Staff & Board of Directors

Photo of Glenda Bernhardt

Glenda Bernhardt

Chief Executive Officer

Glenda Bernhardt joined the Freedom School Partners team as Chief Executive Officer in January of 2020.  In her role …

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Mark Barrett

Donor Relations & Stewardship Manager

Mark was born and raised in Lancaster, SC. Mark attended the University of South Carolina and received a B.S. in Sport…

Photo of Leah Jones

Leah Jones

Scholars & Families Manager

Leah Jones joined Freedom School Partners in January 2019 and currently serves as the Scholars & Families Manager.

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George Metz

Chief Strategy Officer

George Metz joined Freedom School Partners in June 2021 and serves as the Chief Strategy Officer.

Photo of Annalise Padgett

Annalise Padgett

Marketing & Communications Manager

Annalise Padgett joined Freedom School Partners in February 2022 and serves as the Marketing and Communications Manager.

Dynasty Rankin

Program Assistant

Dynasty Rankin joined Freedom School Partners in February 2023 and currently serves as the Program Assistant.

Photo of Jonathan Russell

Jonathan Russell

Director of Development

Jonathan Russell joined Freedom School Partners as the Director of Development in December 2020. Jonathan was born…

Sally Sacco

Chief Administrative Officer

Sally Sacco joined Freedom School Partners in February 2013 and currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer.

Necole Watts

Year Round Engagement & Outreach Coordinator

For over 23 years, Necole Watts has been shaping the lives of children. Through her work as a group home counselor and an…

Tiffany Williams

Senior Program Director

Tiffany Williams began her work at Freedom School Partners in the summer of 2007 as a Servant Leader Intern. Since then she…

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Alexis Young

Volunteer Coordinator

Alexis Young joined Freedom School Partners in February 2016. As the Volunteer Coordinator, her main areas of…

Mary Nell McPherson

Founding Executive Director

From January 2000 – December 2019, Mary Nell McPherson served as the founding executive director of Freedom School Partners…

Meet Our Board of Directors

Covell Adams | The Structured Finance Association
Tara Agnew-Harris | E4E Relief
Ann Cho-Taggert | Community Volunteer
Hendrick Ellis | Bank of America
Kate Flynn (Chair) | Deloitte
Ben Garcia | Vanguard
Andy Habenicht (Vice Chair) | TIAA
Tara Patterson Hammons | Community Volunteer
Michelle Harley | Fifth Third Bank
Mary-Margaret Kantor | Smart Start of Mecklenburg County
David Lamothe | Wells Fargo
Janaka Bowman Lewis | UNC Charlotte
John Lipe | Baird Private Wealth Management
Anil Matai
| Bank of America
William Maxwell | Colony Commercial
Kimberly McMillan | Canopy Realtor Association/Canopy MLS
Kimberly Moore-Wright | Truist
Katie Morgan | Community Volunteer
Dana Saxe | Deloitte
John Stevenson | Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
Burnet Tucker | My Next Season
Jim Williams | Williams Management Co., LLC
Kevin Wright | Wells Fargo
Angela Yochem | Novant Health
Brandon Zeigler | Global Endowment Management, LP

Special thank you to Daniel Coston Photography for the images.