NEST Board Of Directors

Jeff Bass

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.

Kelly Blount

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.

Jess Byrd

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. Jess is passionate about the intersection of financial health and mental health, and focuses on delivering clear, actionable education that empowers individuals to make informed financial choices.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from The Ohio State University the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Xavier University.

Jess lives in Milford, OH with her husband, their 4 young children, and a pug. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, making balloon arches, and Johnny Cash.

“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.”

Ashley Cunningham

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.

A Cincinnati-area native, Ashley lives in Loveland with her husband, daughter, and goldendoodle pup, and is known for her positive leadership style and engagement throughout her community.

Lacy Walker

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.

Pat Morgan

Pat Morgan is a 30-year veteran of advertising & design 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.