Board of Directors

BOARD PRESIDENT

Shannon has been part of the GPCP family for nearly two decades. Her journey began as a college nanny for GPCP families, followed by roles as a summer camp and substitute educator, and eventually as a classroom educator for four years, which included participation in a Reggio Emilia study tour. Now a proud GPCP parent, Shannon and her husband, Justin, have two children, Hatch, a GPCP alum, and Margo, an upcoming multi-ager. Shannon currently works on the People & Culture team at a local technology firm, where she focuses on enriching employee experiences and developing talent. She looks forward to bringing her connection to the school and her professional expertise to support GPCP’s values and further its mission as a member of the board.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The day-to-day management of the school is carried out by the Executive Director. The Executive Director is hired by and accountable to the Board of Directors representing the entire parent body. The Director holds a year-round position. When school is in session, the Director's regular hours are 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. While the Director does not need to be on-site when school is not in session, s/he is responsible for ensuring smooth transitions between sessions and vacation breaks. The Executive Director recruits and hires classroom educators when positions are available. To read more about Qiana, visit the Administrative Staff page.

BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

Geramy is a native ATLien and a University of South Carolina graduate. He has always prioritized giving back to his community through fundraising, volunteering for local charities, and coaching local youth sports in and around Atlanta. He and his wife Elizabeth and daughter Piper (Multi-Age class) live in East Atlanta and have been a part of the GPCP community for just under one year. Geramy truly appreciates the CoOp model of GPCP and believes being involved is an integral part of giving back to the school and community that means so much to his family. Geramy loves spending time with his family, live music, Atlanta sports, and being outdoors.

EDUCATOR REPRESENTATIVE

Deanna was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama with two younger siblings. In 2003 she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and later met her wonderful husband Derrell. They have been happily married for 14 years and have three beautiful daughters ages 4, 6, and 13 years old. Deanna has enjoyed teaching in Early Childhood Education for the past 13 years. She is overly excited and proud to be a part of the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool educators’ team. In her free time, she enjoys shopping, eating out, watching CSI, and catching up on the latest movies or shows on Netflix and Disney+. One of the most important things she values is the time spent with family. “Families are like branches on a tree - we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your family.”

COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR

Jennifer is a communications professional, mother, Summerhill resident and Georgia native. She and her husband moved to Atlanta in 2016 and can often be found biking various neighborhood routes in their free time alongside their two kids, one of which is in the multi-age class at GPCP. Jennifer is passionate about using her background in journalism and PR to help nonprofits and companies with a cause tell their story and best communicate with key audiences.

EQUITY & DIVERSITY CHAIR

Neholani Aird is an early childhood educator with 25 years of experience. A proud resident of Atlanta, she has dedicated her career to nurturing and educating young children. Neholani is the founder and CEO of The Child’s Portrait of Love and the host of the Black Mother’s Support Autism podcast. Additionally, she leads Black Mothers Supporting Autism, a non-profit organization. As an Early Childhood Specialist and GA BFTS Trainer, Neholani brings her expertise to professional development and serves as a representative for the Council of Recognition. Neholani's connection to Grant Park Cooperative Preschool (GPCP) is both personal and professional. Her two younger children attend GPCP, and she has previously taught in the Cats and Ladybugs classes, also contributing as a member of the pedagogical board. Neholani is deeply committed to the GPCP community and looks forward to helping maintain and strengthen this wonderful environment for all families, with a particular focus on promoting equity and diversity.

SECRETARY

Mari Martinez Zinser is a teaching artist who holds a B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University and a M.S. in Educational Theatre from City College of New York. She coaches teachers across metro Atlanta in using arts integration strategies in their classrooms. She has worked with DreamBox Theatre, Atlanta Theatre-To-Go and as a Wolf Trap teaching artist with The Alliance Theatre for the past seven years. She has been living in Atlanta for the past nine years and now lives in Ormewood Park with her husband and little man, Henry.

TECHNOLOGY CHAIR

Alex has lived in Grant Park for over 12 years and hopes to never leave. He and his wife, Evelyn, are the proud parents of Madeline, who is starting in the Cats class this year. Alex works as a product manager at Mailchimp, where he focuses on building tools that help small businesses connect and grow. In his free time, he enjoys woodworking, 3D printing, and tinkering with all kinds of tech projects. He’s passionate about making technology approachable and useful, and looks forward to using his skills to strengthen the systems that support GPCP’s vibrant community. These days, most of his inspiration comes from exploring the world with Madeline and seeing things through her curious eyes.

TREASURER

Tut Said grew up in Stone Mountain, GA, and has called Grant Park home since 2020. He attended Furman University in Greenville, SC, where he played soccer. Sport has always been an influential part of his life, leading him to a career in the athletic sportswear industry, having spent 15 years in sales at Nike and the last 5 years with HOKA. Tut is a single dad by choice and welcomed his son Memphis in November of 2024 and is expecting his daughter, Cairo, in August of 2025. Tut is excited about his growing family, being a part of the diverse GPCP community, and serving on the board.

HEALTH & SAFETY CHAIR

I'm Brittany Horton and my family has been at GPCP for the past 3 years. My children Cohen (3) and Brody (1), absolutely love it here! By day, l'm a clinical pharmacist at Emory, where I've worked for the past seven years. I'm responsible for ensuring medication safety, patient care, and infection control. I'm trained to follow safety guidelines, and pay close attention to detail, especially when it comes to health protocols and preventing the spread of illness. Health and safety are a big part of both my professional and personal life. GPCP has become such a special part of our lives! I'm so excited for the opportunity to give back as this year's Health and Safety Chair and keep our children happy, healthy, and thriving!

PERSONNEL CHAIR

Lisa grew up in Johns Creek but returned to Atlanta in 2018 after an 11 year stint in New York City. She works in Learning & Development and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at a global environmental not for profit. She gets excited about coming up with and implementing new ideas and fostering ways to bring people together. In her free time when not juggling taking care of her twin boys, she enjoys cooking new recipes (more of the slow cooker/ instant pot and oven bake variety since the arrival of her boys), yoga and running. Her twin boys are starting this year in the Salamanders class.

FUNDRAISING CHAIR

Antoine is a neuroscientist by trade and French-Canadian (Québécois!) by origin. After discovering Atlanta 7 years ago and becoming so attached to the city, its people, community (and weather), he is coming back down South after a 3-year stint in Boston. He has worked in the biotech industry and academia for the past 15 years and is always ready to get involved in event planning, whether it is for an informative fundraising event or a fun social gathering. Antoine and his partner Maria, an ATL native, are both new to the GPCP community and excited to get involved. They have a 2-year-old son, Émile, and a doodle named Bear (he really looks like a bear).

ALUMNI REPRESENTATIVE

Irina has spent her entire life in intown Atlanta. She previously worked as an educator at GPCP and now teaches 5th grade ELA. Irina and her husband, Rob, have two daughters. Their oldest, Charlotte, started at GPCP in 2019 and graduated from the Swans last year. Their youngest, Lucy, will be moving up from Cats to Ladybugs this fall. Irina has appreciated the strong community she found at GPCP since she began working there in 2017 and has grown to love it even more as a GPCP parent. Irina looks forward to serving on the board and supporting the community.

AT-LARGE REPRESENTATIVE

Cassie has been the Pastor at St. Paul UMC for six years and loves being a part of the Grant Park Community. She has been in ministry basically her entire life and loves connection with people and making relationships. She has a passion for outreach and advocacy.  Cassie is originally from the Midwest, so often uses the term "pop," but after living in the Atlanta Metro area for 16 years and successfully growing collard greens in her garden, she considers herself a southerner….sort of.  She and her husband Chris have one daughter, Jordan, who graduated from GPCP in 2024 and they live a busy but lovely life together with their dog Soozie.