JACKSON, Tenn. (August 14, 2025) – Leaders Education Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, hosted EmpowerEd: An Evening with Dr. John Delony presented by West Tennessee Healthcare at the Carl Perkins Civic Center on Thursday, August 14. This signature event featured an inspiring presentation by Dr. John Delony, renowned Ramsey Personality, bestselling author, and mental health expert. The evening was celebrated with five exceptional individuals who demonstrated extraordinary dedication to education in our community with an award ceremony.
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“I am honored to stand alongside a community that believes in the promise of education to uplift, inspire, and empower,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, President of Leaders Education Foundation. “Their belief in our mission strengthens our resolve and expands our reach to build a lasting legacy for educators and students in our community.”
The money raised at EmpowerEd is dedicated to providing funds for scholarships, educator grants, and program support. Since the Foundation’s inception in 2019, they have awarded 200 scholarships totaling more than $250,000, funded 130 educator grants totaling over $120,000 and supported over 130 educational programs and initiatives, totaling nearly $160,000. Altogether, they have given around $530,000 to students, educators, and community programs throughout West Tennessee. This event serves as the inaugural fundraising event for the Foundation, enabling them to continue their mission to Give Forward and provide program support for education initiatives.
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During the evening, the EmpowerEd Educator Awards was presented to five outstanding educators:
Caroline Yarbrough – Inspiring Students Award for Educational Support
Caroline Yarbrough serves as a school counselor at JCM-Early College High for the Jackson-Madison County School System. During her tenure at ECH, she has helped students achieve a 100% graduation rate, secured over $7 million in scholarships, and earned FAFSA Champion honors twice.
Meredith Kee – Inspiring Students Award for K-12 Educator
Meredith Kee is a dedicated educator with more than 11 years of teaching experience. She leads the Early Learning Village at Jackson Christian School.
Dr. Georg Pingen – Inspiring Students Award for Collegiate Educator
Dr. Pingen is a Professor of Engineering at Union University and Director of the HUB. He also oversees Union’s Engineering and 3D Printing summer camps, emphasizing experiential technology projects with West Tennessee Healthcare’s Therapy and Learning Center.
Dr. Kristle Hodges Johnson – Empowering Schools Award
Dr. Hodges Johnson serves as the Founding Executive Director of University High School, a dual enrollment lab school at the University of Memphis. Under her leadership, the school has earned the highest grades for Tennessee for two consecutive years.
Dr. Ken Newman – Impacting Communities Award
Dr. Newman serves as Professor of Educational Leadership at Union University, where he has spent the last 25 years preparing for future educators. Before Union, Dr. Newman served with the Jackson-Madison County School System for 38 years as a teacher, librarian, and instructional supervisor. He played a meaningful role in the desegregation of schools in the 1960s.
“Each of these recipients demonstrates a strong commitment to an innovative and compassionate approach to educating teachers, students, and families in West Tennessee,” said Shea Brown, Director of Community Impact at Leaders Education Foundation. “We are honored to be able to celebrate their achievements and to highlight their work at EmpowerEd. They are truly making lives better, together.”
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To learn more about Leaders Education Foundation or to become a member, visit leadersgives.org.
About Dr. John Delony
Dr. John Delony is a two-time #1 national bestselling author, mental health expert and host of The Dr. John Delony Show. John has two PhDs and over two decades of experience in counseling, crisis response, and higher education. While at Ramsey Solutions, he has authored bestselling books Own Your Past, Change Your Future, Redefining Anxiety and most recently, Building a Non-Anxious Life. John has appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America, Fox News and Fox Business, and been featured in Real Simple Magazine, Fast Company, The Today Show, and HuffPost. He has been a guest on The School of Greatness Podcast, The Minimalist Podcast, The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, The Dhru Purohit Podcast, and the Mind Pump Podcast. John’s goal is to help people navigate tough decisions, improve their relationships, and believe they’re worth being well.
About Leaders Education Foundation
Leaders Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Jackson, Tenn., and established in 2019. The Foundation allows community-minded citizens, members, and organizations to unite to make lives better together. It invests back into its community through scholarships, grants, and additional resources that provide educational opportunities and promote workforce development, lifelong learning, and training for students, teachers, and communities.
For more information about Leaders Education Foundation or to become a member and Give Forward, please visit their website, leadersgives.org.
