both public and private school settings. She earned her Master’s Degree, with a focus on education and health policy, from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, UT-Austin. Prior to BEGINNINGS, she was employed for 14 years at RTI International (formerly Research Triangle Institute) as a Senior Educational Research Scientist. Ms. Tashjian has 20 years of experience conducting education and disability research and policy-related program evaluations for school-aged and adult populations. She and her husband, Michael, live in Chapel Hill.
MR. JOE COMEAU - Parent Educator
Joe joined Beginnings in 2007 as a Parent Educator, and is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from St. John's University in Jamaica, NY. He holds a Certificate of Clinical Competency (CCC) in Speech-Language Pathology, and earned a Master of Science Degree in Education at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. He is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and has been providing therapy services for children and adults with communication disorders since 1998.
MS. TAMARA HEDGEPETH - Executive Assistant
Tamara joined BEGINNINGS in September of 2007. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Pre-Law from Shaw University and attended Wilson Community College for Paralegal Technology. Prior to joining BEGINNINGS, Tamara served as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant for several law firms, worked as a intern in the Office of the Governor, and worked for various political & governmental agencies. Being a native of North Carolina she was raised on her family's tobacco farm and has a love for horse back riding and the arts. Tamara is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
MS. IVETTE E. KERR - Hispanic Outreach / Parent Educator
Ivette joined Beginnings in December 2000. Prior to joining BEGINNINGS, Ivette
served as an Hispanic Outreach Worker, and most recently as a Hispanic
Maternal Outreach Worker for Wake County Human Services. A native of Panama,
Ivette has lived in Japan, Guam, and now resides in the USA. Her experience
includes Early Childhood and providing family support services. Ivette
is fluent in both Spanish (her first language) and English.
MS. DJENNE-AMAL MORRIS - Parent Educator/Training Coordinator
Djenne-amal joined BEGINNINGS in October 2007. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology/Sociology from Clark University in MA. She has had extensive experience working with families of special needs children, teaching parenting workshops and has been a Deaf-blind Family Specialist for the past 6 years. She and her husband also served in several capacities in the full-time ministry. Djenne is the mother of a Deaf-blind multi-handicapped son with CHARGE Syndrome. She and her husband Michael live in Knightdale with their three children.
MS. JO ANN PARRISH - Parent Educator
Jo Ann joined BEGINNINGS in October 2000, after working with young children
and their families for more than 12 years. First, teaching in preschool settings
and later providing early intervention services for young children and their
families. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with emphasis in
Child Development and a Master’s degree in Special Education specializing
in Learning Disabilities. She is a certified Infant-Toddler Specialist. She
is also certified to teach children with learning disabilities, K-12. Jo
Ann is married to David Parrish. David and their son, Joel, operate Parrish
Associates, Inc., designing and building automation machinery.
MS. JUDY A. WERBICKI - Administrative Manager
Judy has worked with BEGINNINGS since November 2000. She has over 5 years
of secretarial and administrative experience, working in corporate, health
and human service provider environments. Prior to working at BEGINNINGS,
she was an Administrative Specialist within Glaxo Wellcome, Inc. She works
part-time in the Raleigh Office, and has three children.
