Demetria Giles brings more than 15 years of experience in education and teacher development. She currently serves as Manager of Resident Development at the Nashville Teacher Residency, where she coaches and develops aspiring teachers as they enter the profession.

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Her work focuses on culturally responsive teaching, student-centered learning, and building strong instructional systems. She previously served as Director of Curriculum & Instruction at 9th Bridge School in Las Vegas and is the founder of SchoolED, an education consultancy supporting families, schools, and communities.

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Demetria’s expertise in developing educators and strengthening instructional quality directly supports The Gate School’s commitment to making exceptional teaching the standard in every classroom.

Todd Dickson is the founder and CEO of Valor Collegiate Academies, one of the highest-performing charter networks in Tennessee. Through Valor, he led the development of Compass, a nationally recognized approach to human development now implemented in schools across the country.

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Before founding Valor, Todd taught physics and served as a principal at Summit Public Schools in California, where Summit Prep was named one of the Top 10 Transformational Schools in the country by Newsweek.

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Todd brings deep experience founding and leading high-performing public schools. His perspective is instrumental as The Gate School builds a model centered on exceptional teaching and strong school culture.

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Andrea Kinzer is the Director of Program Operations at Teach For America Nashville and a longtime Nashville educator and community leader.

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She spent nearly a decade teaching middle school and coaching girls basketball, developing students both academically and personally. A Nashville native, Andrea graduated from Whites Creek High School and earned her degree in History from Spelman College.

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Andrea is deeply engaged in the Haynes-Trinity community, where she serves as President of the Haynes-Trinity Neighborhood Coalition and leads outreach initiatives through her church to support local families.

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Andrea brings a strong connection to Nashville communities and families, ensuring The Gate School remains grounded in the students and neighborhoods it serves.

Viva Price is the Executive Director of Youth Encouragement Services in Nashville, where she leads efforts to expand opportunities and resources for young people and families across the city.

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Her career spans social services, public health, government, and nonprofit leadership, with a consistent focus on supporting communities impacted by social inequity. She has led initiatives that strengthen youth development, family stability, and community connection.

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Viva brings a critical community-centered perspective to The Gate School, ensuring the school remains deeply connected to and responsive to the needs of Nashville families.

John Webb is a Vice President at Pinnacle Asset Management in Nashville, where he focuses on investment management and securities trading through Raymond James Financial Services.

He brings experience across private equity, hedge funds, and asset management, providing a strong financial lens as The Gate School builds a model that is both academically excellent and financially sustainable.

John earned his undergraduate degree in economics and his master’s in finance from Vanderbilt University and remains actively engaged in the Nashville community.

John’s expertise supports disciplined financial planning and long-term sustainability as the school prepares to launch and grow.