PENCIL
Alayna Cate is an experienced professional in arts, education, and partnership development. Currently serving as Director of Partnerships at PENCIL since April 2021, Alayna previously held the role of Partnership Manager at the same organization. In addition to this, Alayna has been a Visual Artist at Alayna Catacombs since January 2017. Alayna's experience includes working as a Campaign Operations Specialist at Bazaarvoice and serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA focused on Art and Business Development at Creativity Explored. Alayna's background in education encompasses positions such as Graduate Research Assistant and Career Counselor at Vanderbilt University, Fine Arts Research Consultant for Shelby County Schools, and PK-8 Music Teacher at Indianapolis Public Schools. Alayna holds a Master of Public Policy in Education Policy from Vanderbilt Peabody College and a Bachelor's in Music Education from Middle Tennessee State University.
PENCIL
PENCIL is the premier organization linking community resources to Metro Nashville Public Schools. Thanks to dedicated PENCIL Partners, students work in state-of-the-art laboratories alongside teachers and industry professionals. Teachers design lesson plans that cross the traditional boundaries of education - like linking data points in algebra with students' Agricultural Science classes. Dedicated volunteers regularly donate one lunch hour a week to help a child improve his or her reading comprehension. Businesses work to create an engaged and excited student pipeline interested in their industry through internships and job shadowing. PENCIL also operates free teacher resource centers where Metro Nashville Public School teachers can shop free once a quarter to help supplement their classrooms.