BOARD MEMBERS

Dorothy is a retired employee of the Indianapolis Public Schools. She had an amazing career while serving there for 43 years. 

During her tenure, Dorothy served as classroom teacher, media specialist, Supervisor, Director and retired as Chief Information Officer.

Dorothy am former President of the Indianapolis Public Library and served as Board Member for almost a decade.

Marilyn Leatherman has always been passionate about children and education. She is thrilled and honored to have been a member of the board of GPA from the very beginning. 

She thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to work in IPS for over 25 years: teacher, academic monitor, school-based decision-making coordinator, and director of social studies and the magnet program. 

She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in education at Ball State University and her degree in Administration from IUPUI. 

During her last nine years, she served as principal of Allisonville Elementary School in Washington Township.

 Since her retirement, she has devoted her time to bully prevention, conducting presentations at schools throughout Indiana. 

She is also a BullySafe national trainer. Her husband, Bill (George) was an IPS art teacher for over 35 years. Their children, Amanda and Brad and daughter-in-law Shelbie, are also teachers.  They have blessed them with three small grandchildren, who they are with every chance they get.  

Marilyn plans to continue to be involved with her favorite school, Global Preparatory Academy, for many years. 

She also loves getting her family and friends involved with GPA whenever possible!!!!

Ginny is a retired professional in pre-school education and fundraising for K-12 public education.

Ginny values giving back to the community and is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the GPA board of education in its mission of bilingual/biliterate education for students to prepare them for the complex world in which we live. 

She is an avid gardener, flower arranger, calligrapher, cook, yogi and Gigi to three grandkids.

Terry Dwyer is the Founder and Principal of Breakwater Partners, LLC, a consulting firm, where he applies 35 years of proven leadership and “C” level experience to help companies maximize their growth potential through strategic selling solutions.

Terry is a customer focused leader with a record of developing teams by helping leaders understand how to identify opportunities to grow their businesses.  

He has experience developing and implementing strategic plans, optimizing go-to-market strategies, pioneering new sales and distribution channels, new product introductions and aligning compensation plans with company objectives

Terry has a BA in English from John Carroll University, and an MBA from the University of Michigan.  He resides in Fishers, Indiana and Ludington, Michigan with his wife, Gay, and son, Michael.  In his free time, 

Terry enjoys reading, golf and volunteering with not-for -profits.

Terry is proud and excited to have been a board member at GPA since the beginning.  He is very committed to life-long education, and education’s critical role in helping every individual achieve their personal best.

Bill West is retired Senior Vice President and COO of Mays Chemical Company. Prior to his work at Mays, he served in various executive positions for multiple decades, namely, as Audit Staff for Arthur Anderson & Co, and in finance for Cummins Engine Company.

Felman is an Indianapolis native and attended IPS School 4, 44, and Crispus Attucks High School. In 1998, Felman retired from Delco Electronics in Kokomo. In 2000, 

Felman started a Real Estate career at Carpenter Realtors. Mr. Brown has been happily married for 54 years, and serves as Deacon at the Mt. Vernon Community Missionary Baptist Church.

Sasha comes from a family Dominican background, both of her parents are from the Dominican Republic. 

Sasha and her family are bilingual in English and Spanish. Sasha feels GPA looks like her and the school she attended as a young girl here in Indianapolis. 

Sasha’s professional job is Water Resource, project engineer with Shrewsberry and Associates LLC and they are looking to support a local school. 

When she saw that OEI (Office of Innovation) was recruiting board members interested in making a difference in our public schools, she was grateful to have met Ginny Hacker, a representative from GPA. 

When she spoke with Ginny about GPA, Sasha just knew this was where she belonged because of the passion she spoke of the school.  

While the pandemic has prevented Sasha from even an introductory tour, she looks forward to the time when she can fully immerse herself in helping students in any way that is needed.

Jeannine Murray is an IPS graduate and has always been passionate about children and education. She believes all children deserve and have the right to an equal education regardless of where they reside or their socioeconomic background. 

She attended DePauw University and IUPUI and is the co-owner of Family Works, Inc. She has devoted her time to mentoring middle school girls by chairing the Chi Chi Omega Pearls Program.

Her husband (Andre) is a Lieutenant for the Indianapolis Fire Department and together they share three children. 

In her spare time, she enjoys reading and traveling with her family.

Michael Saahir has been the Imam (Islamic Minister) of the Nur-Allah Islamic Center since 1992. 

He is a contributing writer in The Indianapolis Recorder, with a column titled Al-Islam in America. Michael also writes for Muslim Journal, a national Islamic newspaper. Imam Saahir is well traveled, centering his exhibitions on supporting interfaith efforts between Muslims, Catholics, Christians, and Jews. 

Imam Saahir has completed this work in Rome, Italy and Vatican City, the Philippines, and Thailand. He has twice completed the Islamic Hajj (pilgrimage) to the holy sites in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

He is the husband of Carolyn (since 1980) and the father of one daughter, Aline (Kita) and three sons, Mikal, Hamid, and Muhammed.

Saahir is a retired Indianapolis Firefighter after serving for 38 years.

Imam Saahir has written a 340 page book titled The Honorable Elijah Muhammad: The Man Behind the Men, currently in its third edition.

 An account of Mr. Elijah Muhammad’s life that seeks to show many of the positive contributions of the leader of the Nation of Islam, particularly his leadership as lived out through Minister Malcolm X, boxing Champion Muhammad Ali, Minister Louis Farrakhan, and his son, Imam W. Deen Mohammed.  

Saahir was awarded the "2011 Author of the Year" by "Family Matters," of New York City. In 2019, Imam Saahir was named the “Interfaith Ambassadors of The Year” by the Center for Interfaith Cooperation in Indianapolis. 

Saahir also has written a heart-warming fiction book By Winter and Summer; 32 pages of a family-centered book that is trans-generational. 

Marienid is a former dual language educator with teaching experience in Indiana, Maryland, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Currently, she works as a Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for Early Learning Indiana. Marienid completed her bachelor's in preschool and elementary education from Inter American University of Puerto Rico and a Global and International Education master's from Drexel University. She is working on a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from Drexel University. She believes dual language education is the best model for emergent bilinguals to learn a second language. This is reflected in past and current research on dual language history, policy, and effectiveness. She enjoys reading, baking, and traveling with her husband. 

Brandon Russell is a marketing leader with more than 15 years of experience. Currently, he serves as the Director of Channel marketing for a venture-backed medical supply company and brings extensive experience in marketing, public relations and engagement, communications, and general management to the GPA board. Brandon is excited to support the vibrant public education mission GPA promotes and the community and students it serves. Brandon received his undergraduate degree in marketing communications from Butler University, and as a lifelong Hoosier, is an avid fan of the Colts, Pacers, and Indianapolis 500.