Find out who we're celebrating as this month’s Community Champion
Our featured champions are dedicated leaders working in the public sector who have been nominated for their innovation, resilience, dedication and empathy in the face of a complex and ever-changing world. Alice Black is recognized this month as a Community Champion. Find out more about this month’s Community Champion:
Would you like to nominate someone for our Diligent Community Champions? Nominate them here!
July's Community Champion
Name: Alice Black
Title: Executive Assistant to the Superintendent & Special Projects Manager
Organization: Aspen School District
About our Community Champion
It is with great pleasure that we recognize Alice Black as a Diligent Community Champion. Over the past four years, Alice has dedicated herself to the Aspen School District. Alice's meticulous preparation of agendas and minutes for the Board of Education's meetings, as well as her helpful training and assistance to board members on using Diligent Community, exemplify her commitment to administrative excellence.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Alice is a passionate skier and a devoted mother of two. Hailing originally from Romania, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her role, backed by her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from UNH.
Alice's dedication and leadership have made a huge impact on her district and the broader community. We celebrate Alice for her outstanding contributions and her commitment to excellence.
Alice will be speaking at Elevate 2024 (formerly Modern Governance Summit) on the topic of “From BoardDocs to Diligent Community: The view from the other side.” Register now and join us to hear Alice and other inspiring speakers, including Erin Brockovich!
June's Community Champion
Name: Catherine Hill
Title: Executive Secretary to the Superintendent
Organization: Vigo County School Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana
About our Community Champion
Catherine Hill has served the Vigo County School Corporation (VCSC) for more than two decades. In Administration since 2011, she is currently the Executive Secretary to the Superintendent.
Catherine prepares the agenda for the board meetings, trains and assists board members and colleagues on how to load information into the Diligent Community, and assists the superintendent and board members in a variety of tasks.
On top of her duties with VCSC, Catherine and her husband of 30 years, Rodney, opened Butta's Better BBQ in the summer of 2022. The business started with a food truck and quickly grew to include a brick and mortar location, which opened in April 2023.
Rodney and Catherine have three adult children and two grandchildren. A native of Chicago, Catherine holds an Associate’s Degree in Administrative Office Technology.Catherine is a dedicated member of the Terre Haute Church of God.
Catherine says, “My perspective on what good governance means for our organization is creating accessibility for the community. With Diligent’s lead, we have been better equipped to offer the community the opportunity to understand and participate in our organization. Better governance creates transparency, and more importantly it improves the performance of our corporation.”
May's Community Champion
Name: Dr. Anna Everett
Title: Vice President and Trustee
Organization: Santa Barbara City College
About our Community Champion
Dr. Anna Everett is an Emeritus Professor of Film, Television and New Media Studies, and former Chair of the Department of Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Currently she is an elected Trustee serving as Vice President on the Santa Barbara City College Board of Trustees.She was appointed and served as Commissioner for two full terms on the County of Santa Barbara County Commission for Women, and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the National Association of Commissions for Women.
Dr. Everett is a Ford Foundation Senior Fellow, and a two-time recipient of the Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, among other honors and awards. Her numerous publications include Returning the Gaze: A Genealogy of Black Film Criticism, 1909-1949; Learning Race and Ethnicity: Youth and Digital Media; AfroGeeks: Beyond the Digital Divide; Digital Diaspora: A Race for Cyberspace, among many others.
She has worked as a subject area expert with the MacArthur Foundation, the American Film Institute, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, and the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of African American History and Culture among others. She recently launched a diversity, equity and inclusion consulting business, EDS (Everett Diversity Strategies+).
Dr. Everett says, “Good governance is an essential component in the educational mission of the Santa Barbara Community College District. As a state institution, Santa Barbara City College’s systems of good governance are organized around public transparency, accountability, and fair operational policies designed to deliver the best cost-effective educational opportunities to all of our students, and thereby contributing the best workforce to our larger community that we serve proudly.”
April's Community Champion
Name: Chandramathi “Chandu” Vemuri
Title: Executive Assistant for Board and Superintendent Leadership
Organization: Sun Prairie Area School District, Sun Prairie, WI.
About our Community Champion
This is what Chandu’s colleagues have to say about her: “She is in a class of her own in understanding the priorities of the board and ensuring the board's agendas drive meaningful processes.”
“She's meticulous in coordinating the various departments with the board's Annual Work Plan, so that our board's work is effective. And, she's done this year after year.”
“Her willingness to engage our community is authentic and genuine. From volunteering for local events, to supporting and planning volunteering efforts, she's a model for the entire school district.”
“She's one of the best proactive communicators in our system. She's insightful, caring and selfless in her relationships with our board, cabinet and leadership collaborative.”
“The way she utilizes technology innovatively, with our support of board meetings with screencasts, presentations and situation reports, is amazing. The comprehensiveness in her recordkeeping and the way she ensures compliance with our governing model, state statute and other expectations is remarkable.”
“Her support for the professional development of our board and other school boards in the region is extraordinary. Her knowledge base about governance is second to none among peers. Her understanding of governance is best-in-class.”
“Above all, her personalized support of those around her, board and administration alike, is always with empathy, professionalism and commitment to our students, and always with trust, respect and dedication to our school district.”
We at Diligent Community are so impressed with all that Chandu does in service to her community!
March's Community Champion
Name: Jessica Markham
Title: Town Clerk
Organization: Town of Carbondale, Co.
About our Community Champion
Jessica Markham has been the Town Clerk since 2023, demonstrating meticulous organization and dedicated service. Her responsibilities include recordkeeping, managing licensing for alcohol, marijuana and tobacco, and overseeing the board of trustees' meetings. In her role, Jessica organizes meetings and creates all the board packets, contributing significantly to the town's governance.
We are thrilled to recognize Jessica as this month’s Community Champion for her service to her community. Jessica's dedication and commitment are essential to the smooth operation of her town government. We celebrate her outstanding service and thank her for being a true champion for her community.
February's Community Champion
Name: Dr. Chad Bledsoe
Title: President
Organization: Montgomery Community College, NC
About our Community Champion
Dr. Chad Bledsoe has been the President of Montgomery Community College for eight years, leading it in its mission to provide lifelong accessible and transformative educational opportunities. Dr. Bledsoe's background in business and information systems informs his focus on higher education administration. He actively showcases new campus initiatives on LinkedIn, highlighting his commitment to innovation in education. As well as being President Dr. Bledsoe is chief academic officer, chief executive officer and works with his board to achieve its goals.
He brings a dynamic and innovative perspective to higher education administration and actively engages with the broader community. By showcasing Montgomery Community College’s initiatives to a broad audience, he inspires others and serves as a powerful advocate for the transformative power of lifelong learning.
We celebrate Dr. Bledsoe for his exceptional leadership, dedication to innovation, and commitment to making education accessible to all. We are delighted to recognize him as a true Community Champion!
January’s Community Champion
Name: Dr. RJ Gravel
Title: Associate Superintendent
Organization: Glenbrook High School District 225
About our Community Champion
A native of the Chicago suburbs, Dr. RJ Gravel is the Associate Superintendent at Glenbrook High School District 225. As an educator, business manager, and technologist in elementary, secondary, and higher education, he is a co-moderator of #EdFinChat, a SMART Exemplary Educator, and a Skyward Leader in Excellence recipient.
Dr. Gravel advocates for effective technology integration in Pre-K-12 education and contributes to numerous publications, emphasizing the importance of collaborative leadership for student and staff success.
Dr. Gravel is being recognized for his dedication to his role and because we admire his efforts to enhance transparency in his district. His hard work significantly impacts and facilitates better decision-making for his students and the broader community he serves.
Dr. Gravel is receptive to community members’ voices and welcomes constructive feedback, using it as a tool for improvement and an opportunity for the betterment of all involved. His proactive and dedicated approach has positively impacted his district, fostering a culture of trust and advancement.
Congratulations Dr. Gravel!
Would you like to nominate someone for our Diligent Community Champions? Nominate them here!
