About

KHSA Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Chris Holiday, Middle Kentucky Community Action Partnership, President
Justin Collett, Leslie Knott Letcher Perry Community Action Council, Vice President for Engagement
Jessica Coffie, Community Action Council, Vice President for Programming
Stacy Royalty, Audubon Area Community Services, Vice President for Finance
Kristy Lewis, Paducah Independent School District, Past President

Board Members

Teresa Conway, Ashland Independent School District
Brad Wright, Audubon Area Community Services
Rhonda Rowland, Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency
Tracy Jenkins, Big Sandy Area Community Action Program
Malcolm Ratchford, Blue Grass Community Action Partnership
Melissa Hamilton, Bourbon County Board of Education
Stephanie Lyons, Boyd County Board of Education
Michael Broadbent, Breckinridge County Board of Education
Valeria Hayes, Breckinridge-Grayson Programs
Leah Spencer, Carroll County Board of Education
Jennifer Akin, Central Kentucky Community Action Council
Jessica Coffie, Community Action Council
Martin McNew, Community Action of Southern Kentucky
David Serrano, Family & Children’s Place
Tiffany Samaniego, Gateway Community Services Organization
Missy Saylor, KCEOC Community Action Partnership
Nick Shearer, Lake Cumberland Community Action Agency
Justin Collett, Leslie Knott Letcher Perry Community Action Council
Kim Carrier, Lincoln County Board of Education
Chris Holiday, Middle Kentucky Community Action Partnership
Nikkia Mosley, Murray Independent School District
Amanda Stapleton-Tuhy, Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency
Laurie Wolsing, Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission
Erika Nygard, Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative
Pamela Chandler Owsley County Schools
Kristy Lewis, Paducah Independent School District
Amy Hood, Western Kentucky University
Susan Fugazzi, Williamstown Head Start

KHSA Sections connect Head Start professionals across Kentucky to share expertise, collaborate on challenges, and support program excellence.

Each section is led by a Chair appointed by the Executive Committee and provides opportunities for networking, professional development, and peer learning within specialized content areas.

Health & Nutrition Section

Supports collaboration and information sharing among professionals involved in child health, wellness, and nutrition services.

Chair: Laura Sheffield
Community Action Council
laura.sheffield@commaction.org

Family Services Section

Provides a forum for professionals supporting family engagement, family well-being, and family partnership services.

Chair: Lynn Chesnut
KCEOC
lchesnut@kceoc.com

Disabilities & Mental Health Section

Focuses on supporting inclusive services and promoting the mental health and social-emotional well-being of children and families.

Chair: Tara Neimeister
Northern Kentucky CAC
tneimeister@nkcac.org

Grants Management & Finance Section

Promotes collaboration and professional development related to grants administration, budgeting, fiscal management, and compliance.

Chair: Celeste Presley
Community Action Council
aaron.presley@commaction.org

Data & Technology Section

Supports the effective use of data, reporting systems, technology tools, and innovation in Head Start programs.

Co-Chairs:
Stacy Royalty
Audubon Area Community Services
sroyalty@audubon-area.com

Trish Pickett
Murray Independent Schools
trish.pickett@murray.kyschools.us

Education Section

Provides opportunities for collaboration around curriculum, school readiness, instructional practices, and educational outcomes.

Co-Chairs:
James Peters
Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission
jpeters@nkcac.org

Donna Taylor
Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC)
dtaylor@ovec.org

Advocate for Head Start

The future of Head Start and Early Head Start is at risk.
These programs — lifelines for hundreds of thousands of children and families — are being pushed to the brink by rising costs, staffing shortages and growing community needs.

The President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes flat funding for the third year in a row. While it’s a relief funding wasn’t cut, flat funding is not enough to continue serving nearly 700,000 families currently enrolled in Head Start and the many more who remain unserved. Without adjustments for inflation and demand, the proposed budget amounts to a cut — with real consequences, including:

Fewer children served, reduced hours and limited breadth of services

Parents forced to leave the workforce due to lack of affordable child care, meaning local economies suffer

Increased difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified staff

Vulnerable families losing access to essential supports for health and well-being

Contact your federal legislators and demand the investment our children, families and communities need and deserve.