Meet the Board

Amanda is the Senior Director of Strategy and Operations for the Tennessee Early Intervention System. Before transitioning to state leadership, she taught in Metro Nashville Public Schools for a decade and spent five years as a Vanderbilt University doctoral assistant, conducting research on school-based interventions while earning her Ph.D. in Special Education. A proud MNPS graduate, Amanda earned her diploma from Martin Luther King Jr. High School in 2001. Her deep connection to the district spans generations: she is the daughter of an alumnus, was raised by and is married to MNPS educators, and is now the proud parent of two MNPS students.

Angelie is a graduate student at Stanford University, pursuing a master's degree in International Education Policy Analysis. Angelie attended Duke University and earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science on the pre-law track. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Angelie served as the senior student representative on the MNPS School Board during the 2021-22 school year and earned her high school diploma from Hillwood High School as Valedictorian in 2022. She is proud to be a part of this board, as she has always had a passion for public education and community mobilization.

Jerome is an Emmy-nominated TV host and producer, TEDx speaker, storyteller, and author. He is the creator of the podcast, Deep Dish Conversations: Voices of Social Change, the host of A Slice of the Community on Nashville PBS, and producer and host of the Nashville PBS Series, The Good in Us. Throughout his career, Jerome has been recognized for his achievements including being named as a Nashville Gamechanger by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in 2024 and also being selected for the Nashville Post’s In Charge 2026: Risers list for his leadership and community impact. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Jerome attended both Pearl Cohn and Antioch High Schools and earned his diploma in 2008. He believes the best way to strengthen MNPS is for alumni to invest their time, talents, and resources in the next generation.

Lillian is a public finance attorney and partner at Bass, Berry & Sims PLC. Since 2008, governments and banks have looked to Lillian as counsel to secure the financing necessary for a wide range of development projects and debt refundings. Lillian is recognized as a leader in her field and in the community. She is a member of both Leadership Nashville 2024 and Leadership Tennessee 2026, has been ranked by Chambers USA, was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, and received the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law — R.B.J. Campbelle, Jr. Award. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Lillian earned her high school diploma from Martin Luther King Jr. High School in 2001. She is excited to support Nashville public schools and give back to a school system that has given her so much.

Marcus is an accomplished financial planner and President of Johnson Capital Planning. After establishing a strong professional foundation working on Wall Street, he launched his own firm and has since provided trusted financial services to more than 500 clients. He is also a talented alto saxophonist and contemporary jazz musician, who released his debut album, Passion Speaks Louder, in 2016. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Marcus earned his high school diploma from Nashville School of the Arts in 2007. He is thrilled to bring his expertise to the founding board and looks forward to collaborating with fellow leaders to generate vital resources to ensure every student has the tools and opportunities to succeed.

Margo is a sophomore at the University of Missouri majoring in photojournalism. At the Missouri School of Journalism, she serves as vice president of Kappa Alpha Mu, the school's photojournalism club, and as a sports photographer for Rock M Nation, the premier fan community and news site covering the Missouri Tigers. She also serves as a student photographer for the Columbia Missourian. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Margo earned her diploma from Hillsboro High School in 2025. She is excited to be a part of the foundation board because she believes all people are important and loves that MNPS is a community where all families are welcome.

Patrick is an internationally sought-after keynote speaker, educator, author, spoken word artist, and the Founder & Chief Dream BLDR of Aspire, an award-winning leadership development company. Since founding Aspire in 2012, he has designed and delivered keynotes, workshops, and the nationally recognized Dream BLDRS™ framework for schools, universities, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and professional sports teams including the National Urban League, Tennessee Titans, Metro Nashville Public Schools, YMCA, Caterpillar Financial, and Boys & Girls Clubs. Patrick is the published author of PATFACTS: Daily Inspiration, From One Dreamer to Another, PATFACTS 2: More Than a Dream, and The Truth About College (forthcoming). As PatPoems, he has released the poetry albums Inspired by Love and Action Words. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Patrick earned his high school diploma from Hume-Fogg High School in 2005. He is energized to join the board and live his mission of empowering people to dream boldly, lead intentionally, and build lives of purpose.

Rudra is a Software Engineer at Sentry. He attended the University of Tennessee and earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. While there, he spent four years with Hack4Impact, a student-led group that builds web applications for local nonprofits. A proud graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools, Rudra earned his high school diploma from Hillwood High School as Valedictorian in 2022. He is excited to join the board and give back to the school system that helped him become who he is today.