PENCIL Welcomes New Class of Board Leaders

PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership), Nashville’s business connector to Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), is pleased to announce its new class of board members as well as a new slate of board officers for the 2024-25 program year.

Building on continued growth at PENCIL, the new cohort complements their fellow industry leaders in delivering PENCIL’s vision to create a world in which MNPS students and teachers have equitable access to resources and opportunities.

“PENCIL is delighted to welcome this wonderful class of new board members. We are honored they have chosen to support Nashville’s public schools through us,” said Christiane Buggs, PENCIL CEO & President. “Ultimately, it is our students and teachers who benefit from the talents of this diverse and connected group of community leaders.”

Effective July 1, the following new governing board members will serve a three-year term:

• Lamar Allen, LaMarvelous Balloons
• Brent Binns, Elliott Davis
• Lillian Blackshear, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
• Melissa Cornejo-Nell, Metro Nashville Public Schools
• Christina Feagins, Deloitte
• Nicole Flynn, Ryman Hospitality Properties
• Sharon Gentry, HCA Healthcare (joining 9/24)
• Kia Goodwin, Brown-Forman
• Taneisha Harvey, Nashville Municipal Auditorium
• Minh Le, Finn Partners
• Emmanuel LeGrair, R.H. Boyd
• James McIntyre, Belmont University
• Will Parrott, Merrill Lynch
• Sam Reed, Jigsaw

PENCIL would also like to recognize the following Board Interns who serve Ex Officio:

• Jaimie Swann, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
• Obinna Udeh, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
• Patrick Dooley, RSM US LLP – Young Leaders Council
• Erica Griffith, Wistia – Young Leaders Council
• Katlin Pendleton, KP Financial Consulting – Young Leaders Council
• Shay Coplin, Hyland – Young Leaders Council

The new slate of board officers as of July 1 includes: 

• Board Chair: Robyn Williams, Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
• Vice-Chair: Kaitlyn Jones, R.C. Mathews Contractor
• Treasurer: Jose Ferreira, JLL, Inc.
• Secretary: Kason Davis, Caterpillar Financial Services
• Immediate Past Chair: Hasina Mohyuddin, Vanderbilt University Peabody College