Skip to main content
In response to Hurricane Helene, PBS North Carolina is working with state and local officials to share critical information and resources.
To find open shelters, county resources and more, visit the NC Department of Public Safety’s website.

VISIT NCDPS.GOV >
Rootle Ambassador Program

Apply to Become a Rootle Ambassador

Are you a champion for children 0-8 years old and their families in your county?

PBS North Carolina is recruiting for the next cohort of volunteer Rootle Ambassadors who have a passion to empower children, families and community partners as we work together, county by county, to make a lifelong impact on early childhood education and the children of North Carolina.

Nominations Are Open!

We are now recruiting a Rootle Ambassador in these 19 NC counties. If you are interested in applying for another county, please email rootle_ambassador@pbsnc.org for future Ambassador recruitment opportunities.

Anson
Bladen
Brunswick
Buncombe
Burke
Carteret

Cherokee
Currituck
Gates
Haywood
Moore
Person

Polk
Qualla Boundary
Swain
Transylvania
Wake

What is the Rootle Ambassador Program? 

Learn about our Rootle Ambassador Program and its impact on North Carolina communities.

Building on the successful implementation of the CPB-PBS Ready to Learn Community Collaboratives for Early Learning & Media Initiative, PBS North Carolina and its partners recognized the greater need to serve children and families across the state in a manner that was sustainable, long-term. 

By understanding the tremendous impact that local educators, parents, caregivers and community leaders can have within the early childhood education space and beyond, we have developed a program that celebrated the work that community members were already doing as well as support them along the way. Rootle Ambassadors give us the opportunity to equitably reach classrooms, communities and homes across the state with curriculum-informed content and resources that gets children excited about learning.

Our Partners

Watch Now: The Importance of Partners to the Rootle Ambassador Program

The Rootle Ambassador Program is made possible with generous support from 

 The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust
Dogwood Health Trust
Camber Foundation
Dianna and Jeffrey Goodman
The Unifour Foundation

 

And with our partners

The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc.
State Library of North Carolina
Triple P Parenting - Positive Parenting Program
The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Meet Our Rootle Ambassadors

Rootle Ambassadors are community members who support families of young learners in counties across the state of North Carolina. Ambassadors serve as leaders, connecting PBS KIDS and early learning resources to the unique needs of their communities. They are equipped with tools to share that enrich learning for all children, provide valuable training and experiences, and create a community network for early childhood educators and families to connect.

PBS North Carolina and our statewide partners nominate individuals who have been identified as strong community advocates to serve as Rootle Ambassadors in their county. Recruitment for the program occurs on an annual basis. Over the course of five years, North Carolina will have a Rootle Ambassador in all 100 counties. Meet our first group of Rootle Ambassadors below!

Meet Taler Miranda, Stanly County Rootle Ambassador

Taler Miranda shares how becoming a Rootle Ambassador will uplift her community outreach.

Watch Now
1 / 24 Videos
Meet Taler Miranda, Stanly County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Taler Miranda, Stanly County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Sherri Blount-Gilliam, Washington County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Sherri Blount-Gilliam, Washington County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Elizabeth Grimes, Hertford County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Elizabeth Grimes, Hertford County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Robin Lockhart-Jackson, Yadkin County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Robin Lockhart-Jackson, Yadkin County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Erica Reid, Mecklenburg County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Erica Reid, Mecklenburg County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Jenna Caldwell, Perquimans County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Jenna Caldwell, Perquimans County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Bethany Esau, Onslow County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Bethany Esau, Onslow County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Arial Williams, Vance County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Arial Williams, Vance County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Annette Fernandez, Hoke County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Annette Fernandez, Hoke County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Tracy Campbell, Jones County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Tracy Campbell, Jones County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Michelle Shields, Pamlico County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Michelle Shields, Pamlico County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Jenna Caldwell, Perquimans County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Jenna Caldwell, Perquimans County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Dr. Connie Locklear, Robeson County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Dr. Connie Locklear, Robeson County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Erika Brock, Transylvania County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Erika Brock, Transylvania County Rootle Ambassador
Meet LouMecia Staton, Guilford County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet LouMecia Staton, Guilford County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Krista Keith, Wilson County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Krista Keith, Wilson County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Ermalyn Jaeck, Rowan County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Ermalyn Jaeck, Rowan County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Sesha Woodard, Nash County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Sesha Woodard, Nash County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Twanna Joyner Jones, Wake County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Twanna Joyner Jones, Wake County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Jackie Kearney, Edgecombe County Rootle Ambassador | Work
rootle
Meet Jackie Kearney, Edgecombe County Rootle Ambassador | Work
Meet Jackie Kearney, Edgecombe County Rootle Ambassador | Education
rootle
Meet Jackie Kearney, Edgecombe County Rootle Ambassador | Education
Meet Jackie Kearney, Edgecombe County Rootle Ambassador | Community
rootle
Meet Jackie Kearney, Edgecombe County Rootle Ambassador | Community
Meet Faith Mosley, Pasquotank County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Faith Mosley, Pasquotank County Rootle Ambassador
Meet Brooke Hough, Forsyth County Rootle Ambassador
rootle
Meet Brooke Hough, Forsyth County Rootle Ambassador

Find Your County's Rootle Ambassador

Rootle Ambassadors are listed below in alphabetical order, by county. Learn more about your county's Rootle Ambassador and find their contact information below. If your county is not listed here, we are still recruiting for that position. Please reach out to rootle_ambassador@pbsnc.org with any questions.

Remembering Brandon Autar

Brandon Autar

Brandon worked in the Asheville Public Library system for four years and was the Youth Services Specialist for the East Asheville Public Library at the time of his death in September 2022. 

Upon becoming a Rootle Ambassador in 2021, Brandon said, "The children and their caregivers in our library community look up to me as a resource for their entertainment and educational needs. Serving as Rootle Ambassador will help me fulfill this critical responsibility by expanding my knowledge of high-quality early education resources."

Brandon was creative, passionate, and had superpowers he brought to work daily. We will miss having Brandon in our Rootle Ambassador community.