Meet Our Leadership!

Dr. Elmore D. Lowery

Dr. Lowery served over twenty years in law enforcement, ranging in the following careers: Correctional Officer; Spanish Speaking Probation and Parole Officer; Police Officer; Assistant Special Agent in Charge (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation -SBI); Criminal Agent with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force; and United State Marine Corps Reservist. Additionally, Dr. Lowery was appointed to the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Human Relations Commission. The commission focus on race, inequality, injustice, diversity, and inclusion. His role is to participate in with the emergency response team.

As a former Dean of College and Career Readiness, Dr. Lowery takes pride in serving underserved students and assisting them with their academic and life goals. He led, trained, developed, and created strategic plans for program relevance for students and faculty.

He is a transformational leader who is innovative, entrepreneurial driven, motivating, and highly committed to his work. As an academic leader, Dr. Lowery secured a 3.9-million-dollar Block Grant for College and Career Readiness. He also sustained a 99% passing rate for the College and Career Readiness programs at Fort Bragg, ranking #1 nationally.

Dr. Lowery has increased completion and performance measures by 8% in the College and Career Readiness program. As a result, his department’s graduation and completion rates have increased by 77%, with a retention rate increasing from 67% to 98%. In addition, Dr. Lowery has established academic pathways/trades for low-performing and at-risk students.

Dr. Lowery has an outstanding record for creating jobs and pathways for students with physical and intellectual disabilities. In addition, he is committed to serving students with the highest level of passion and integrity. He has earned his Doctorate in Executive Leadership, Master of Science in Criminal Justice, a double major in Criminal Justice and Sociology, and is currently in law school where he’s working on his Juris Doctorate.

Dr. Lowery has created and cultivated an atmosphere of respect, trust, integrity, and relevancy within his department and community.

Natalie D. Buckner

Natalie D. Buckner, M.Ed, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Excellence School. She is a native of Florida with a strong background in both education and legal studies. She possesses over twenty years in the legal profession as a paralegal. Natalie has a strong desire for education and academic excellence. She is a perfectionist in speech, communication, writing, and organization skills. Natalie is the sounding voice for student achievement and advancement. Her ability to identify issues and produce a winning solution has set her apart from traditional educational leaders. Her genuine passion for education and overall success has placed her in high demand.

Natalie believes that all students possess the ability to excel in the classroom; therefore, she developed a system that places all students beyond the learning curve. Additionally, she believes students must be understood, coached, and developed in order to invoke their genius.

Natalie is a recognized entrepreneur as she was presented in several magazines including the Orange Appeal Magazine for her excellence in entrepreneurship. Her creative thinking and ability to bridge the gap between the underserved community and to generate tomorrow’s future leaders are impactable. Natalie’s experience and leadership have impacted the lives of many.