|
Abintra is a 501 (c)(3), non-profit organization which is governed
by a volunteer Board of Trustees. Abintra's current Board of Trustees
is comprised of parents of Abintra students, parents of former students,
and members from the community at large. Board members are selected
based on their life experience and expertise, their commitment to
help Abintra succeed, and the personalities, skills, and perspectives
needed to round out the board as a whole.
What The Board Does
Abintra's Board of Trustees focuses on the challenges and
opportunities that the school will face in the future. The Board's
job can be divided into four main categories:
- Establishing policies to guide the school's operation and development
today and— especially— tomorrow;
- Selecting, hiring, and evaluating the Executive Director;
- Playing a key role in the important fundraising that has been
critical to Abintra's success over the years and will continue
to be essential if Abintra is to flourish in the future;
- Perpetuating and improving itself. This duty includes identifying
and recruiting new members, evaluating (or seeking outside evaluation
of) its own performance, and continuously reassessing its roles,
responsibilities, structure, and procedures.
2008-2009 Board of Trustees
LaTonya Turner Riley, President
LaTonya is a TV journalist and producer specializing in consumer
and social issues. She has won several Emmys and other awards for
her broadcast work, including as a reporter for WSMV-TV (NBC) in
Nashville. LaTonya is a native of Louisiana, where she earned a
B.A. degree from Louisiana State University and began her career.
While reporting on education issues, she developed an interest and
commitment to Montessori education. LaTonya is a longtime member
of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), and volunteers
with Nashville Cares (a support organization for people living with
HIV/AIDS), the Nashville Film Festival, Senior Citizens, Inc., and
the Governor's Advisory Council for Keep Tennessee Beautiful (which
promotes environmental awareness and litter prevention). LaTonya
and her husband, Anthony, have 3 children-all Montessori-educated,
2 now at Abintra. This is LaTonya's second year of her second term
on the Board.
Strategic Planning Committee
Tanisha Hall, Vice-President
Tanisha is Director of Research and a transportation planner for
Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNAC). She has a master's degree
in urban and regional planning from the University of Iowa. Tanisha
is an alumna of the Young Leaders Council of Nashville, and serves
with the Lupus Foundation Board. She enjoys gardening and spending
time with her husband, Byron, and their two sons-- who attend Abintra.
This is Tanisha's second year of her first term on the board.
Fundraising Committee
Michael Webber, Treasurer
Michael's background is in forensic accounting and finance.
He holds a B.A. in Accountancy from Arizona State University, and
an M.B.A. from Heriott-Watt University. Michael and his wife Jo
Anne Rosenblum have two children at Abintra. This is Michael's first
year of his second term on the Board.
Finance Committee
Debby Gould
Debby works with the PENCIL Foundation as the Program Director
for the Math Partners Program. Debby was the Executive Director
of the Metro Public Education Foundation and a former Abintra Board
President. She is a former Abintra parent and has great experience
in the area of education and not-for-profit management. Her two
children are both Abintra graduates. Her daughter works for an environmental
not-for-profit in California while her son works for the Democratic
National Committee in Washington, D.C. Debbie has joined the Abintra
board once again to lead efforts in strategic planning and accreditation.
This is Debby's second year of her second term.
Strategic Planning Committee
Melanie Lowe
Melanie and her husband Stan have a daughter in Abintra's early
childhood program. This is Melanie's first year of her first term
on the board.
Ken McClellan
Ken, also called "Mac", has spent his entire career in banking and
financial regulation. He is presently senior commercial loan underwriter
for The Bankers Bank (TN/KY Office). Mac received his B.S. Degree
from the University of Tennessee in General Business. He has done
further study at the Graduate School of Business at Tennessee State
University, Colgate Darden Business School at the University of
Virginia, and Tennessee Government Executive Institute at the University
of Tennessee. He is vice chairman of Frontiers International Foundation,
Inc., which supports research in Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer,
Heart Disease and Vitiligo. Mac has also served on the boards of
Senior Citizens, Inc., St. Bernard Academy, and the League for the
Hearing Impaired. Mac has one daughter, who is a senior at Hampton
University in Virginia. This is Mac's second year of his first term
on the board.
Finance Committee
Avi Poster
This is Avi's first year of his first term on the Board.
Holly Sheer Smith
Holly received her B.A. at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
She began her career managing pharmaceutical trials. After becoming
a mother, Holly began work in the office of admissions at the Harpeth
Hall School. She is now planning to start her own business. Both
of her children have been in Montessori programs. This is Holly's
first year of her second term on the Board.
Marketing/Communications Committee
Renata Soto
Renata is co-founder and executive director of Conexión Américas,
a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Latino families in
Middle Tennessee with social and economic advancement. Renata has
also worked for United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, managing a
grant-making portfolio of almost $1.5 million and directing an initiative
to support and expand a network of family resource centers in low-income
neighborhoods of Nashville. Renata is from Costa Rica, where she
obtained a bachelor's degree in Communications from the University
of Costa Rica. She also attended Kenyon College, in Ohio, and Georgia
State University, in Atlanta, GA. Renata has lived in the United
States since 1993. She and her husband, Pete Wooten, have two children
who attended Abintra before the family relocated briefly to Knoxville,
where the children continued their Montessori education. The Wootens
are thrilled to return to Nashville and to Abintra. This is Renata's
second year of her first term on the board.
Marketing/Communications Committee
Lisa Usdan
This is Lisa's first year of her first term on the Board.
Fundraising Committee
back to top
How To Contact The Board
You may contact the Abintra Board via email at board@abintra.org
.
Meetings and Minutes
All meetings are held at Abintra from 6:00-8:00 p.m.; from 6:00-6:15
p.m., an open forum is held for presentations or comments. Meetings
are open, except during executive sessions that occur only as needed
to address confidential matters such as issues related to personnel
or pending litigation. The board's minutes are recorded and kept
in the school office.
2008-2009 Board of Trust Meeting Schedule
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Elections
Potential new trustees are identified by board members and present
names to the full board for election at the annual meeting. Board
members serve a two-year term, with the possiblity of re-election
to a second term.
back to top
|
