Familiar Faces, New Roles: RSC Staff and Board Updates

With July 1 marking the close of one fiscal year and the beginning of another, Rural Schools Collaborative is excited to share several updates in our organizational leadership. As a small, dedicated team of staff and board, we are able to strengthen rural communities through the hard work and exemplary efforts of our team.

First, the entire RSC team would like to honor and thank Nate McClennen, VP of Innovation at Getting Smart. Nate led two successful years of organizational growth as the outgoing RSC Board Chair from 2022-2024, and is now passing the torch to Brian Fogle to serve as the incoming 2024-2025 Chair. Brian retired this year after his incredible service as the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, RSC Missouri Ozarks hub partner.

In addition to serving as the Rural Schools Collaborative Board Chair, Brian also recently stepped into a role as Executive in Residence at Drury University to support the launch of a non-profit management program. We are thrilled for Brian as he steps into both the role of Board Chair and a new position at Drury. Brian will lead a talented and activated Board of Directors, who have assisted RSC in growing our reach, capacity, and network over the last several years. “I have loved working with Brian as he led our Asset Development Committee, and am elated to continue to work with him as Board Chair” added Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, RSC Executive Director. Read more about all of our exemplary board leadership here.

Brian’s role as Board Chair will also be supported by the newly elected 2024-2025 executive committee:

• Vice Chair: Melissa Harris, Transcend Education, GA

• Secretary: Tammy LaPrad, Monmouth College, IL

• Treasurer: Susan Schroth, North State Together, CA

On the staff side, RSC is proud to highlight a milestone and promotion for Development and Operations Manager Savannah Franklund. Savannah recently reached her three-year anniversary of employment with RSC, marking a tenure of providing critical support to our operations, development, and programs. Additionally, Savannah has led and grown the Grants in Place program, doubling the amount of teachers served. Under Savannah’s leadership, this program annually provides awards to teachers from within each of our regional hubs to complete a Place-Based Education project which connects their students to their local communities.

Now, Savannah will serve as RSC’s first-ever Assistant Director of Operations. “We are so excited to see Savannah continue to gain progressive responsibility within the organization; she earned this promotion and her new role will only further our capacity to serve RSC’s partners and network,” said Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, RSC Executive Director. Similarly, RSC’s partners note Savannah’s special impact on the organization and their own work:

Annah Rogers, RSC GRAD Partnership Black Belt Lead, offered similar sentiments: “Savannah works so hard to make sure that everything goes on seamlessly behind the scenes at RSC. And she brings so much joy to the work when she gets to go out on partner visits. She is just the best.” We all wish Savannah luck in this new role, and know that she is more than up to the task.

As the Rural Schools Collaborative team continues to evolve to meet the needs of our partners, we thank all members of the RSC community for their continued support. We are all part of a national community dedicated to the support and celebration of rural schools, places, and teachers, and all of our collective impact is multiplied by our continued partnership.