Jason Baker | Executive Director

Jason is a native Memphian with a passion for expanding opportunities for children. While studying at the University of Memphis and since earning his undergraduate degree, Jason has served in youth development and social entrepreneurship roles, where he grew his passion specifically for education. When he is not passionately telling the story of Coaching for Literacy, Jason enjoys all things that begin with the letter "B" - basketball (the Memphis Tiger kind), bikes, books, bands, and the Bluff City. [Instagram | LinkedIn | Email]

Chandler Ferguson | Operations Director

Originally from Southern IL, Chandler studied at Mississippi State University which eventually brought her to Memphis to be a credit analyst at International Paper. There she not only refined her financial and project management skills, but she also learned about the tremendous importance of literacy. No more than six months after her introduction to CFL, Chandler joined the CFL Team as the Operations Manager, and now runs day-to-day operations, manages program initiatives, and helps to maximize CFL’s impact as the Operations Director. Chandler spends her free time hanging out with her husband, Carew, taking weekend trips, and gardening. [Instagram | LinkedIn | Email]

Trey Willis | Program Director, Athletic Partners

Trey was born and raised in Memphis, TN and is a graduate of the University of Memphis. He served 7 years in the classroom teaching third and fifth grade literacy and math. He also served in school leadership for 2 years. Trey has seen firsthand the life-changing power that literacy has when unlocked in a child. His desire is to help children across the world do what they do best, and one important component is access to this fundamental right. Trey’s role as a Program Director will involve coordination specifically with our athletic and corporate partners across the Fight for Literacy platform. Trey enjoys playing and watching sports, creating music, and spending time with his wife, Adrienne, and two daughters. [Instagram | LinkedIn | Email]

Emily Humble | Impact & Development Coordinator

Originally from Central Ohio, Emily is now a Memphis resident after most recently teaching, founding, and leading a high school in Columbus, Ohio for 7 years. Earning her undergraduate degree from Trevecca Nazarene Univeristy in Nashville, she began to work within international and domestic settings with a focus on education programs and capacity building of local communities. With first hand experience providing literacy education, she developed a passion for how education, and specifically literacy, can be a powerful and transformative force. Joining the CFL team,  she is excited to continue to use her energy and skills to work for increased equity and access to literacy. In her free time you can usually find her at a fitness class, hanging out with her nephews, or exploring the city. [Instagram | LinkedIn | Email]

Courtney Searcy | Creative Contributor

Courtney Searcy was born and raised just outside of Nashville before she became a transplant to Jackson, Tennessee where she attended Union University and studied Graphic Design and Journalism. She has spent the last 8 years working with businesses and organizations to create brands that tell their stories well. As a founding contributor and former Program Director for the publication Our Jackson Home, she has grown a love of the power of stories to bring communities together. As Creative Contributor for CFL, she hopes to continue sharing the story of CFL to impact literacy in communities everywhere. In her free time, Courtney enjoys art, music, food, and sharing it all with friends. [Instagram | Email]

Brian Hayhurst

The Carlyle Group, Managing Director, U.S. Growth and U.S. Equity Opportunity Fund (Retired)

Hayhurst originally hails from Memphis, Tennessee and is an honors graduate of Rhodes College. Brian and his wife Joanie currently reside in Oxford, Mississippi and have two sons. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Archive Systems Inc. and Primatics Financial, Inc. In 2005 Hayhurst was honored with the 2005 Financier of the Year award by The Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC Technology Councils.

Graham Neff

Clemson, Deputy Director of Athletics

Neff serves as the sport supervisor for Clemson’s national champion football program and the men’s basketball program. Neff works consistently with key university stakeholders, including the university Executive Leadership Team, The Board of Trustees, IPTAY Board of Directors, Athletics Council, as well as several university committees and appointments. Before Clemson, Neff served two-plus years senior administrative roles at Middle Tennessee State Athletics.

After graduating from Georgia Tech with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, he spent more than a year at Deloitte and Touche in a financial advisory role. He went on to earn his MBA from Georgia Tech while he oversaw finance and ticketing for the Georgia Tech Athletic Association.

Graham and his wife Kristin have three sons, Grady, Emmett and Nolan.

Andrew Renshaw | Co-Founder

Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Orthopaedic Surgery Resident

Andrew’s passion for literacy and its effect on youth helped to inform his role as a co-founder of Coaching for Literacy. Andrew graduated with an M.D. from the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University. Andrew recently matched for his orthopaedic surgery residency in New Orleans, where he will continue his medical training.

Dr. Alissa Campbell Shaw

International Paper Foundation, Executive Director

Dr. Campbell Shaw leads International Paper’s global corporate and foundation philanthropic and community engagement efforts by making sustainable investments to protect and improve the lives of IP employees and mobilize IP’s people, products, and resources to address critical community needs. She has held leadership positions in Development at the University of Memphis and National Direct Marketing at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Lamar Stanley

Lead Capital Partners., Director

Lamar is a Director with Lead Capital Partners, a multi-family office investment firm based in Nashville, TN.  He earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.A. in History from The University of the South.  Lamar lives in Nashville with his wife, Wesley, two kids (Attie and Lamar Jr.), and their dogs, Friday and Bo.

Dr. Dawn Wade

NIMBUS, Chief Strategy Officer

Dr. Dawn Wade is a dedicated change agent, responsible for creating and implementing strategies to build value for clients by enhancing their current capabilities while simultaneously exploring new opportunities that yield high returns. Previously, Dr. Wade has worked in government and the private sector with a background in computer engineering as a software developer and in analytics. She holds an Executive Doctorate in Business from Georgia State University, an Executive Master of Information Technology from Georgia State University, a Master of Science from Georgia College and State University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Mercer University. Dr. Wade resides in Louisville, KY with her husband Stacey and son Carter.

John Wilfong | Chairman

UBS, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management

Former University of Memphis basketball player and standout at Briarcrest Christian School, Wilfong is a graduate of The University of Memphis and a recipient of an MBA from The University of Memphis School of Business. John is a lifelong Memphis resident, married to Catherine Wilfong and has three children:  Jonathan, Bennett and Luke. John is involved in philanthropy through multiple avenues including STREETS Ministries and Third Millennium Ministries. 

Jonathan Wilfong | Co-Founder

B-29 Investments, Associate

Jonathan co-founded Coaching for Literacy as a high school project after years of experiencing the power of written word. Jonathan went on to play basketball at Southern Methodist University and graduated with a BBA from the Cox School of Business. After spending two years at an investment bank, Jonathan is now an associate at B-29 Investments in Dallas.

Jonathan Wood

Microsoft, Director of Sales

Jonathan is responsible for growing sales and guiding customers at Microsoft. Previously, Jonathan helped accelerate revenue for high-growth startups: RiskIQ (acquired by Microsoft), TruSTAR (acquired by Splunk), Gazzang (acquired by Cloudera), and PhoneFactor (acquired by Microsoft). He’s an avid reader, Denison University basketball letterman, sub-par youth sports coach, proud husband to Lindsay Wood, and father to two great kids.

Gary Parrish | ESPN Radio, CBS Sports

Brand Ambassador

Gary Parrish is a senior college basketball columnist for CBSSports.com and college basketball insider for the CBS Sports Network. Parrish is the host of "The Gary Parrish Show" on 92.9 FM ESPN in Memphis, Tennessee. Gary primarily writes about college basketball—a sport for which he's won APSE and USBWA national awards for writing and reporting. 

Mit Winter | Kennyhertz Perry, LLC

Legal Consultant / Nationally Recognized NIL Attorney

Mit is the head of the Sports Law group at Kennyhertz Perry, LLC in Kansas City and is nationally recognized for his expertise on NIL laws, policies, and bylaws, and college sports law in general. He currently represents numerous universities, NIL collectives, businesses, and other organizations in NIL and college athletics related matters. In addition to his professional work in the college sports law field, Mit is also a former Division I basketball player at William & Mary. He received his law degree from the University of San Francisco. Mit has been named a Super Lawyer and to The Best Lawyers in America for his expertise in Sports Law. He was also named to Missouri Lawyers Media’s 2023 Power List for Sports and Entertainment Law.