Our Staff
The Mississippi First team is a group of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to promote the mission of Mississippi First.
Policy Team
Rachel Canter
Executive Director
Rachel leads the work of Mississippi First,
including strategy, financial management,
and decision-making.
Micayla Tatum
Director of Early Childhood Policy
Micayla supports Mississippi First in the development
and execution of its early childhood policy agenda,
with a particular focus on pre-K and child care.
Toren Ballard
Director of K-12 Policy
Toren assists Mississippi First in developing
and enacting our K-12 policy agenda.
Grace Breazeale
K-12 Policy Associate
Grace supports Mississippi First in
implementing our K-12 policy agenda.
Communications Team
MacKenzie Hines
Chief of Staff
MacKenzie supports the operations of the organization
and directs Mississippi First’s communications.
Brooke Williams
Associate Director of Communications
Brooke is responsible for developing, coordinating,
and executing strategic communications efforts.
Special Projects Team
Pheron Russell
Associate Director of Special Projects
Pheron is responsible for assisting and managing projects for the Mississippi First team, specifically focusing on charter schools.
Our Board
The Board of Directors is the governing body of Mississippi First. Individuals who sit on the board are responsible for overseeing the organization’s activities. Board members meet quarterly to discuss and vote on the affairs of the organization. They serve three-year terms and can serve two terms back-to-back.
Tim Abram, II
Board Chair
Catoria Martin
Board Treasurer
Kate Gluckman
Board Member