Jill Ray
Cary
Summary
Professional learning facilitator, instructional technology leader, and project-focused educator with 15+ years of experience supporting K–12 educators through high-impact professional development, systems implementation, and instructional coaching. Proven success designing and delivering engaging in-person and virtual learning experiences, supporting MTSS-aligned practices, and guiding educators through the adoption of digital platforms and instructional frameworks. Mission-driven, equity-centered, and energized by helping educators translate professional learning into sustainable classroom and district practice.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Library Media Specialist, Instructional Technology
Wake County Public School System, Vernon Malone College & Career Academy
07.2014 - Current
Professional Library Media Specialist Expertise
- Collaborative Instruction & Reference Services: Led cross-functional teams to deliver reference and instructional services, aligning outcomes with academic goals and technology initiatives.
- Collection Development & Management: Developed, curated, & maintained diverse digital and print collections within a set budget, ensuring resources meet the needs of the academic community.
- Leadership & Program Development: Led school improvement initiatives as Department Chair, including the creation and implementation of a schoolwide QFT & Research Instruction program to effectively teach students how to formulate better questions & engage in productive research.
- Technology Integration & Training: Delivered technical support and training for new technologies, integrating emerging tools into instructional practices to enhance learning outcomes.
Professional Learning, Facilitation & Implementation
- Designed and delivered engaging professional development for school-, district-, and state-level educators, including in-person workshops, conference sessions, and ongoing faculty learning series.
- Facilitated professional learning focused on research literacy, instructional strategy, project management, and technology integration, adapting content for diverse adult learner needs.
- Led pre-session planning, facilitation, and post-session reflection, ensuring alignment with stakeholder goals and actionable next steps.
- Utilized data, educator feedback, and participation trends to refine professional learning content and improve impact over time.
- Supported sustained implementation by providing follow-up resources, coaching, and troubleshooting for educators after training sessions.
Library Media Coordinator
Johnston County Schools, Cleveland High School
07.2010 - 06.2014
Professional Library Media Coordinator Expertise
- Collaborative Instruction & Reference Services: Led cross-functional teams to deliver reference and instructional services, aligning outcomes with academic goals and technology initiatives.
- Collection Development & Management: Developed, curated, & maintained diverse digital and print collections within a set budget, ensuring resources meet the needs of the academic community.
- Leadership & Program Development: Led school improvement initiatives as Department Chair, with an active role on the School Improvement Team
- Technology Integration & Training: Delivered technical support and training for new technologies, integrating emerging tools into instructional practices to enhance learning outcomes.
Education
Master of Arts - History
Southern New Hampshire University
Hooksett, NH05-2026
Master of Science - Library And Information Science
North Carolina Central University
Durham, North Carolina, NC12-2007
Bachelor of Arts - History
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC08-2005
Skills
- Professional Development Design & Facilitation (In-Person & Virtual)
- Adult Learning Theory & Instructional Design
- MTSS / RTI-Aligned Instructional Support
- Implementation & Change Management
- Project Management & Execution (Agile-informed)
Core Competencies
- Educator Coaching & Stakeholder Partnership
- Data-Informed Decision Making
- Educational Technology Adoption & Training
- Literacy, SEL, & Behavioral Supports
- Customer-Focused Service & Troubleshooting
Accomplishments
- 2022-23 Kenan Fellow
- NCSLMA Piedmont Region 3 Director
- JCS Library Media Coordinator of the Year
Professional Accomplishments & Roles
Affiliations
NC State Alumni Association
NC School Library Media Association
American Library Association
Certification
- Licensed NCDPI Professional Educator's License
Professional Learning & Facilitation Experience
Professional Learning Leader: State, Regional & School-Based Audiences
- Designed and delivered professional development for faculty, district leaders, and state-level educators, including workshops, conference presentations, and sustained learning series.
- Facilitated engaging, interactive sessions focused on instructional strategy, research literacy, MTSS-adjacent supports, technology integration, and data-informed practice.
- Conducted pre-session planning calls, aligned learning objectives to stakeholder needs, and documented outcomes to support healthy implementation.
- Utilized educator feedback, participation data, and instructional outcomes to continuously refine professional learning experiences.
- Provided post-session follow-up, coaching, and troubleshooting to ensure professional learning translated into classroom and systems-level impact.
North Carolina School Library Media Association
- Planned and facilitated regional professional development programming for K–12 librarians focused on research literacy advocacy, instructional space design, and collaborative problem-solving.
- Designed and led an UnConference model, facilitating participant-driven sessions that addressed real-time challenges and promoted peer-led solution building.
- Delivered conference-based professional development to educators across North Carolina on:
Question Formulation Technique (QFT) to strengthen inquiry-based instruction
Project management using Scrum Boards to support instructional and organizational workflows
Instructional data and research tools, including Wolfram Alpha - Designed sessions using adult learning best practices, incorporating interactive activities, modeling, and real-world application.
- Partnered with association leadership and regional stakeholders to align professional learning with statewide instructional priorities.
Timeline
Library Media Specialist, Instructional Technology
Wake County Public School System, Vernon Malone College & Career Academy
07.2014 - Current
Library Media Coordinator
Johnston County Schools, Cleveland High School
07.2010 - 06.2014
Master of Arts - History
Southern New Hampshire University
Master of Science - Library And Information Science
North Carolina Central University
Bachelor of Arts - History
North Carolina State University