Meet our Board of Directors
Khushbu Patel Board Chair, Interim
Khushbu Patel, is a Physician Assistant in Breast oncology, and a founding board member of TLRN. With holding a Master's in International relations she has a diverse background with experience in fundraising and development, community building, and education. She believes that access to education and literacy are the building blocks to success. As a Board Member of The Leaders Readers Network, she hopes to help support programs that will inspire imagination and the love of learning.
Chris McGilvery Founder / Executive Director
Chris McGilvery is an educator, nonprofit founder, Ph.D. student of Educational Leadership Policy at Texas Tech University, and an advocate for equitable education. He has over 12 years of experience working with teachers, students, and schools in K-12 settings and in higher education. Chris founded The Leaders Readers Network to drive improved literacy outcomes with a high-quality curriculum, equal access to diverse and culturally relevant books, youth leadership and service opportunities, and myriad educational experiences. He believes that to reach their full potential, students should see themselves and embrace others in their curriculum and books. Chris and his work received the 2020 Freedom Through Literacy Grand Prize winner from Judith's Reading Room and the 2020 Honorable Mention from The Texas Center for the Book.
Alex Bryant Board Member, Development Committee Chair
Named a Modern Man of Distinction from Black Enterprise, Alex Bryant is an Emmy® award-winning Project Manager at GSD&M. He carries over a decade of experience within the disciplines of social media, graphic design, and production in the industries of entertainment, technology, advertising, and nonprofits. Alex’s work has contributed to the following brands: CBS, NBCUniversal, Billboard Music Awards, and ACM SIGGRAPH. He went through both the British and American education systems as a USAF military kid. However, from the beginning his primary education in a special needs program to graduating from Angelo State University with a full-ride scholarship, Alex understands the impact of education and is empowered to provide equitable and diverse access to literacy resources for everyone. Alex resides in Austin, TX.
Ryan Lay Board Member, Finance Committee Chair
Ryan is a financial advisor and owner of Lighthouse Financial Advisory where he manages a group of advisors and agents that oversee client'’ portfolios and fulfills their insurance needs. He received his degree from Illinois State University where he began working with Just Read to improve literacy in title I schools. Ryan is excited to join The Leaders Readers Network and continue to work with students to show them what's possible!
Dr. Teri Bingham , PhD Board Member
Dr. Teri Bingham is a Professor of Education at West Texas A&M University. She received her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Brigham Young University and her doctorate in education from UCLA. She is the author and editor of two textbooks about effective teaching. She enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and three sons.
Ivory Bennett Board Member, Operations Committee Chair
Ivory Bennett (She/Her/Hers) is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native who is currently a Community Impact Coach in Dallas, Texas. Previously, Ivory served as an English teacher and a cheer coach at a Title 1 Collegiate Academy. Additionally, Ivory is an active national advocate for both education and foster care equity - she has 17 years of lived experience in foster care. Outside of Education, Ivory is an avid copywriter with a particular passion for poetry and playwriting. Ivory loves international travel, holistic health practices, vegan soul food, and tending to her plant babies.
Dr. Shilpa Thaker, MD Board Member
Little did I know that a trip to a homeless shelter organized by a Sociology Professor would change the course of my life and career and lead me to become a Physician. I am an Internist in outpatient practice in Las Vegas for the past 10 years. I received my Undergrad and Masters degrees from UNLV and a Medical Degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine. I have been involved with various non- profit organizations including the Akshaya Patra Foundation, Three Square, and Shade Tree Shelter. Searching for service projects during the pandemic for my daughter, Aarti Patel we came across LRN. She raised funds to provide new books to 5 titles one schools, which we realized was a minuscule amount given there were more than 300 Title one schools just in Clark County. Delivering the books to the schools and seeing the happy faces of the kids with their brand new books melted my heart. This renewed my passion for service and drive to make a change. I am excited to join LRN as a Board member and learn from other members, teachers, administrators and community leaders to help make a difference.