Our Team

Founders

Willie Perkins

Chairman &Co-founder

Willie Perkins grew up in Waco, attending high school at Waco High and college at St. Phillips College in San Antonio. In his professional life, he is entering his 20th year with John Wiley & Sons Publishing serving as the Waco Office Facility Operations Manager in their Talent Solutions division and also serves as the Youth & Community Pastor at Renovation Church in Waco.

In his personal life, Willie and his wife, Candace, have a large, blended family that includes seven children ranging in ages from 16 to 22. Willie’s love of the Waco community and experience in raising his children has fostered a deep passion for youth mentorship and social service. This passion became the soil that Normnot Academy has grown from.

Willie’s desire, along with creating opportunity for and guidance in community service, is to facilitate a space for youth to have deeper conversations than they would typically experience in a traditional classroom. Conversations and activities orchestrated to foster emotional growth, confidence, self-reliance, independence, social consciousness and other traits essential to building a solid foundation as they move into adulthood.

Candace Perkins

Co-founder

Candace joined Wiley in 2006 working directly with our Partners. Her curiosity and eagerness to learn the business opened up opportunities for her to work in several diverse roles with the organization. No matter where she chose to work within the organization, she has always focused on two things: engagement and results. Candace has over 30 years of customer service, training, and management experience.

In her free time, Candace enjoys spending lots of time with her family and giving back to the community through youth mentorship.

Board of Directors

Dr. Amanda Howard

Dr. Amanda Howard is the Associate Director of Research for Workplace Learning Solutions, a division of John Wiley & Sons. She holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Baylor University, with post-doctoral work in business development and marketing research with Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business MBA program. She is called to celebrate the human spirit by helping others find their true purpose at the junction of social identity, intellect, and temperament. She enjoys having fun with family and friends, traveling, and watching random vloggers on YouTube

Rafael Williams

Rafael Williams is a native of Florida born and raised in the city of Perry. He attended the University of South Florida and graduated in 2000 with a B.A. in Speech Communication. After college he enlisted into the U.S. military, and received another degree in Christian Education from Dallas Baptist University. He is currently and has been teaching and coaching for ten years. He and his wife Matthea have two beautiful children. Rafael is an active member of the FCA and enjoys spending his time with family, friends and hosting bible study.

Patricia Konowal

Patricia-Kristen is a New York native and has lived in Waco, TX since 2010. She graduated from Baylor University earning her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Her passion for serving others extends into her career as a pediatric Speech Languages Pathologist. Patricia-Kristen has experience working with both pediatric and adult populations and has worked in a variety of settings including hospital, home-health and public schools. In her free time she enjoys being active and spending time with her son, Kash.

Shawna Redrick

Secretary

In her professional life, Shawna has over ten years of experience in administrative support, currently serving as a Senior Administrative Assistant to the VP of Technology at John Wiley & Sons Publishing. She has a passion for community outreach and a heart for those that find themselves in difficult situations in life. Shawna’s goal is to use every opportunity God places in her path to uplift, encourage, support and serve.

We believe providing holistic mentoring programs that highlight leadership education and community outreach can change every community and can have a sustaining positive impact on the world.

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