About NEST

For more than a decade, NEST has been a steady presence in our community — showing up, standing in the gap, and ensuring that children who might otherwise fall through the cracks are seen, supported, and given every opportunity to thrive. We’ve walked alongside families facing hardship, teachers balancing impossible needs, and students who, despite enormous challenges, still dare to dream big.

Our mission has always been simple: to help children learn, live healthy lives, feel safe, and discover opportunities to grow and thrive.

We serve students who face real barriers — food insecurity, academic gaps, unstable housing, or simply a lack of consistent support. Many are children who carry adult-sized worries on little shoulders. And yet, when they walk into NEST, they find more than tutoring and nutrition. They find belonging.

At the heart of everything we do is the belief that one person can be the difference between a statistic and success.

It’s never just about one tutoring session or one snack or one bus ride. It’s about one relationship that unlocks hope. One adult who believes. One community that decides every child deserves to succeed.

When we each choose to be that one — the one who loves, who gives, who invests — success truly takes flight.

The Power of One

Our Executive Director

Laurie Reagan

Laurie Reagan serves as Executive Director of NEST Community Learning Center, where she leads the organization’s work to surround Loveland students with the academic support, nutritious meals, trusted relationships, and enriching experiences they need to thrive.

With more than a decade of nonprofit leadership and community service, Laurie has built her career around connecting people and resources to strengthen children, families, and communities. She is a charter member of the Greater Loveland Kiwanis Club and a founding member of the Loveland Family Success Coalition, which brings together more than 30 local churches and nonprofit organizations to better serve families throughout the Loveland community.

Laurie is certified in trauma-informed care and her commitment to children and educational equity has been recognized with the United Way of Greater Cincinnati Changemaker Award.

Since joining NEST, Laurie has focused on strengthening partnerships, expanding opportunities for students, and championing the meaningful change that can occur when a community chooses to show up for its children.

Laurie and her husband, Andy, have two grown children and have been active in the Loveland community for the past 20 years.

Our Board of Directors

Jeff has a B.A. in Economics from Bates College, and an MBA from Cornell University. After business school he worked at Procter and Gamble before leaving to start Illumination Research, a market research company with his wife in 2004. Jeff successfully built that company before selling a majority stake to Radius Global Market Research, a New York based company in 2018. Jeff served as COO of the merged company until its eventual sale to private equity in 2022.

Jeff lived in Loveland for 23 years along with his wife Karri and their 3 kids. He is passionate about service and especially the mission of NEST.

Jeff Bass

Ashley Cunningham is the Chief Development Officer of General Electric Credit Union (GECU), where she champions growth strategies, oversees the credit union’s indirect lending program, and collaborates across the organization to expand market presence and strengthen key relationships. Ashley joined GECU in 2002 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Communication, and Linguistics from The Ohio State University.

Ashley is deeply committed to community impact and is on the Board of Directors for OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence and NEST Community Learning Center and serves on the Advisory Boards for Matthew 25 Ministries and Pink Ribbon Good, organizations dedicated to meeting critical needs and supporting individuals facing life’s toughest challenges.

Ashley Cunningham

Originally from Mason, Kelly moved to Loveland in 2022. The NEST Community Learning Center mission is deeply personal to Kelly because she resides on the same street as our NEST kiddos. It’s important to Kelly that we work together to give these children a fighting chance to break the cycle of poverty, allow them to thrive, and further lead fulfilling lives to their fullest potential.

During the day, Kelly works in Marketing at General Electric Credit Union. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband exploring the local spots and events Loveland has to offer. She’s passionate about community service and can often be found volunteering at local events.

Kelly Blount

Lacy Walker is a middle school teacher entering her 12th year in education. She’s deeply passionate about the lasting impact a great teacher can have—not just for one school year, but for a lifetime. For the past six years, she’s also worked with NEST as a site manager and summer coordinator, where she’s had the privilege of working one-on-one with students and witnessing those inspiring “light bulb” moments when concepts truly click.

Outside of teaching and NEST, she’s married to Tim Walker, and together they share their home with three dogs who they adore like their children. In Lacy’s free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, going on walks, and spending quality time with her family.

Lacy Walker

Jessica Byrd is a Director, Financial Education Strategist with more than 15 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry. Specializing in 401(k), equity plan, and Health Savings Account education, Jess is dedicated to developing and delivering education curriculums that help plan participants understand their benefits and improve their overall well-being.

“I’ve seen firsthand how building confidence through education can transform lives, and I’m deeply committed to NEST CLC’s mission of empowering every child to reach their full potential by fostering resilience and a growth mindset. Together, we can instill a lifelong love of learning that benefits kids and their communities.”

Jess Byrd

Pat Morgan is a 30-year veteran of advertising & creative agency life. As a former Wisconsinite and card-carrying cheesehead, he grew up watching his Dad earn his keep as a Boilermaker repairing ships on Lake Superior. Through him he learned the value of dedication, personal accountability, putting in a hard day’s work, and having a little fun while you do it.

He has helped build and grow brands of all shapes and sizes, from fast-growing startups like CycleBar to internationally known consumer packaged goods like Tide, Febreze, and Gillette. A longtime agency leader, he is now a partner and the Chief Creative Officer of Freshwater Creative. Pat lives in Anderson Township with his wife and two children.

Pat Morgan

Frequently Asked Questions

Interested in learning more about how NEST helps children succeed? Take a look at our FAQs or contact us.

  • NEST is the only combined academic and nutrition support program serving Loveland City Schools. We surround children with academic support, nutritious meals, trusted relationships, enriching experiences and wraparound resources they need to succeed.

  • NEST serves children and families within Loveland City Schools who can benefit from additional academic, nutritional and family support. Our programs reach children age 4 – 6th grade.

  • NEST provides programming throughout the year, including:

    • Early Learning Program: Ages 4-K, twice weekly, mobile classrooms come to your students door.

    • Launch After School Program: 1st – 4th grade, after school in the students building, twice weekly.

    • Soar After School Program: 5th – 6th grade, after school in the students building, twice weekly.

    • Lunch, Learn & Play Camp: 8 week summer camp, three days a week with field trips!

  • Nothing. NEST programs are provided at no cost to participating families. Generous donors, grants, community partners and volunteers make that possible.

  • Loveland City Schools graciously allows NEST to use their school buses to provide safe transportation home for our students.

  • Students qualify for NEST if they are receiving free or reduced lunch from Loveland City Schools and have a need for extra academic support. We work alongside the Loveland team to identify and invite students to NEST.

  • There are so many ways to become part of NEST! Volunteers can tutor or mentor a student, help serve meals, assist with enrichment activities and special events, support summer programming or lend their talents behind the scenes. Visit our Connect page for more information on Volunteering.

  • Donations help us surround children with everything they need to succeed. Gifts support educational materials, transportation, enrichment experiences, family assistance and other needs that might otherwise become barriers to a child's success.

    We work with a volunteer model, with only two paid staff members.

  • Partnership is essential to the way NEST works. We collaborate with LIFE Food Pantry and community volunteers, a wonderful “Sandwich Club” and other partners to provide free food to our students. For birthday treats and reward parties, NEST uses donor donations to cover the cost of these events.

  • Because ten years changes a lot. NEST has grown, evolved and learned a tremendous amount about what children and families need to thrive. Our programs have expanded, our approach has evolved and our impact reaches far beyond where we began. It was time for our brand to reflect the NEST of today—and the NEST we're becoming.

Do you have a student you would like to have join NEST Programs?

We accept NEW students year round!

Fill out the form or contact nestclc@nestclc.org

To qualify, students must live in MacArthur Park Apartments or Westover Apartments and the surrounding streets.