News

Literacy Council appoints new board members

By Lightning Reports, Published: July 5, 2020

The Blue Ridge Literacy Council has elected three new directors to its board.

Tracy Dyer, Daniel J. "Danny" Hein and T. Bradford "Brad" Henry begin three-year terms in July.

Tracy Dyer has been a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner at several firms. He was also a financial consultant for Nonprofit Pathways. Currently he, has a private practice in Hendersonville. He has a background in math education as well. Dyer is Treasurer of the Council on Aging Board and a member of the Chamber of Commerce. A native of upstate South Carolina, he and his wife Poppy enjoy hiking and biking with their three sons and being involved with them in Boy Scouts.
A football team captain at Brevard High School and Company commander at the Citadel, Danny Hein served 11 years in the U.S. Army attaining the rank of major. He earned the Expert Field Medical Badge. After active duty he pursued a career in orthopedic health care management and obtained an MBA. Currently he is administrative director of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Pardee UNC Health Care. Hein chairs the Transylvania County Parks and Recreation Board and is a member of the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board.
Brad Henry is an associate at Strauss Attorneys with a special interest in charitable estate planning. During his career journey he earned a master’s degree from Duke Divinity School and was a fourth-grade teacher. Growing up in Florida, he summered in family retreats at Lake Summit and Grandfather Mountain. He and his wife Ashley have five children whom she, a fellow law school graduate, home-schools. Henry is an active layman at Immaculate Catholic Church.
Elected officers are Sharon Tirrell, president; Nancy Keswani, president elect and board development chair; Milton Butterworth, secretary, and Betsy Kelsey, treasurer. Diane Skillman, resource development chair, was appointed to the executive committee.
Blue Ridge Literacy Council recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Its mission has expanded beyond English language tutoring for adults and citizenship education, to include family literacy and parent education for child school success, supplemental education for at risk youth and digital literacy for older adults. The agency also began serving residents of Transylvania County in addition to Henderson County.