Our Mission & Story
Thrive Learning Community was founded on a simple but powerful conviction: that every adult deserves the opportunity to achieve literacy, earn a credential, and build the skills necessary for economic self-sufficiency and civic participation, regardless of their age, background, or prior educational experience.
Our Mission Statement
Thrive Learning Community exists to provide accessible, high-quality adult education and workforce development services to underserved individuals and families in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Through evidence-based instruction, wraparound support services, and deep community partnerships, we empower adult learners to achieve their personal, professional, and educational goals. We are committed to educational equity, cultural responsiveness, and the belief that learning is a lifelong endeavor that transforms not only individuals but entire communities.
Our Founding Story
In 2014, Dr. Patricia Sheldon-Hughes, a veteran adult education researcher at North Carolina State University, conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of adult literacy services in Wake County. Her findings revealed a stark gap: while over 47,000 adults in the county lacked a high school diploma or equivalent, existing adult education programs had capacity to serve fewer than 6,000 learners annually. Wait lists at community college adult basic education programs stretched to eighteen months, and most classes were only offered during daytime hours, making them inaccessible to the majority of working adults who needed them most.
Driven by these findings, Dr. Sheldon-Hughes partnered with local educator James Whitfield and nonprofit administrator Sandra Okafor to incorporate Thrive Learning Community as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in March 2014. The founding team secured initial seed funding from the Triangle Community Foundation and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, leased classroom space in a former church education wing on Ridgewood Boulevard, and enrolled their first cohort of forty-two adult learners in September 2014.
In the decade since, Thrive Learning Community has grown from a single classroom with three volunteer tutors to a multi-campus organization serving over 3,200 adult learners annually across three dedicated learning centers and five satellite classroom sites. Our operating budget has grown from $82,000 in our first fiscal year to over $2.4 million, supported by a diversified funding base of federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II grants, state adult education appropriations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.
Leadership & Board of Directors
Dr. Patricia Sheldon-Hughes
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Ed.D. in Adult and Continuing Education from NC State University. Former Associate Professor of Adult Literacy at the NC State College of Education. Twenty-three years of experience in adult education program design, federal grant administration, and literacy research. Member of the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) and the North Carolina Literacy Association.
James Whitfield, M.Ed.
Director of Instruction & Co-Founder
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from UNC Chapel Hill. Fifteen years as a classroom teacher and instructional coordinator in Wake County Public Schools before transitioning to adult education. Certified in Orton-Gillingham structured literacy and TABE assessment administration. Oversees all curriculum development, instructor training, and learner progress tracking systems.
Sandra Okafor, MBA
Chief Operations Officer & Co-Founder
MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. Former program director at the Urban League of the Triangle. Expertise in nonprofit financial management, strategic planning, and community partnership development. Manages organizational operations, human resources, facility planning, and compliance with state and federal reporting requirements.
Board of Directors
- Hon. Carolyn M. Baptiste – Board Chair; Retired Wake County District Court Judge
- Dr. Kwame Asante – Vice Chair; Associate Dean, School of Social Work, NC Central University
- Rebecca Torres-Medina – Secretary; Director of Community Relations, WakeMed Health
- Michael Andersen, CPA – Treasurer; Partner, Andersen & Liu Certified Public Accountants
- Pastor David Youngblood – Senior Pastor, New Covenant Fellowship Church; Community Liaison
- Priya Ramachandran, Esq. – Immigration and Education Law Attorney, Legal Aid of NC
- Thomas Chen – VP of Corporate Social Responsibility, Lenovo (RTP Campus)
Accreditation & Credentials
Thrive Learning Community operates under the following authorizations and institutional recognitions:
- Federal Tax Exemption: 501(c)(3) status under IRS determination; EIN: 46-5182093
- NC Department of Public Instruction: Approved Adult Education Provider, License #EDU-20147
- WIOA Title II: Authorized provider of Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English Language Acquisition services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
- GuideStar/Candid: Gold Seal of Transparency (financial reports, program metrics, and leadership compensation publicly disclosed)
- National College Transition Network: Member institution for adult learner postsecondary bridge programming
- Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE): Organizational member in good standing
Financial Transparency
As a publicly funded nonprofit, we are committed to the highest standards of financial transparency and accountability. Our most recent IRS Form 990, independent auditor's report, and annual program outcomes report are available upon request by contacting our main office at (919) 555-0237 or emailing [email protected]. Summary financial highlights from our most recent fiscal year (FY 2025–2026):
- Total Revenue: $2,412,850
- Program Service Expenses: $1,987,420 (82.4% of total expenses)
- Administrative Expenses: $289,530 (12.0%)
- Fundraising Expenses: $135,900 (5.6%)
- End-of-Year Net Assets: $418,210