Nancy Lessner
President
Nancy and Henry Lessner have lived in Fairview since 1990 and have two adult children and five grandchildren who reside in Collin County. A retired public-school employee, Nancy spent a total of 19 years in the public school system as a teacher, admin assistant, and database administrator. She spent 17 years as a Product Manager at PowerSchool helping to develop the software to meet state-reporting requirements for Texas, North and South Carolina. Nancy has served various roles in the community through her children’s schools from elementary through high school, her church, and various civic organizations. She currently serves as head of the Legislative Committee for the Allen Retired Teachers Association and leads the Cindy Robinson Reading group at FUMC Allen.
Laura Underwood
Vice President
Laura has been a proud resident of Allen since 2010. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts. With a career spanning retail and healthcare, Laura has taken a step back in recent years to focus on her family—Hudson (17) and Hailee (16)—and to contribute to her community. Her passion for service is reflected in her roles as a coach, Sunday school teacher, and active participant on PTA boards. She currently serves as President of YMSL Allen, is a member of the Foundation for Allen Schools, and is deeply involved in the National Charity League (NCL) Allen chapter. Laura is committed to making a positive impact and cherishes the opportunities to support her community and family.
Calvin Hilton
Treasurer
Calvin Hilton, an accomplished professional with over 35 years of experience in human resources and leadership, notably served as Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Bread Financial. Beyond his corporate roles, Calvin’s impactful contributions extend to the community, with key roles in the American Benefits Council, North Texas Food Bank, and the United Negro College Fund. Outside of his professional endeavors, Calvin cherishes time with his family, enjoying moments with his wife Glendora, two adult sons, and relishing the role of a grandfather. His dedication to education is further exemplified by his and his wife’s commitment to a lifetime alumni association membership and an endowed scholarship at North Carolina Central University.
Alyce McKenzie
Secretary
Alyce is a Professor of Homiletics (preaching) at Perkins School of Theology, SMU in Dallas. She is also an ordained United Methodist pastor appointed to this specific ministry of training theology students to communicate good news. She also founded and directs the Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence at SMU. Alyce and her husband Murry have lived in Allen since 1999. She has written ten books focusing on interpreting sacred wisdom traditions and unleashing the power of imagination in everyday life. Alyce enjoys reading all kinds of genres from nonfiction to contemporary literature to mystery novels. Her parents instilled in her a love of reading and set an example of support of local libraries. As a grandparent of 12, 7 and 2-yearold grandsons, she cherishes continuing the tradition of love of reading and visits to the Big Blue Library!
Brent Berg
Board Member
Brent currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Allen Economic Development Corporation, and he previously served as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the City of Allen. He is involved in several community engagement efforts for the Allen Independent School District, and he volunteers as a Rotarian for the Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise.
Sharon Bothelo
Board Member
Sharon Bothelo is the owner of Card My Yard Allen, the premier yard greeting company that specializes in making big celebrations even bigger! Since July 2019, she’s led the franchise business, ranking in the top 5% with over 550 franchisees. Previously, she was Executive Director for Carson’s Crusaders Foundation, an Allen based non-profit helping families affected by pediatric cancer. Sharon also spent 18 years in the Commercial Real Estate industry where she was responsible for business operations and marketing for a leading sales team that purchased and sold shopping centers and office buildings across the country. Sharon moved to Texas in 2000; she lives in Allen with her husband and children. Her daughter is at Allen High School and her son is at the University of Tulsa.
Jim Haley
Board Member
Jim is currently retired after spending 25+ years working in online marketing, strategic partnership, and business development roles across various industries. Jim has enjoyed staying active in the community volunteering his time to his church, the Allen Sports Association, and the Allen ISD Watch Dog program. Jim and his family strongly believe in the transformational power of reading and education as his wife, mother, and father-in-law were all educators and he is excited to be given the chance to serve on the Allen Library Endowment Fund. Jim, his wife, and two daughters have thoroughly enjoyed being residents of Allen since 2008. He enjoys traveling with his family and playing tennis, golf, and poker.
Tammie James
Board Member
Lisa Jang
Board Member
Lisa Jang is a software application QA contractor. She is a former educator teaching piano, mathematics, computer science, and information technology. Allen has been her home since 2006 with her husband Danny, and two daughters Sarah and Jessica who both thrived in the Allen ISD system. Lisa is passionate about supporting the evolving needs of the Allen Library. She enjoys singing and playing the piano accompanement for her church choir during her free time.
Kurt Kizer
Board Member
Kurt and his wife Melinda moved to Allen in 1992. Kurt earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and his MBA from Baylor University. He is also a CPA and is currently employed as the Regulatory Reporting Manager for Toyota Financial Savings Bank. Kurt is a former Allen City Council member and has also served as a board member of the Allen Economic Development Corporation, the Allen Parks Foundation, and the Allen Kiwanis Club. He currently serves on the board of JCK Resources, a non-profit organization serving young adults with intellectual disabilities. He is an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Allen. He also enjoys movies and playing tennis, pickleball, and poker.
MacKenzie Miller
Board Member
Tasha Young
Board Member
For Tasha Young, the Allen Public Library is where her family’s story unfolded. Week after week, she and her sons Reichen (18) and Latham (17) relied on its resources to power their homeschool education. Today, both boys are thriving at Southern Methodist University.
A former TV news journalist and author of the children’s book Frankie and the Missing Sweatpants, Tasha currently serves as Head of Content and Operations for Jo Latham Fine Jewelry in Fort Worth.
Service runs deep for Tasha. She volunteered as VP of Programs for the Allen Council of PTAs, held board positions with Hands & Hearts for Children Auxiliary and the Allen chapter of the Young Men’s Service League.
Alongside her husband David, Tasha is committed to ensuring every Allen family has access to the transformative library experience that shaped theirs.