East Nashville Hope Exchange Board of Directors 
as of January 2017

Brittany Simpson, J.D. (President): Brittany Simpson is an associate at the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. Her practice focuses primarily on business litigation, financial institution and entertainment law matters.

Kevin Bradley, CPA (Treasurer):​ Kevin Bradley is the Assistant Director of Accounting for the State of Tennessee Treasury Department. He is responsible for the accounting and financial support for over a dozen State programs and the Statewide ACH function. Before joining the Treasury Department, he worked for a public accounting firm and has experience in tax, audit, and accounting services

Kathleen V. Hoover-Dempsey, Ph.D. (Secretary): ​Kathy ​Hoover-Dempsey is Professor Emerita, Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. Her research program has focused primarily on family engagement in children's and adolescents' education and its influence in supporting students’ school learning and success.

Emily Joy Allison-Hearn:​ Emily Joy Allison-Hearn is a poet, artist, and public speaker who travels the country performing her poetry at schools, churches, conferences, and festivals. She is also the Communications Coordinator for Open Table Nashville, which works to end homelessness in Nashville and advocate for policy change at the city level, and the co-founder of The Flawless Project, a female empowerment storytelling collaborative that aims to give women space
to tell their stories. When she is not traveling, Emily lives in East Nashville with her spouse Billy, two cats and a puppy.

Rachael L. Bell, J.D.:​ Judge Bell is a General Sessions judge in Metropolitan Nashville. She currently and previously served on several boards such as Hands on Nashville, Davidson County Industrial Development Board, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Golfers Recognizing Opportunities for Women, Women in Numbers, Disciples Village, Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce and Kaplan Career Institute.

The Reverend Richard C. Britton, Jr., M.Div.: ​Rick Britton is the Rector of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and has served churches in Atlanta, Ga; Denver, Colorado and Columbia, SC. He attended Pittsburgh Public Schools and graduated at the University of Pittsburgh and the General Theological Seminary in New York City. Rick is a founding Member of the Board of Trustees for the new Episcopal School of Nashville scheduled to open in August, 2016.

Ron Jones:​ Ron Jones is the Director of Operations – Fiscal & Budget with the Tennessee Department of Human Services. Jones is a former Commissioner of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority and Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

Ann Krafft:​ ​Ann Krafft has been the Human Resources Director for a local manufacturing company for 20 years. She also established the Underground Art Studio at the Oasis Center, which improves the lives of at risk populations. Her volunteerism also includes the Park Center.

Emily Pendergrass, Ph.D: ​ Emily Pendergrass is the Director of Reading in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University, where she holds a rank of senior lecturer. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and she has presented extensively in the academic field.

Cole D. Rogers, Esq: ​Cole Rogers is an associate attorney with Bednarz & Bednarz. His practice focuses primarily on complex plaintiff litigation in the fields of medical malpractice and product liability. He is very active within the Tennessee Bar Association and serves as the Nashville District Representative for the Young Lawyers Division.

Joseph Taylor: ​Joseph Taylor is ​a physician who has practiced Family Medicine and Geriatrics in Hendersonville, TN for over 30 years. He is married to his partner of 27 years, Barry Baird; they have 3 adult children. He has been a member at St Ann's for over 25 years and has been active in supporting ENHE since its inception. His hobbies include
bridge, travel, and hiking.

Jennifer Weinberg: ​Jennifer Weinberg has 15 years of experience in operations and revenue management with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Loews Hotels and STR. Currently, she is spending time volunteering in the local East Nashville community.

Dustin Williams, B.B.A.: ​Dustin Williams is an Associate Director of Development at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Dustin's professional nonprofit experience has focused on annual giving, major gifts, and donor/volunteer engagement. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and previously founded The Wells Project at Baylor and co-led the Nashville fundraising walk for Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Kevin Wisniewski: ​Kevin Wisniewski is an executive producer at WTVF/NewsChannel 5 and is a graduate of the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. He has previously worked at the Boston Herald and WFXT in Boston, and has been honored with numerous national journalism awards for his work. Kevin is a resident of East Nashville and also serves as a board member of the Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association.

Ronald A. Wooding, Ed.D.:​ Ronald Wooding has been an Executive Principal in the Nashville Public School System since 2008. Currently he leads Caldwell Elementary in East Nashville – an ENHE partnership school. In addition, he has a background in business administration.

La’Kishia Harris (Junior League of Nashville/Non-Voting Board Member):​ La’Kishia Harris is a Federal Programs Manager at the Tennessee Department of Education. She has previously worked with Rocketown’s Associate Director of Education and Youth Development to implement, execute and instruct the after school program.​

Woods Drinkwater (Young Leaders Council/Non-Voting Board Member): Woods Drinkwater is an attorney currently serving as a law clerk to the Hon. Joe P. Binkley, Jr. in Nashville. He attended Loyola University New Orleans for undergrad and, after working in the music business for a number of years, attended law school at Ole Miss. He loves exploring Nashville’s growing culinary and brewing communities, as well as catching as many concerts as he can. He has lived in East Nashville since 2015.