Meet the School on Wheels Staff
Sally Bindley, Founder and CEO, holds a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Social Policy. Prior to founding School on Wheels, Sally spent ten years in the corporate sector. As CEO, she oversees the administration of the volunteer tutoring program, fundraising and marketing plans, and provides leadership to the staff. Implementation of the strategic plan, ensuring the fiscal health and accountability for the corporation, and enhancing relationships with individual major donors is also Sally’s responsibility. In addition, Sally serves as the organization’s spokesperson and advocates for homeless education and the specific needs of homeless children in the community.
Janet Youngblood Hiatt, Executive Vice President, has a proven track record in fund raising, programming, and management of nonprofit agencies. Janet holds a Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management and a Bachelor of Science degree. Janet’s primary focus for School on Wheels is managing all personnel activities for the organization as well as working closely with the CEO and Vice President of Development to create and implement the yearly fundraising goals and objectives.
Kate Hussey, Vice President of Programs and Partnerships, has more than ten years of experience in corporate education and program management. Kate spent much of her career as an education consultant with a west coast Fortune 100 company. She further developed her skill set at an Indiana Inc. 500 company, serving as training manager. Kate's focus on nonprofit program management provided her with more than four years experience as the program director for Indiana Achievement Awards. Kate manages the "Tutors in Action" and "Ignite Learning" staff and program operations. Her primary focus is strengthening and developing programs and collaborative partnerships. Kate received a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University.
Nathan Hand, Vice President of Development, has over ten years of nonprofit and fundraising experience at the local, national and international levels. Nathan is responsible for oversight of all development programs, donor communications and relations. He works closely with the CEO and Executive Vice President to design and implement strategic development programs to increase the awareness and support of the School on Wheels mission. He is an AmeriCorps Alumni, holds an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University, a Masters in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University.
Melanie Priest, Development Director, holds a Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management and a Bachelor of Art degree in Journalism. Melanie has ten years of experience working in the nonprofit sector, including serving as Volunteer and Program Coordinator at Dayspring Center for four years. Melanie’s primary responsibilities include grant proposal writing, fundraising, maintaining the Web site and increasing community awareness of School on Wheels.
Carrie Murphy, Volunteer Manager, holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University. Carrie has experience in non-profit program management, volunteer management, public relations and event planning. Carrie is a member of the Central Indiana Association of Volunteer Administration and a founding member of the Young Adults in Philanthropy. Carrie’s responsibilities include volunteer recruiting, training, coaching and retention.
Jill Pierce, Program Manager, joined the School on Wheels staff after serving as a dedicated volunteer tutor. Jill holds a Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology from Indiana University. She continued her education at the University of Utah where she studied secondary education and gained experience in classroom management, curricular development, and educational technology. Jill’s role is to serve as the liaison between the shelter staff and the volunteer tutors. She is responsible for coordinating the daily operations of the “Tutors in Action” program as well as researching enhancements to the curriculum. Additionally, Jill serves as the Program Coordinator at IPS #14 and Wellspring Cottage.
Tiffany Silgalis, Office Manager, joined our staff in June 2008. Tiffany has more than ten years experience in customer service, graphic design, and office management. She is a graduate of Butler University with a BS in Public and Corporate Communications. Tiffany has worked in nonprofits as well as large and small corporations. As Office Manager, Tiffany’s voice is the first voice you’ll hear when you call the School on Wheels office. She is responsible for providing administrative support to the entire office staff, maintains the school uniform distribution, manages bookkeeping, coordinates in-kind donations, and serves as a substitute Program Coordinator when needed.
Program Coordinators enhance the tutoring program by providing support to the volunteers Monday through Thursday from approximately 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in locations where tutoring takes place. Site Coordinators ensure accurate and timely collection of data, administer surveys, create an environment conducive to consistent and effective tutoring, work with the parents, and assist tutors with any issues that arise during the sessions These positions are part-time seasonal employees and are filled prior to the beginning of the academic year.