PENCIL Welcomes New Class of Board Members

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 6, 2021) – Nonprofit PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement & Leadership) is pleased to announce a new class of Board members, as well as a new slate of Board officers, for the fiscal year 2022. 

“PENCIL is delighted to welcome a wonderful class of new board members, each of whom has a personal commitment to supporting public education and the students of Metro Nashville Public Schools,” said Angie Adams, PENCIL CEO & President. “We are honored they have chosen PENCIL as their conduit for investing in our local schools.”

The following members joined the PENCIL Board on July 1 and will serve a three-year term.

Kenny Crapse, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Shani Dowell, Founder & CEO, Possip
Joan Fleming, Vice President, Residential Lending & Community Development, Citizens Savings Bank & Trust Co.
Jacky Gomez, Recruiting Programs Specialist, Asurion
Emily Gruening, Director of Leadership & Training, Ryman Hospitality Properties
Rachel Hawksworth, Vice President of Talent Acquisition, HCA Healthcare
Olivia Hill, Executive Vice President and Human Resources Director, Reliant Bank
Ashley Johnson, Senior Tax Advisor, EY (Young Leaders Council intern)
Amani Kelly, Chief Operations Officer & Partner, Guerrier Development
Devin Lintzenich, Director of Professional Development, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Jacquie Thomas, Senior Vice President – Market Director, PNC Bank

PENCIL’s Board Leadership team as of July 1 includes:

Chair: Norman Merrifield, Principal Thought Leader, 808 Education, LLC
Vice Chair: Wes Payne, Senior Vice President, Pinnacle Financial Partners
Secretary: Robyn Williams, Senior Manager, EV Product Planning, Nissan North America
Treasurer: Juan Williams, Commissioner, State of Tennessee Department of Human Resources
Immediate Past Chair: Brandyn Payne, Chief Employee Experience Officer, Consilio

Joining PENCIL’s Emerging Leaders Board as of July 1 are:

Lamar Allen, Senior Account Administrator, Aftermarket Solutions, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation
Sindy Ascencio, Officer, Small Business Consultant, Bank of America
Meadya Doski, Engineer in training
Samuel Henninger
, Associate, Waller Law
Nicole Keefe, Attorney at Law, Burr & Forman
Tanisha Kizer, Vice President, Nashville Banking Center, First South Financial Credit Union
Ryan McMorrow, Architectural Intern, PCM + Design Architects
Raeruth Oleshanski, Program Coordinator, Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee
Sharond Poag, Vice President, Retail Regional Manager, Fifth Third Bank

Brandon Ward, Remarketing Sales Support Representative, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation
Carl Coates, Jr., M.S. Graduate Student, MTSU
Julio Rodriguez, Project Manager, DocAir
Chris Brophy, Financial Advisor, Shoemaker Financial
Karen Schillinger, Agent Assistant, Creative Artists Agency

PENCIL’s Emerging Leaders Board Leadership Team as of July 1 includes:

Co-Chairs: Kirsten Dodson, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Lipscomb University; and Logan Matthews, Director of Community Outreach, Cooley Public Strategies
Secretary: Dilman Yasin, Performance Manager, Metro Nashville Government, Office of the Mayor
Development Committee Chair: Dane Brunett, Assistant Vice President, Wilson Bank & Trust
Development Committee Vice Chair: Brandi Coates, Engagement Coordinator, Frist Art Museum
Nominating Committee Chair: Bailey Via, Program Coordinator, Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, Vanderbilt University
Partner Committee Chair: Max Goodall, Treasury Management Officer, PNC Bank
Partner Committee Vice Chair: Nick Newsome, Accounts Payable, LP Corporation
Immediate Past Chair: Artetta Webster, Senior Human Resources Assistant, Nashville Electric Service

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About PENCIL
PENCIL and its Board of Directors are committed to supporting public education within our community. Founded in 1982, PENCIL (www.pencilforschools.org) links community resources to Metro Nashville Public Schools to help young people achieve academic success and prepare for life. PENCIL’s work is guided by the needs of MNPS, is student-centric, and is achieved through partnerships and tangible engagements. PENCIL envisions a world where access and opportunities are equitable for all students to have a successful future.