Who we are

Meet our Staff & Volunteers

The Vision

From Our Founder & Head of School

“Breaking the status quo, boldly positioned to break patterns of inequity and tackle one of Charlotte’s most overwhelming needs for quality education, individual attention, and empowerment through academic success with accountability.“

– Mary Catherine “MC” Hildreth

MC Hildreth is the Founder, Executive Director and Head of School of The Nest Academy, a private K-12 school that serves refugee, immigrant and underprivileged children. The Nest Academy, located off Albemarle Rd in East Charlotte is unique and the only one of a kind in the nation. The Nest offers its tuition free gift of private school education, a myriad of life and extracurricular experiences and its wrap-around support to every child and their family and has for 15 years.

MC is a visionary, multicultural pioneer and trailblazer with over two decades in nonprofit and meaningful community engagement, including nonprofit education, literacy, enrichment and after school programs, church planting, multicultural collectives including sports outreach, strategic community partnerships, refugee family and educational support, K-12 administration, instruction and post secondary support and has served as an advocate for immigrants and refugees navigating our city and country at a disadvantage.

MC has worked 24 years in full-time refugee, immigrant, and within marginalized communities in Chicago (K-5 Education Coordinator-World Relief) and for 20 years in Charlotte in leadership, outreach, education, development and advancement.

MC’s most recent meaningful and strategic partnership with Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church allows for an even greater impact on Charlotte’s Eastside through additional programming to embrace and support more some of Charlotte’s most vulnerable children and their families.

MC is passionate about optimizing volunteer engagement, connecting strategic partnerships in the private and public sectors, stewarding and linking social responsibility, working to aid in public policy efforts, and championing the success of a very deserving population.

MC is most proud to be a mom and parent (her children are Nest students and a Nest Alumna) and serve as Head of School.

She has served in several roles as nonprofit founder and director, worked over a decade in nonprofit consulting, and was recognized as one of Charlotte’s 50 Most Influential Women.

Our Staff & Volunteers

Laura Reed

Director of Academic Programming

Laura Reed joined the Nest Academy’s staff in 2019 as volunteer middle school teacher and is now teaching all grade levels and serves and co-leads the Nest’s Administrative staff.

Prior to joining the Nest Academy, Laura was the Director of Professional Development for the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS) for 6 years. Before working with the state association, Laura served as Head of School at Noble Academy in Greensboro for 8 years. She has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

[email protected]

Jacki Cristobal

Middle & Upper School Lead Teacher

Jacki obtained her Bachelor’s in Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She is a Certified teacher specializing in language. Her teaching career began in 2009 as the FIRST Nest Academy teacher to the first 5 academy girls. Jacki’s love for teaching and experience has grown and she is lead teacher of The Nest Academy, now 13 years later.

[email protected]

Jan Aaron

Educational Therapist and Consultant Language, Reading and Speech Specialist

Jan has a B.S., Education; M.S., Educational Psychology. She is a Professionally Certified NILD Educational Therapist, an Orton-Gillingham Educator, and has a Private Practice in Matthews, NC, Educational Therapists of the Carolinas.

[email protected]

Reesh Oghra

Middle/High School Chemistry & Math Teacher

Reesh is from Brooklyn, New York. He teaches math, science, fitness, STEAM, and technology. Prior to teaching, Reesh worked as a ministry coordinator at The Brooklyn Tabernacle Church where he traveled with teams to conduct business training, medical clinics, and ministry to various regions of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. He has worked in school systems before, and has been a software engineer, in financial services, and marketing.

[email protected]

Jaden Garrett

Executive Assistant to the Head of School

Jaden Garrett, Nest Academy Alumna, joins our Nest team as Assistant to the Head of School and Junior at UNCC majoring in Communications. In a unique role as daughter of our Head of School, alumna of the Nest and college student, Jaden has exemplified leadership, innovation and strength to The Nest team. Having been a part of The Nest since its inception, Jaden’s first hand knowledge and experience of Nest Operations and Management has been a great addition to The Nest team. Jaden support volunteer, parent and student communications, social media, manages community partnership and is a pillar of support to our Head Of School. We are proud of the way Jaden has stepped into a role where she leads and directs Academy Administrative and Executive support well.

[email protected]

Dr. T Leon Williams

Director of Operations and Chief of Staff

Dr. T Leon Williams has earned a Bachelor degree from Ohio Northern University (92’) in Business Administration, a Master degree of Science of Education from The University of Dayton (95’), and a Doctorate of Ministry degree from School of Religion at Virginia University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Virginia. Professionally, Williams has served twenty years in higher education at three different small premiere private institutions, Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, and most recently Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. Today, Williams is the Pastor of Beloved Community Church and Chief of Staff and Director of Operations at The Nest Academy.

[email protected]

Ellen Leitch

Lower School ESL Tutor, Board of Directors

Ellen Leitch is a 1984 graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Commerce. After graduation she worked as a CPA at Coopers & Lybrand ( now PWC)in Washington, DC. She married David Leitch in 1985 and they have three children. While raising their kids, Ellen taught ESL to the immigrants and diplomats from 33 different countries through McLean Presbyterian Church and coached gymnastics at the YMCA. In 2005, the Leitches moved to Michigan for David’s job. Ellen tutored at-risk kids in an after-school enrichment/dinner program. She was also on the board of The Lighthouse, a community-based organization that housed and educated homeless mothers until they became self-sufficient. Ellen and David have been in Charlotte since 2016, when David took a job with Bank of America. Ellen has recently left the board of Council for Children’s Rights and is excited about becoming more involved with The Nest. Her hobbies include cooking, golf, travel, and her dog, Cash.