As the Engagement Coordinator, Yolanda supports program management and initiative coordination at Best NC. With a background bridging environmental education and laboratory science in North Carolina, Yolanda applies a research-driven, community-first approach to program management. Her passion for education stems from a conviction that education is the most powerful catalyst for individual opportunity and community growth. Through her work in environmental science, hands-on learning and higher education, she witnessed how bridging policy with real classroom needs directly impacts student outcomes. Yolanda is passionate about creating equitable, engaging educational environments where innovate policies translate into tangible success for North Carolina’s students and teachers. Yolanda studied environmental science and earned a Master of Science at Wright State University in Biology. She recently became a certified North Carolina Environmental Educator though the NC Department of Environmental Quality. Yolanda resides in Fuquay Varina with her husband and three kids. Outside of work she enjoys hiking, gardening, community outreach projects, and attending environmentally focused classes. Most recently she completed a course in beekeeping through Durham County Beekeepers Association.