Vestavia council to interview 6 school board applicants Thursday

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The Vestavia Hills City Council will interview six applicants for the opening on the Vestavia Hills Board of Education on April 11. The interviews will start at 8 a.m. and are open to the public. They will be held in the executive conference room of Vestavia Hills City Hall.

Below is the interview schedule, followed by information from each of the applicants’ written applications:

  • 8 a.m.—Rhoda Kattus
  • 9 a.m.—Lynn Worley
  • 10 a.m.—Amber Terakedis
  • 11:30 a.m.—Rachel Jordan
  • 12:30 p.m.—Leslie Claybrook
  • 1:30 p.m.—Michael “Brent” Von Kanel

Leslie Claybrook

Occupation: General manager of the Birmingham Squadron; previously worked as assistant commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at Rice University, associate athletics director at Samford University, associate athletics director/senior woman administrator at Birmingham-Southern College and assistant women’s basketball coach at Troy State University

Education: Bachelor’s degree in English and political science from the University of Alabama, Master of Education with a concentration in English at Mercer University

Years lived in Vestavia: 13

Vestavia school ties: Has an eighth grader at Louis Pizitz Middle School

Community involvement: Member of the Pat Summitt Foundation board; Women’s Basketball Coaches Association; Women Leaders in College Sports; participant in Rice University Leader’s Program; Birmingham’s Project Corporate Leadership Program

Reasons for applying: Support the community; provide a new perspective; use her experience in higher education and with a child who has received educational services to enhance the board’s work

Wants to accomplish: See growth in national accolades; increase in team awards (scholastic and athletic)

Rachel Jordan

Occupation: Community volunteer; previously worked as a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Trace Crossings Elementary in Hoover and third grade teacher at Barrow Elementary School in Athens, Ga.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Auburn University in 1998; Master of Education in elementary education at the University of Montevallo in 2003

Years lived in Vestavia: 21

Vestavia school ties: Has a 10th grader at Vestavia Hills High School and a child who graduated from Vestavia Hills High School in 2023

Community involvement: Serves as a PTO volunteer; leadership roles on PTO executive boards for four Vestavia city schools; ordained deacon, youth ministry team member and Sunday school teacher at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church; worked independently as the Vestavia Hills High School track and field/cross country sponsorship coordinator to gain corporate sponsors

Reasons for applying: Wants to use experience as an educator, parent and community volunteer to serve the community through the school system; help students learn without limits

Wants to accomplish: Help faculty and staff feel supported in their efforts; ensure the board provides necessary resources and support to Superintendent Todd Freeman to position system for success

Rhoda Kattus

Occupation: Financial controller at a commercial real estate firm with nearly 20 years of experience in commercial real estate; previously worked as a facility manager at Cushman & Wakefield, real estate manager at CBRE, asset analyst at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, property manager at Corporate Realty Management and property manager at The Equinox Group

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of South Florida in 2006

Years lived in Vestavia: 5

Vestavia school ties: Has a preschooler applicant and kindergartener at Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park

Community involvement: Served on several boards including residential and commercial HOAs/POAs, Elizabeth Perry Rushton Child Development Center and IREM Alabama Chapter; room parent since 2020

Reasons for applying: Invested in the community; following the vote last May for the property tax increase, she became familiar with the challenges facing schools and wanted to get involved at a city level

Wants to accomplish: Plan and facilitate improvements with the school facilities; represent the interests of the Liberty Park community

Amber Terakedis

Occupation: Certified financial planner and partner at Plante Moran; previously paraplanner at Ameriprise Financial

Education: Bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Western Michigan University in 2004

Years lived in Vestavia: 7

Vestavia school ties: Has a 1st and 5th grader at Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park, 7th grader at Liberty Park Middle School

Community involvement: Vestavia City Schools Foundation Board member; Liberty Park Middle School PTO vice president of communications elect; room parent; sustaining member of Junior League of Chattanooga

Reasons for applying: Loves Vestavia schools and wants to contribute to maintain a level of excellence to keep the district at the top of the state; would like for her children to raise their kids there one day

Wants to accomplish: Improve facilities, academic program offerings like STEM and athletics programs and facilities; create a welcoming place that’s conservatively and responsibly run

Michael “Brent” Von Kanel

Occupation: Senior loss control consultant at Cincinnati Insurance Company; previously worked as a customer care manager at Goodall Homes, project manager at Apex Restoration DKI, outside property claim representative at Travelers, personal banker at Wells Fargo Bank, agent at Farmers Insurance and outside sales associate at Cornerstone Detention Products

Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing from Auburn University in 2006

Years lived in Vestavia: 5

Vestavia school ties: Has a second grader and fifth grader at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights and eighth grader at Liberty Park Middle School

Community involvement: PTO member and involved with children’s schools

Reasons for applying: To encourage more parent involvement in the schools; promote academic excellence and critical thinking skills with students; prioritize fiscal responsibility; maintain high standards of educators, facilities and athletics

Wants to accomplish: Schools to be in a better place in five years than they are now

Lynn Worley

Occupation: Corporate employee relations manager for Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United; previously worked as regional director of operations for Schaeffer Eye Center and as an estate manager

Education: Earned credits at the University of Alabama at Birmingham toward a sociology major

Years lived in Vestavia: 10

Vestavia school ties: Has a 4K student at St. Stephen’s Preschool, 8th grader at Louis Pizitz Middle School, and 9th grader and 10th grader at Vestavia Hills High School

Community involvement: Member of Birmingham Society of Human Resource Professionals, member of Women’s Committee for GirlSpring, member of Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church; room parent; volunteer for choir events and fundraising activities

Reasons for applying: Be a part of the continued legacy of being top tier in the education system; represent both parents and their children

Wants to accomplish: Be a fair and reasonable representation of Vestavia citizens

All of the applicants also provided responses about things like how their education and experience would contribute to their service on the board, their involvement with the Vestavia Hills school system and potential conflicts of interest.