Movers & Shakers: Private schools add to faculty
Two Memphis-area private schools add to faculty, a law firm adds attorneys and a fiber network developer names a president.
Memphis University School adds new faculty members
Ivonne Bentley (Courtesy Memphis University School)
Ivonne Bentley has joined the MUS Department of Mathematics as an Upper School instructor, bringing more than 33 years of experience teaching courses from Algebra I through AP Calculus.
She previously served as math department chair and instructional coach at Collierville High School, with earlier teaching roles at Kirby High School and Memphis Catholic High School. Bentley holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching and a graduate certificate in mathematics from the University of Memphis.
Anissa Dalle (Courtesy Memphis University School)
Anissa Dalle brings more than 25 years of teaching experience to the MUS Lower School English Department.
She previously taught seventh-grade English at St. George’s Independent School, where she coached writers for the Wordsmith Writing Olympics and coordinated The Writing Center, providing support for middle school students.
Her earlier roles include teaching American Literature at St. Agnes Academy and Business English and communication skills at the University of Memphis and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
She has also taught in France and China. Dalle earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from the University of Memphis.
Zach Erickson (Courtesy Memphis University School)
Zach Erickson, MUS Class of 2011, returns to his alma mater as a physical education instructor and football defensive coordinator after seven years as a part-time assistant defensive coach.
Erickson was part of MUS state championship teams in 2008 and 2009. He later gained coaching experience as a defensive assistant at Austin Peay State University and as linebackers coach at Baylor School in Chattanooga, and he brings corporate leadership experience from IMC National Accounts.
A former Liberty University football scholarship athlete, he earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Covenant College.
James Smythe (Courtesy Memphis University School)
James Smythe, MUS Class of 2020, returns to his alma mater as a Lower School history and study skills instructor following teaching experience both in the U.S. and abroad.
He worked in New York City classrooms and served as an educational specialist at South Bronx Early College Academy before teaching English at Regina Coeli College in Thailand. He also spent several summers as program director at Kia Kima Scout Reservation.
Smythe earned a bachelor’s degree in film and television with a minor in philosophy and a Master of Science in Education from Fordham University.
Memphis University School is a college-preparatory day school for boys in grades 6-12. Founded in 1893, MUS is non-denominational and non-discriminatory. Its 640 students pursue a diverse curriculum that balances academics, athletics and the arts within a supportive environment that builds integrity and strength of character.
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School announces new head of middle school
Pam Smith (Courtesy Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School)
GSL has named Pam Smith head of middle school. A lifelong educator, Smith brings more than 30 years of experience in public, international and independent schools.
A Massachusetts native, she began her career there as a sixth-grade mathematics and geography teacher. Her love of travel launched an international career that took her to educational institutions around the globe, from Madrid to Beirut to Kuala Lumpur.
Most recently, Smith served as middle school principal at Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City, where she implemented initiatives supporting student learning and student action projects. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Keene State College in New Hampshire and a master’s in education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School is a coed independent school serving children from age 18 months through eighth grade. Founded in 1947 and located in Midtown Memphis' historic Central Gardens neighborhood, GSL draws families from across the tri-state area. The school prepares boys and girls to become creative problem solvers, confident lifelong learners and responsible citizens.
mStreet Fiber Memphis names president
Adrian Kesler (Courtesy mStreet Fiber Memphis)
mStreet Fiber, an open-access fiber network developer, has named Adrian Kesler president and general manager of mStreet Fiber Memphis. Kesler will focus on partnering with the City of Memphis to deploy fiber infrastructure throughout the city and expand access to the network’s open-access fiber internet service.
He joins mStreet Fiber from Lumen Technologies, where he served as vice president of operations, marketing and transformation. Before that, he spent eight years as a senior operating executive at regional fiber providers, leading a partnership with the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, to design, build and operate a fiber-to-the-premises network.
Send recent Memphis-based job announcements and promotions for consideration to Alys Drake at adrake@dailymemphian.com.
He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and served in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant.
mStreet Fiber designs, builds, finances and operates durable, scalable fiber networks for residents, businesses and cities. Combining local partnerships with fiber expertise, the company supports economic opportunity, remote work, education, telehealth and smart city applications while expanding digital participation across income levels.
Moskovitz, McGhee, Brown, Cohen & Moore adds attorneys
Attorneys Laurie Hall and Stephanie Micheel have joined the law firm of Moskovitz, McGhee, Brown, Cohen & Moore.
Laurie Winstead Hall (Courtesy Moskovitz, McGhee, Brown, Cohen & Moore)
Hall earned her undergraduate degree from Hendrix College in 1998 and her juris doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis in 2001.
Before joining the firm, she served as an attorney with Ganguli & Hall for more than a decade. Her practice focuses on representing clients in family law matters across West Tennessee.
Stephanie Micheel (Courtesy Moskovitz, McGhee, Brown, Cohen & Moore)
Micheel earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and media studies from Louisiana State University in 1993 and her juris doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis in 1996, practicing family law exclusively since.
Before joining the firm, she served as an attorney with Kay Farese Turner & Associates, Becker Law Firm, the Law Offices of Mitzi C. Johnson, and Denise McCrary & Associates.
Founded in 1989, Moskovitz, McGhee, Brown, Cohen & Moore handles family law litigation, mediation and collaborative law, criminal defense, asset forfeiture, federal criminal law, personal injury, wrongful death, insurance disputes, commercial litigation, probate and estate planning.
Topics
Memphis University School Ivonne Bentley Anissa Dalle Zach Erickson James Smythe Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School Pam Smith mStreet Fiber Memphis Adrian Kesler Laurie Hall Stephanie Micheel Moskovitz McGhee Brown Cohen & MooreAlys Drake
Alys Drake is a Memphian born and raised in the Bluff City. A theater-lover, she has worked in a variety of marketing and communications roles at entities within the advertising, legal, marketing, religious and financial services sectors. She is a graduate of Memphis Central High School and Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.
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