Meet the Board

Debbie A. Clary, Founding Chair of Pinnacle Classical Academy, currently serves as the Board Chair. Debbie started her first business, an advertising agency at 21. Her professional history includes ownership of WADA Broadcasting, Millennium Marketing Group, and NC Strategy Partners. She has served 17 years in the NC General Assembly in the House and Senate Chambers, where she held leadership positions, Chair of Appropriations, Chair of Program Evaluation, Chair of Health & Human Services.

As a member of the legislature and a small business owner, Debbie has been dedicated to the development of a better quality of life for North Carolina citizens, thru education and economic development. Building a business friendly North Carolina, first means building an educated workforce, which begins in K-12. The businesses we are able to attract to our state will be only as good as the workforce we are able to offer them. Likewise, being able to attract the highest paying research and technological jobs will secure our children’s future here at home in North Carolina.

T.G. “Wes” Westmoreland, II, Vice-Chair of Pinnacle Classical Academy, and served the maximum two-year term as the Board Chair of Cleveland Community College, where he remains in service on the College’s Board of Directors. Following service in the NC Senate in 2012, Wes was appointed to the Rural Infrastructure Authority of the NC Department of Commerce, and currently serves as Vice-Chair. He also served on the Board for the Printing Industries of the Carolinas. Wes founded Westmoreland Printers, Inc. in 1999, and serves as President. He was named to the Gardner-Webb University Gallery of Distinguished Graduates in 2001, and named Cleveland County Chamber Entrepreneur of the Year in 2004.

Throughout his adult life, Wes has come to recognize the importance of quality education in life, and in addition to his work with Pinnacle and Cleveland Community College, Wes has served as President of the Gardner-Webb University Alumni Association, a trustee at GWU from 2006-2009, on the board of Communities in Schools, and on the Commercial Graphic Advisory Committee for Spartanburg Community College.

Pauline E. Cahill, DDS, a Founding Board Member, became an active member of the Cleveland County community in 1997, when she and her husband joined the community as medical providers from Canada. Pauline is a dentist and her husband, Calvin Caunt practices Internal Medicine in Shelby. Their son, Ben is a student at Pinnacle.

Pauline is a graduate of Dalhousie University School of Dentistry in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1993, after completing a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at the University of Prince Edward Island. She has completed advanced programs in prosthodontics and esthetics and oral surgery. Since making the move to Shelby, she joined in a partnership with another Dentist and has become extremely active in building a new dental practice in a state of the art facility.

In addition to building a thriving business in the community, Pauline teaches a class in Robotics at Pinnacle. Teaching robotics and the various applications to everything from manufacturing and agriculture to medicine, is a passionate hobby that enables time with her son and students at the school.

Amy Dulin currently serves as the Dean of Workforce Development at Cleveland Community College. Amy has served various roles in higher education for over 20 years.

Her educational background includes an Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration from Cleveland Community College, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University, and a Master of Arts in Community College and University Leadership from Appalachian State University. Amy is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Gardner-Webb University.

Amy is passionate about workforce development and the importance of preparing students to enter the workforce. She hopes to offer exposure to the numerous pathways available to students after graduation.

Dr. Shelly Shope brings over 27 years of dedicated service and executive leadership in education to the Board of Directors. Throughout her career, Dr. Shope has remained a passionate advocate for academic excellence, instructional accountability, funding equity, and strong governance across North Carolina charter schools.

Dr. Shope earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) and a Master of School Administration (MSA) from Gardner-Webb University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

With 24 years in administrative roles, Dr. Shope has guided school strategy, curriculum development, and institutional growth across all grade levels. Dr. Shope has led Pinnacle Classical Academy since 2019 and has overseen growth in enrollment from 987 students to 1,200. Under her leadership, the school graduated its first 262 alumni, who were offered a total of $33,464,710 in multi-year academic merit and athletic scholarships.

Her extensive career in educational leadership includes serving in key administrative roles such as Dean of Elementary Education, Executive Director of K–8 Instruction, Director of Title I Programs, School Principal & Assistant Principal

In higher education, Dr. Shope served as an adjunct professor at Queens University in their Master of School Administration program, mentoring the next generation of school administrators. She has also taught Educational Technology at the college level.

Dr. Shope actively contributes to statewide charter school policy, regulatory oversight, and legislative advocacy. She serves on the North Carolina Charter Schools Review Board (CSRB) and the North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools Board of Directors, working closely with school leaders and policymakers to foster quality educational opportunities for charter school students across the state.

Dr. Anthony Negbenebor serves as the Assistant Vice President for Business Development and
Partnerships at Gardner-Webb University, where he is also a Professor of Economics and
International Business. As Dean Emeritus and holder of the Dover Chair of Business in the
Godbold College of Business, Dr. Negbenebor has dedicated his career to fostering student
success and preparing graduates for leadership roles in the global economy.

A globally recognized scholar, Dr. Negbenebor earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Mississippi
State University, with postdoctoral studies in International Relations at Université Paris 1
Panthéon-Sorbonne and Economic Development at the London School of Economics. His
international academic experience shapes his commitment to providing students with a well-
rounded, globally focused education.
During his tenure as Dean, Dr. Negbenebor spearheaded the creation of innovative academic
programs that enhance student learning, career readiness, and experiential opportunities. 

Dr. Negbenebor's leadership extends beyond the university. He is the immediate past President of
the global Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and chaired its
Accreditation Governance Board. His efforts in accreditation have helped ensure that business
programs maintain the highest academic standards.

An accomplished scholar and author, Dr. Negbenebor has published widely in leading academic
journals and authored multiple books. He is married and a proud father.