Who We Are
Our Board Members
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Bara WetherellPresident
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Beth CopleyVice President of Programs
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Leigh ThreattVice President of Educator Grants
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Angela AsheVice President of Finance and Governance
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Tracy LeeVice President of Nominating
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Colleen CoesensSecretary
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Roseanne KoellnerPast President
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Jimmy WilhideMember
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Alice DavisMember
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Lacey SmithMember
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Riley Anderson LeitnerMember
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Brian HovisMember
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Tadean PaigeMember
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Dr. Tommy SchmolzeSuperintendent, Rock Hill Schools
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Lindsay MachakExecutive Director of Communications & Marketing, Rock Hill Schools
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Megan PaatExecutive Director
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Dr. Laura WeidnerProgram Coordinator

Bara Wetherell
Bara Wetherell is born and raised Rock Hill, SC and a graduate of Rock Hill High School. (Go Bearcats!) She also graduated from Winthrop University with a degree in Marketing. Bara has over 18 years of experience in marketing, community service and non-profit work. She is the Assistant Vice President of Creative Services at Founders Federal Credit Union. Her little girl, Stella, is currently attending Ebenezer Avenue Elementary.

Beth Copley
Beth has lived in Rock Hill since 2016. She is married to Chris, who also volunteers with Back the Pack. They have two teen boys who keep them busy! When she’s not driving someone somewhere, attending one of their school/sporting events or facilitating a class at work, she’s passionate about working with various volunteer organizations. Beth started her work with the board as a volunteer for Back the Pack. She is passionate about the program as she’s seen its impact in the schools and has worked to ensure processes are in place to keep it sustainable. She has served as the volunteer coordinator for Back the Pack since 2021.

Leigh Threatt
Leigh is a South Carolina native who moved to Rock Hill to pursue her education at Winthrop University, where she earned a degree in Special Education. After graduating, she started teaching self-contained special education until the arrival of her first child. With a strong commitment to education, Leigh has actively contributed to the Rock Hill Schools community for numerous years, earning recognition as a Volunteer of the Year in 2014. Faith and family are most important to her; she is married to her high school sweetheart and is a parent of two students within the district, one at Rock Hill High School and another at Sullivan Middle School. Leigh has served on the boards of various non-profit organizations dedicated to benefiting Rock Hill School students. She is passionate about supporting students and educators in Rock Hill.

Angela Ashe
Angela is originally from Pittsburgh, PA but has spent most of her life in South Carolina. She attended Winthrop University for her undergraduate degree in Accounting. Angela works at BNA CPAs & Advisors in Rock Hill, while working towards her CPA. She is passionate about her ceramic art, playing the cello, and engaging in meaningful outreach opportunities in the community.

Tracy Lee
Tracy Lee

Colleen Coesens
Colleen and her husband, Tim Butz had been residents of Rock Hill for over 16 years when she was recruited to be the Broker-in-Charge of the Allen Tate branch from which she retired in 2017. Tim is the Bailiff of the City of Rock Hill Municipal Court. Colleen is involved in our community and serves on many non-profit organizations. She also has served her industry for over 30 years by volunteering for her local, State and National associations in leadership roles. Tim and Colleen’s combined 5 children are grown but their 7 grandchildren (living in Fort Mill & Wilmington) keep them busy.

Roseanne Koellner
Roseanne has made Rock Hill her home since 1996. She is a former high school Art Educator in Rock Hill Schools. Since leaving the art classroom, Roseanne has continued her passion for teaching art and encouraging creativity through teaching private art lessons and summer art camps. She has a passion for helping women as a personal stylist for cabi, a woman’s clothing company. Roseanne is married to Kenny and they have two children who attend Rock Hill Schools. While family life and busy schedules keep her on the go, Roseanne also enjoying exercising, boating with her family and all things creative!

Jimmy Wilhide
Jimmy Wilhide

Alice Davis
Alice is a Rock Hill native and graduate of Northwestern High School, she works for Williams & Fudge as Director of Foundation and Community Support. All 3 of her children attend Rock Hill Schools in the Language Immersion Program. Alice and her husband both have education degrees making education an important part of their lives. She is passionate about God and her family, especially being a mom raising her children to love Him!

Lacey Smith
Lacey Smith is originally from Columbia, SC. She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Fine Arts. She then also received a second undergraduate degree from Anderson University in Interior Design. She has lived in Rock Hill for 10 years with her husband Kenny and their three children. Lacey currently has 2 children in the Spanish immersion program within the Rock Hill school district. She serves on several boards and committees in the area.

Riley Anderson Leitner
Riley is a native of Rock Hill. She graduated from The College of Charleston with a degree in Health Promotion. A few years after receiving her undergraduate degree, she attended nursing school at York Technical College. She is married to Jack Leitner, also a Rock Hill native. They have three children. Riley serves on several committees within the community and enjoys volunteering at her children’s school.

Brian Hovis
Brian is a Rock Hill native and a graduate of The Citadel. He is the Director of Business Sales for Comporium Communications and enjoys being involved in the community. He is married to another Rock Hill native Cece Moseley Hovis, and they have 3 boys Grayden, Briggs, and Jackson. He enjoys spending time at the lake, the beach, playing golf, and fishing with his sons.

Tadean Paige
Tadean Page is from the small town of Dillon, South Carolina but has been a proud resident of Rock Hill for the past seven years. He is a graduate of Winthrop University with a degree in Organizational Leadership and has also obtained a Masters of Education from Northeastern University. He now works for the City of Rock Hill as the Community Development Coordinator within the Department of Economic and Urban Development. Aside from work, Tadean enjoys serving his community and spending time with family. He says that his mission in life is to impact someone’s life in a positive way daily. “Leading is what I was called to do, but serving will always be my main priority and passion.”

Dr. Tommy Schmolze

Lindsay Machak
Lindsay Machak is Executive Director of Communications and Marketing for Rock Hill Schools. Her career includes a host of communications experience including time serving as a reporter for the McAllen (Texas) Monitor and The Times of Northwestern Indiana, an associate editor for Hanley Wood Business Media, Community Engagement Manager for the Maryland Food Bank, Communication Manager for Live Baltimore, and Outreach & Marketing Director for the Waldorf School of Baltimore.
At the Waldorf School of Baltimore, Lindsay Machak was instrumental in spearheading communication efforts both internally and externally through effective media relations and public relations campaigns as well as digital and in-person marketing campaigns to promote education to families and stakeholders. She also served as the chairperson of the diversity, equity, and inclusion community work committee.
During her time with Live Baltimore, she promoted the city of Baltimore through effective communication strategies including public relations, social media, digital marketing, and direct mail pieces for programs and fundraising as well as creating a summer apprentice program to foster career-mentoring for youth through the Baltimore City Youth Works program.
Ms. Machak has achieved numerous journalism awards including a 2015 ASBPE national silver award for news analysis, 2015 ASBPE national bronze award for special section, and 2015 ASBPE regional gold awards for news analysis and special selection, among others.
Lindsay Machak holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University

Megan Paat
Megan was born and raised in Rock Hill, and is a proud graduate of Northwestern High School. Her parents are both retired educators from Rock Hill Schools, and she is grateful for the full-circle opportunity to be back in her hometown, raising her own children in her favorite school district. Megan graduated from Florida State University and taught middle and high school in Jacksonville, FL. She then ventured into the world of nonprofits, which is how she met her husband, Ed, who is also a nonprofit executive. Megan and Ed are playfully competitive about serving their respective organizations, and they enjoy sharing ideas to gain inspiration. When they are not talking shop, they stay busy with their 4 children – a middle schooler at Sullivan, 2 elementary students at Cherry Park, and 1 preschooler who is eagerly awaiting his turn to join his siblings in “big school.”

Dr. Laura Weidner
Laura comes to us with over 40 years experience in public education, and she most recently served as the Dean of a Community College. She and her husband moved to the area to be close to their 5 grandchildren, and we’re so grateful that she now calls this place home. She’s our first ever Program Coordinator, and we don’t know how we survived 35+ years without her expertise. With our continued expansion of programming, and our desire to provide services with excellence, our Board knew the wise move was to hire another team member. Laura continues to prove the value of that choice, and we are so glad she’s ours.