Gary Bailey, AIA
Owner, President
Gary Bailey brings over 40 years of experience in architecture and project management, primarily in the field of education. He has served as the key design professional for over $1.0 billion in major education design projects around the state of Mississippi in the past ten years. His work has earned numerous AIA (Mississippi Chapter) Honor Awards for Design. In recognition of his expertise, Mr. Bailey has been a Guest Speaker at the Mississippi State School of Architecture as well as for government agencies. He has also served as an adjunct professor in the College of Education and Architecture at Mississippi State University for their Ph.D. Program in education leadership.
Pat Ross
Owner, CEO
Pat Ross serves as the Chief Executive Officer and owner of the Bailey Education Group. With an extensive career spanning over three decades in the education sector, Mr. Ross has held diverse roles, including teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, district superintendent, Deputy State Superintendent, and Education Policy Advisor to former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.
During his tenure as Deputy Superintendent in Mississippi, Pat played a pivotal role in shaping and executing education policy reforms. These initiatives have garnered national recognition for the state's notable achievements in student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Key reform measures encompass the overhaul of the accountability system to assess student performance, the revision of the Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards, and the implementation of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. This act includes strategic provisions for offering additional resources and support to students facing the risk of falling behind in reading at an early age.
As CEO of the Bailey Education Group, Pat is responsible for all day-to-day operations as well as providing short-term and long-term strategic leadership for the company.
Hank Bounds, Ph.D.
Owner, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development
Dr. Hank Bounds, Vice President of Bailey Education Group, is a lifelong educator. Dr. Bounds has devoted his 28-year career to helping change students' lives in the same way education opened doors in his own life. He began as a high school teacher, then rose to principal, superintendent, and state superintendent before becoming Mississippi’s commissioner of higher education in 2009. In that role, he oversaw a complex system of eight public universities. He went on to serve as president of the of the University of Nebraska system from 2015-2019, where he was the administrator for the four campuses in the university system. There Dr. Bounds oversaw a period of record growth and collaboration, including all-time highs in enrollment, graduation rates, student diversity, research expenditures and public-private partnerships. In 2019 Dr. Bounds retired from Nebraska and returned to our area to continue to serve children.
Denise Ferrell
Chief Financial Officer
Denise is our CFO and a CPA. She has been with the firm since inception. Prior to Bailey Education Group, Denise worked for a couple of large local CPA firms in Birmingham, Alabama. She has a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from William and Mary. Her first three years of college were spent at Auburn University in Visual Design and Textile Design.
Tanisha Washington
Owner, Chief Academic Officer
Tanisha Washington is a passionate and purpose-filled educator with over 23 years of experience in various sectors of K-12 public education. As Chief Academic Officer, Tanisha manages all academic support for Bailey. She has positively impacted school systems across the country while leading this work within the company for over 10 years. Throughout her career, she has served in many leadership roles beyond the ELA classroom teacher. With a focus on equitable education and opportunities for all, Tanisha is proud to lead Bailey’s efforts to Improve the Lives of All Children.
Andy Parker, Ph.D.
Owner, Vice President of Operations & Support
Dr. Andy Parker is an energetic, motivational leader and speaker who has been teaching students and leading schools and districts for the past 30 years. He is currently serving as Vice President of Operations and Support and Interim Louisiana State Director at Bailey Education Group. His background in high school English and his passion for leadership and supporting those in leadership roles propelled him to begin writing his book, Building Brilliant Schools: What GREAT Leaders Do Differently, which was published in 2021 and quickly became an international best-seller. His companion workbook, 50 Tools to Build Brilliant Schools will be published June 2022.
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An energizing, humorous, and frank speaker on issues about school leadership and cultural competence, Dr. Andy also coaches leaders in schools and districts across Mississippi and Louisiana to transform school culture and improve student and teacher performance.
Along with lessons he has learned along the way, Andy brings his passion for social justice, his sense of humor and positivity, and his love for people development. He is an avid lover of animals, and he knows that life is too short for bad coffee and cheap wine.
Marauo Davis, Ph.D.
Director of Data Analytics and Project Management, ACT Certified Educator
Dr. Marauo Davis is a versatile professional with a passion for all things numbers! Beginning his career as a successful high school math teacher, he nurtured a love for teaching and inspiring young minds to appreciate the beauty of mathematics. Marauo possesses a unique ability to approach projects with a keen eye for detail and a systematic approach to problem-solving. Throughout his teaching tenure, he honed his communication and organizational abilities, which seamlessly translated into his current role as a Director of Data Analytics and Project Management. Combining his educational background with his project management expertise, he continues to make a profound impact, ensuring seamless collaboration and delivering outstanding results.
Kelly Earls, Ed.S.
Mississippi State Director
Kelly Earls is a former elementary and middle school teacher as well as a former elementary and middle school principal and brings 24 years experience from serving in a K-12 school setting. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in elementary education and a Specialist degree in Educational Administration. She currently serves as the Mississippi State Director for Bailey Education Group. She also serves as a project manager, instructional specialist, leadership coach, and data coach, working in school districts across the states of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Jamie Williams
Director of Internal Operations and Support
Jamie Wade Williams is the Director if Internal Operations and Support for Bailey Education Group. Prior to working with BEG, she served as the Principal of East Central Upper Elementary, an A rated school, that is part of the Jackson County School District. As the principal, she initiated school wide reform and a data driven approach to instruction, which resulted in a recent 62-point gain on the Mississippi Accountability Rating making East Central Upper an A rated school. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education and a M.Ed. in School Leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi, and she is also certified in special education and school psychometry.
Bill Hopkins, Jr.
Alabama State Director
Bill Hopkins has spent his entire 33 year career giving back and serving the people and children of Alabama and Tennessee. He has a passion for leadership and believes all children can become leaders and successful if just given the resources and opportunity. Mr. Hopkins comes with a very unique and optimistic perspective due to his less than ideal upbringing. Mr. Hopkins was the National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Superintendent of the year for 2022, member of the Leadership Alabama Class of 28, and Alabama SSA District 8 Superintendent of the year 2018. Mr. Hopkins has been a teacher, coach, administrator, elected superintendent, appointed superintendent, and community volunteer. He is married to Shannon for over 30 years, and they have two children, Weston (Erin) and Emma (Harrison). They have two granddaughters, Emory and Ellie.
Deneen Jacome
Director of Finance
Deneen Jacome is the Director of Finance for Bailey Education Group. She maintains a financial relationship with Bailey Education clients working with our Business Managers and Federal Program Directors. With previous experience in IT, beginning in the Broadcast Industry and then moving into the Clinical IT world working for Baptist Memorial Healthcare and serving as a Director in IT Project Management. Deneen has a proven ability to bridge the gap between technically minded resources and the business, while helping all sides move to well specified goals.
Ivy Pfeffer, Ed.D.
Arkansas State Director
Dr. Ivy Pfeffer joins the Bailey Education team as the Arkansas State Director with 28 years of experience as an educator. After 18 years serving in teaching and administrator positions in K-12 schools, Ivy joined the Arkansas Department of Education. As an Assistant Commissioner for the state department, Ivy’s primary roles included oversight for teacher and administrator recruitment, preparation, licensing, and support. She worked with state legislators to codify the Arkansas Teacher Continuum, creating state’s first Career advancement program for lead and master teachers. She also coordinated the administration of new teacher and principal evaluation systems, created leadership development modules for school leaders, and successfully relaunched the Teach Arkansas campaign to reignite interest and to increase the number of teachers in Arkansas’s educator workforce. For the past seven years, Ivy served as Deputy Commissioner for the Arkansas Department of Education where she worked closely with the Governor’s office and legislators to implement state policy. In addition, she coordinated a multi-agency effort to develop a teacher residency model to provide a work-based pathway to teacher licensure and oversaw the expansion of career pathways for students through the Career Coach Program and expanded access to Arkansas’ secondary career centers. She was a department lead for the development of the Arkansas Tutoring Corps program and provided leadership support for the redesign and implementation of state and federal accountability systems. Ivy also led recovery efforts for Arkansas’s Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Funding and helped redesign the state’s Enhanced Student Achievement categorical funding to improve student outcomes with evidence-based practices.
Karen Norwood, Ed.D.
Director of Human Resources
Dr. Norwood attended Ole Miss where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Counseling
Psychology Degrees. She then attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she graduated with a
Specialist degree and then her Doctoral degree in Educational Administration with an emphasis on the School Superintendency. She also graduated from Harvard University's Principals Academy, the Nissan National Superintendents Academy and the Mississippi School Boards Association Superintendents Leadership Academy. Dr. Norwood is married to Gary Bailey and has 2 daughters, Reagan and Avery.
Dr. Norwood has served as Superintendent of the Forest Municipal School District since the summer of
2019 as the first female superintendent in the history of the school district. She moved to Forest from Biloxi Public Schools where she served as Assistant Superintendent of Schools for 13 years and supervised the areas of Accreditation, Accountability, Assessment, Curriculum and all Secondary Programs grades 6-12. Throughout her career, Dr. Norwood has also served as a teacher, counselor, assistant principal and high school principal. Dr. Norwood has been a featured speaker at state, regional and national conferences and is also a published author of 6 counseling programs. Dr. Norwood is retiring from public education with 30 years of service and is joining Bailey Education Group as Director of Human Resources and a leadership consultant.
Golda Sharpe
Louisiana State Director
Golda Sharpe is a passionate and results-driven education leader. Originally from the Mississippi Delta and now a proud resident of New Orleans, Golda's over 14 year journey in education has been diverse, encompassing roles such as a math teacher, network coach, senior instructional coach, Director of Instructional Support, and Managing Director. Armed with a master's degree in both education and economics, Golda's unique blend of academic expertise and practical experience equips her with a holistic approach to addressing challenges within school networks.
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Golda Sharpe's unwavering commitment to education and her innovative approaches continue to shape the future of learning across diverse communities. Her journey from the classroom to leadership roles showcases her dedication to driving positive change and empowering leaders and educators to make a lasting impact on students' lives.
Gwen King
Director of English Learner Services
Gwen King has a lifelong passion for serving English Learners. The Mississippi native spent her elementary and junior high years in Chile, where she became fluent in Spanish. She has more than 20 years of education experience, beginning her career as a high school Spanish teacher. She also served as the EL Coordinator in the Jones County School District for 14 years. Gwen also served as the EL/Migrant/Immigrant Coordinator at the Mississippi Department of Education. She holds a bachelor's in Spanish, a master's in curriculum and instruction, and an education specialist degree in educational leadership. When she isn't engaged in her work, the Clinton resident can be found keeping up with her busy family, including her three children and her husband, who also is an educator.
Kim Hall
Director of Leadership Content and Development
Kim Hall is an accomplished educator with over thirty years of experience. Kim’s experience as an elementary instructional coach equipped her with knowledge and skills in curriculum development, lesson integration, and data analysis to enhance teaching and learning outcomes leading her school to earn the status of USDE National Blue Ribbon School and National Title I School of Distinction. During her tenure as a high school principal and Assistant Principal of Academic Affairs, she effectively managed fiscal budgets, physical resources, and human capital to create a thriving academic environment conducive to student success in a top-performing high school. During her time in leadership, her school was named among the top high schools in America earning status among Niche Best Public High Schools in Alabama, Great Schools College Success Award, Washington Post America’s Most Challenging High Schools, and U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools in America. As a Principal Coach at the Alabama State Department of Education and the Bailey Education Group, she has played a key role in nurturing the growth of educational leaders in schools throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Florida. Kim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, Superintendent's Academy certification from the University of Alabama, as well as a Master's Degree and Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership.
John Stratton
Florida State Director
John Stratton is a long-time resident of Florida and brings more than 30 years
of experience as an educator of students with special needs, behavior specialist, staffing specialist, and as a school administrator at all levels including an alternative school. Most recently, John has served as Hernando County Superintendent of Schools since 2018.
Throughout John's service to schools and the community, he has developed meaningful and productive relationships across a wide network of community and business organizations and is known for his approachability and fairness.
Prior to his appointment as Superintendent, John served as Executive Director of Business Services for Hernando County Schools. His extensive district and school-level leadership experience includes his tenure as Principal of Central High School and administrator of Challenger K8 and Explorer K8. John was named the 2015 Principal Leader of the Year for Hernando School District.
Admired for his ability to unify and build teams, John has been an active participant at the district level serving as an administrative coach, a representative on the Academic Advisory Team and as a Lead Principal, a role which highlights his ability to effectively communicate and support his fellow principals through shared decision-making and mentoring. John Stratton currently serves on the boards of The ARC Nature Coast and United Way of Hernando County.
Barbara Cage
Director of Special Services
Barbara Cage is currently a North Mississippi Regional Project Manager and former Special Education Content Manager at Bailey Education Group. With over 20 years of experience in education, she has served in diverse roles, including as a special education teacher, assistant principal, principal, and special education director, gaining extensive leadership and instructional expertise. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Mild Moderate Disabilities K-12 and an Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. Additionally, as a Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach, Barbara excels in leading teams and driving special education initiatives, making a substantial impact on improving educational outcomes.
Amponsah Nkansah
Director of Academic Programs
Amponsah is deeply committed to providing students with an excellent, equitable education that positively shapes the trajectory of their lives and opens doors to future opportunities. With over 15 years in education, she has advanced this commitment in multiple roles, from a classroom teacher, instructional coach, school leader , to leading teams and departments of teacher and leader development programs, and executive coaching and consulting. Amponsah has extensive expertise in supporting leaders and networks through change management, as well as designing systems that drive instructional excellence.
Over the past five years, Amponsah has served as a Managing Director, where she has led a high-performing team dedicated to improving teaching practices, empowering school and system leaders, and improving student learning outcomes across the nation. Her work has had a direct and measurable impact in diverse regions across the country, including Washington State, DC, Boston, Louisiana, Ohio, Missouri, California, Illinois, and Maryland. Amponsah brings a wealth of experience and a steadfast commitment to continuous improvement, which makes her an invaluable asset to any educational organization. Her leadership has consistently resulted in tangible improvements, guiding teams to deliver comprehensive support that drives transformative gains for students' outcomes.
Amponsah's efforts have not only fostered immediate progress, but have also laid the groundwork for sustainable systems and structures that support ongoing educational success. We are thrilled to welcome Amponsah’s expertise as we deepen our commitment to transforming the lives of all children. As part of the Chief Academic Officer’s team, Amponsah will lead the development and implementation of our academic programs, ensuring they align with our highest standards of quality and meet our clients' needs.
Amponsah resides in Washington, DC, with her family and enjoys staying active, engaging with her community, and traveling to warmer destinations whenever possible.
Melvin Brown, Ed.D.
Vice President of Client and Partner Engagement
Dr. Melvin J. Brown served as Superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools (AL) until November of 2022. He previously served as Superintendent of the Reynoldsburg City Schools District in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
He has served as Superintendent in Residence and Visiting Professor at The Ohio State University. Formerly, he served as Deputy Superintendent for Cuyahoga Falls City Schools (OH) and prior to that as its Director of Human Resources. He also has served as Regional Vice President for Mosaica Education Inc. and as Associate Superintendent for Prince William County Schools (VA). Additionally, he has six years of experience as an elementary school principal and two years of experience as a middle school principal.
Dr. Brown holds an Ed.D. in Educational Studies from The Ohio State University. He also holds a master’s degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from James Madison University.
Dr. Brown is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and serves on several boards of directors, has chaired various committees, and is active with AASA and other national networks. He is a 2021 honoree of Central Ohio’s “A Tribute to African Americans Committee, Inc.” and is Co-Author of STEM Century: It Takes a Village to Raise a 21st Century Graduate. He is also the 2024 recipient of the Dwight D. Jones Courageous Leader Award from the Institute for Education Innovation.