Meet the Team
Jeanette O’Bryant
Senior Director, Marketing & Development
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Jeanette O’Bryant is the Senior Director of Marketing & Development at Literacy Mid-South. Jeanette has given most of her life in service to others. One of her favorite people, Diana, Princess of Wales once quoted, “Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. It is a goal and an essential part of my life-a kind of destiny.” Jeanette felt that her destiny has always been connected to people and finding ways to support this service.
In that effort, she worked and grew the volunteer program with the National Civil Rights Museum, creating and implementing their volunteer orientations and recognition program. This nurtured the ongoing growth of more than 600 annual volunteers representing individuals and corporate partners. She also managed, developed, and enhanced the Museum’s membership program and benefits to include more engagement with both donors and staff. Her greatest accomplishment was the creation and development of “Night at the Lorraine,” a secondary fundraising event to support the National Civil Rights Museum. “Night at the Lorraine” was used to increase millennial donor support and garner new community partners. Her success in this effort came with the commitment and service of her community peers and friends.
Jeanette is a New Memphis S18 Fellow, a 2022 Nexus Mentor Fellow, and the 2022 President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Memphis Chapter. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in Professional Studies with an emphasis in Nonprofit Development and Management from the University of Memphis.
Timothy Pina states, “philanthropy is not about money…it is about feeling the pain of others and caring enough about their needs to help.” This will always be what drives Jeanette and the work she commits to. Her service is to partner with organizations to find creative ways to strengthen fundraising efforts and establish donor engagement on both the individual and corporate level to benefit both the needs of those being served and the needs of those providing the service.
Johnny Blount
Director, Collaborative Action
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Johnny Blount is the Director of Collaborative Action for Literacy Mid-South. In previous work with the City of Memphis, Youth Villages, and Christian Brothers University, he has pursued his passion for Memphis and the communities that make it up.
Johnny joined the Literacy Mid-South team in 2016 as an AmeriCorps VISTA to support out-of-school time providers in incorporating high quality literacy interventions into their programming. As Director of Collaborative Action, he serves in four roles at Literacy Mid-South: network facilitator, LMS representative, literacy advocate, and AmeriCorps sponsor. Johnny previously served as Literacy Mid-South’s Community Resources Manager.
Johnny received a BA in Religion & Philosophy from Christian Brothers University and a MPA from the University of Memphis.
Anasa Franklin
Director, Community Impact
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Anasa Franklin is the Director of Community Impact for Literacy Mid-South. As a long-time Memphian, Anasa has worked as an educator, community advocate, and leader in the educational and nonprofit sector throughout the Memphis community. Her experience includes developing engaging and innovative solutions for diverse populations, assessing processes for efficiency, and mapping large scale program implementations across organizations and sectors. After seeing the power of reading in her own life, Anasa is committed to empowering the community through literacy. Prior to joining Literacy Mid-South, she worked for Memphis City Schools, Shelby County Schools, and Whole Child Strategies. She enjoys cooking, exploring history through documentaries, and solving puzzles and brainteasers with her family. Anasa received her BA in English from Tougaloo College and MA in Literature from the University of Memphis.
Stacy Early
Director, Adult Program
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Stacy Early is the Adult Program Director for Literacy Mid-South. Stacy previously worked in the marketing department at Whole Foods where she leveraged community partnerships with local nonprofits for the company's 5% Day fundraisers and hosted the first ever 10% Day. Stacy has also served on the marketing committee for the Memphis Farmer's Market and as Vice Chair of the board of Mid-South Spay and Neuter services. Stacy has completed certificate courses in Community Organizing from Mid-South Peace and Justice Center and in Plant Based Nutrition from ECornell. She has her Associate's Degree in Graphic Design, bachelors in Professional Studies, and is a certified trainer by ProLiteracy and a certified English Forward Trainer by the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas.
Wesley Brookins
Manager, Data & Evaluation
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Wesley Brookins comes to Literacy Mid-South as the Data and Evaluation Manager and has many years of experience for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations.
Wesley previously gave 12 years of service to United Parcel Service, 8 of those years serving as the Revenue Recovery supervisor, in which he supervised 30+ employees and was the senior supervisor of a team of 7. He then began a career at the American Red Cross where he served 5 years as the Business Operations Specialist, where he managed two facilities in West TN, managed a fleet of 25 vehicles, and supervised a team of volunteers.
Wesley is a graduate of Christian Brothers University where he received his BS in Business Administration-Marketing and Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, where he received his MBA in Nonprofit Management and Leadership.
Wesley has been married to his wonderful wife for 9 years and they have a black labrador/german shepherd mix who brings much joy to their lives. In his spare time Wesley loves to read books, volunteer, serve at his church, play golf, and spend time outdoors. Wesley is also a traveler who loves to see new places and discover new cultures.
Sean Moore
Manager, Grants and Innovation
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Sean Moore is the Manager of Grants and Innovation for Literacy Mid-South. In this role, he coordinates strategic grant efforts to support existing and emerging initiatives and assists in regular strategic planning to ensure programming remains consistent with grant requirements, responsive to emerging research, and structured for long-term sustainability.
After two years working in corporate communications and media relations for a Memphis-based home services company, Sean joined LMS as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2021 to begin a career in the nonprofit sector.
Sean received a BA in English Literature from Rhodes College.
Katie Cervetti
Manager, Finance
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Katie Cervetti is the Finance Manager for Literacy Mid-South. Her role includes managing the payroll and accounting needs of the organization. She works closely with the LMS team to track spending and plan and prepare for the future through budgeting and projections.
Katie is a mom and one of her favorite ways to spend time with her children is reading books to them. It is a joy for her to get to work with Literacy Mid-South as she values their mission.
Katie is from Iowa but has lived in Memphis for 20 years. She received her BS in Business Management from Franciscan University and her Masters in Accounting at The University of Memphis. Her accounting career started as an auditor where she specialized in nonprofit audits. For the past ten years she has been offering accounting services to nonprofits.
Jeremee DeMoir
Manager, Tutor901
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Jeremee DeMoir is a Tutor Support Manager with Literacy Mid-South. Jeremee is not only an alumnus of the University of Memphis, where he received his BA, but also a former educator. He received his MA from Relay Graduate School of Education and truly believes in fostering a love of reading and writing in youth and young adults.
A native Memphian, Jeremee has served as an ELA & Creative Writing teacher, Workshop Facilitator, Filmmaker, and Entrepreneur.
Jeremee is the proud father of twin boys and spends his free time with them, and theor Labrador named Bennett. He's also an avid reader and spends way too much time on Goodreads.
Candous Brown
Manager, Tutor901
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Candous Brown is a Tutor Support Manager for Literacy Mid-South. She resides in Millington, TN where she lives with her son and two dogs, King Henry and Duchess Marie.
Previously, Candous worked as a secondary educator where she taught English Language Arts, Etymology, and Mythology to students in grades 8-12. Candous is an alumnus of Christian Brothers University (B.A. English/M.A.T.), a self-published author, and an entrepreneur.
When Candous is not educating and mentoring students, she enjoys reading, traveling, visiting museums, and spending time with family and friends.
Trudi Royston
Team Lead, Tutor901
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Trudi Royston is the Team Lead for Literacy Mid-South’s Tutor901 program. Trudi received her BS in Elementary Education from Delta State University and MS in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis.
A native of Arkansas, Trudi has worked in various classroom and administrative roles. She has taught grades kindergarten, first, third, and fifth and worked as a school administrator and Title I facilitator. In addition, other programs that she has provided support for include: the “Read to be Ready” summer program, Kindergarten PREP program, TN ALL Corps Tutoring, and the Northaven Summer Immersion program. Also, she has served as a TDOE summer ELA core coach trainer and as a TCAP item and passage review committee member.
Throughout her career in education, she has continued to be a lifelong learner who believes that education is one of the things in life that cannot be taken away and also that learning to read opens up a whole new world of opportunities. Trudi is a proud wife and mother who enjoys spending time with family and traveling.
Hannah McTiernan
Manager, Tutor901
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Hannah McTiernan is a Tutor Support Manager for Literacy Mid-South. A native of New Jersey, Hannah moved to Memphis as a Teach for America Corp member in 2016. She quickly fell in love with the city and its students. Hannah spent seven years in classrooms throughout Memphis as a third, fourth, and fifth grade teacher. She enjoyed coaching basketball and running clubs for her students. Outside of the classroom, Hannah worked as a Praxis tutor, a Teach for America summit facilitator, and a curriculum designer. She is driven by the belief that all students deserve access to the highest quality education.
Hannah received her BA in Communications with a minor in Political Science from Fordham University in 2016, and her MS in Education from Johns Hopkins University in 2023.
Jennifer Hepler
Manager, Tutor901
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Jennifer Hepler is a Tutor Support Manager for TN ALL Corps. As a resident of Memphis and Shelby County since 1994, Jennifer has worked here in the Mid-South as an Orton-Gillingham trained reading specialist and classroom educator for students with language-based learning disabilities. Her experience includes working with high school and middle school students who struggle with dyslexia, designing and implementing programs that address their individual needs as well as assisting them to meet the classroom expectations that enable them to succeed in traditional classrooms.
Jennifer received her bachelor’s degree through The University of Memphis (then Memphis State University) and her teaching certification and Master’s Degree in English Composition through the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she worked as an adjunct English instructor.
Today, she lives in Collierville with her husband Martin and enjoys creating bird, butterfly, and container gardens; watching movies; and spending time with her family and pets.
Candace Freeman
Manager, Tutor901
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Candace Freeman is a Tutor Support Manager for Literacy Mid-South. Candace was born and raised in Texas then moved to Memphis to work with an after-school athletic ministry. She instantly fell in love with the city and its rich culture.
Candace has worked the past 5 years as an English teacher and coach, engaging her passion for education and equity for students across Memphis. She is excited to continue to honor her passion outside of the classroom, in partnerships with schools and communities across Memphis.
Candace graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication and earned her MAT from Relay School of Education.
Lenell Burton
Specialist, Family Engagement
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Lenell Burton is the Family Engagement Specialist for Literacy Mid-South, where he manages family outreach for the organization’s Tutor901 program.
Lenell is from Jackson TN, and moved to Memphis to attend the University of Memphis where he studied Sports and Leisure Management. He has lived in Memphis for 10+ years.
In his time in Memphis, Lenell has developed connections with many Memphis communities. His work has spanned from working in education, to youth development in afterschool programs, to community organizing and development. In his most recent work he galvanized neighbors in a South Memphis community to take up the reins in the redevelopment of their community.
Lenell brings to Literacy Mid-South a passion for equity and justice, seeking to amplify the voices of those experiencing liberation through literacy.
Keondra Sasfrass
HR Specialist, Recruitment & Placement
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Keondra Sasfrass is the HR Specialist, Recruitment & Placement with Literacy Mid-South. In this role, she uses her skills, experience, and motivation to support the organization’s in-school tutoring program, Tutor901, by providing operational, administrative, and human resource support for the program.
A native Memphian, Keondra has spent her professional career as an Educational Leader working for childcare and nonprofit mission centers across the Mid-South. She has taught and tutored elementary, middle, high school, and college students. An exceptional educator who has over a decade of experience providing academic and social guidance to a wide student and community population, Keondra always puts passion and dedication behind her work. Prior to joining the Literacy Mid-South team, she worked as Program Developer, Senior Executive Administrative Assistant, and Literacy Mid-South AmeriCorps Site Supervisor at Red Door Urban Missions. Most recently, Keondra worked as a Permanent Substitute Reading Tutor and Administrative Assistant with Literacy Mid-South’s Tutor901 Reading Program, working with students at Lowrance K-8 School.
Keondra earned her Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Arts from Independence University and her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and Administration from University of Arizona Global Campus (formally Ashford University).
Keondra is a wife, an avid Graphic Doodler, and an aunt of five beautiful nieces and six handsome nephews. Her mission is to make a difference in the community, starting with the program she serves.
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Keondra Sasfrass is the HR Specialist, Recruitment & Placement with Literacy Mid-South. In this role, she uses her skills, experience, and motivation to support the organization’s in-school tutoring program, Tutor901, by providing operational, administrative, and human resource support for the program.
A native Memphian, Keondra has spent her professional career as an Educational Leader working for childcare and nonprofit mission centers across the Mid-South. She has taught and tutored elementary, middle, high school, and college students. An exceptional educator who has over a decade of experience providing academic and social guidance to a wide student and community population, Keondra always puts passion and dedication behind her work. Prior to joining the Literacy Mid-South team, she worked as Program Developer, Senior Executive Administrative Assistant, and Literacy Mid-South AmeriCorps Site Supervisor at Red Door Urban Missions. Most recently, Keondra worked as a Permanent Substitute Reading Tutor and Administrative Assistant with Literacy Mid-South’s Tutor901 Reading Program, working with students at Lowrance K-8 School.
Keondra earned her Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Arts from Independence University and her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and Administration from University of Arizona Global Campus (formally Ashford University).
Keondra is a wife, an avid Graphic Doodler, and an aunt of five beautiful nieces and six handsome nephews. Her mission is to make a difference in the community, starting with the program she serves.
Diana Townsend
Manager, Tutor901
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Diana Townsend is a Support Tutor Manager for Literacy Mid-South. In previous work, Diana worked as a Preschool teacher, a second grade teacher, and a 2K teacher in the public and private sectors.
As a Tutor Support Manager, Diana manages a cohort of part-time literacy tutors, serves as a liaison between school staff and tutors, and works with school staff to complete literacy interventions and help facilitate effective tutoring.
Diana received her BS in Education with a minor in English from the University of Memphis in 2013. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Memphis.
Diana is a proud wife and mother who enjoys traveling and reading in her spare time. She is a self-published author of two children’s books and one collection of poetry.
Lucy Hughes
Coordinator, Operations
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Lucy Hughes is the Operations Coordinator for Literacy Mid-South.
A native Memphian, Lucy moved to East Tennessee to attend school at The University of Tennessee Chattanooga where she graduated with a BA in Communications. It was in Chattanooga that Lucy found her passion in working with nonprofits while interning with the local PBS station.
Lucy enjoys working with Literacy Mid-South to help foster a love of reading throughout the Memphis area and beyond.
Outside of work, Lucy can often be found at Overton Park with her pup, Cooper, and getting reacquainted with her ever growing hometown.
Ziara R. Smith
Adult Education Lead
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Ziara R. Smith is an experienced educator and curriculum developer who has a passion for justice-oriented education. She strives to use her expertise and creativity to make a positive impact in the field of education. Ziara serves as a Curriculum Developer for the Freedom Schools program with the Children's Defense Fund and a Master Teacher Fellow for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Prior to joining Literacy Mid-South, Ziara was a Program Implementation Manager at the University of Virginia's Center for Race and Public Education in the South, and an educator within two districts in the Memphis Metropolitan area.
In her spare time, Ziara loves to visit museums, travel, root for her beloved San Francisco 49ers, and participate in community service projects with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Azim Minareci
Office Assistant
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Ismail Azim Minareci is the Office Assistant at Literacy Mid-South. A native Memphian, his journey with LMS began through the City of Memphis’s MPLOY summer internship program, which paired him with LMS in the summer of 2023. He later came back to work with LMS because of their welcoming and supportive co-workers.
Azim is a senior at the University of Memphis, where he will graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing with a minor in Japanese in Spring 2025.