LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Blessings in a Backpack Louisville Chapter, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding school-age kids on weekends, has announced its new executive committee for the 2023-2024 year. Alex Englund, Kasey Ryan and Ann Rothpletz have been named to senior leadership positions on the board, comprised of local business and communications professionals from the Louisville area.
Alex Englund, the new Chair of the Blessings in a Backpack Louisville Chapter advisory board, is a Midland, Michigan native and graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing. He currently works as a full-time financial advisor at Edward Jones. Englund joined the Louisville Chapter board in 2021.
Kasey Ryan, Vice Chair of the Blessings in a Backpack Louisville Chapter executive committee, has been involved with the Chapter since 2021. Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, Ryan graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism and a Master of Arts in communications. Ryan has extensive experience in public relations and marketing and was recently named senior manager of EIB Strategic Partnerships at Yum! Brands.
Ann Rothpletz has been named Secretary of the Blessings in a Backpack Louisville Chapter advisory board. She has been involved with the Louisville Chapter for more than five years. A St. Louis, Missouri, native, Rothpletz boasts an impressive academic career with a Bachelor of Arts in communication sciences and disorders from Baylor University, a Master of Science in audiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Ph.D. in hearing and speech sciences from Vanderbilt University.
The advisory board will serve the Louisville Chapter for the next year, helping to organize packing events, distributing Blessings bags of food and coordinating fundraising opportunities.
2023-2024 board members include:
- Alex Englund (Chair), Edward Jones
- Kasey Ryan (Vice Chair), Yum! Brands
- Ann Rothpletz (Secretary), Academic Researcher
- Tim Bryant (Vice President), Churchill Downs
- Jenny Alvey, Paychex
- Kaela Hammerstrom Combs, The Pointe, Blessings in a Backpack
- Darnell Ferguson, Food Network Star/Host
- Bob Glick, Glick Companies
- Beckie Hoffman, Bluegrass Academy Childcare (Owner)
- Rachael Ice, Rachael Ice Photography
- Leigh Jent, Humana
- Beth Kepnes, Community Volunteer
- Jennifer Lamkin, Lamkin Wealth Management
- Pat Robinson, UPS – Retired
- Taylor Sorrels, Attorney
- Nick Stewart, Fisher Investments (Regional Vice President)
- Kim Sturgeon, UPS
- Joanne Wray, Norton Hospital
- Kim Holsclaw, Managing Director, Blessings in a Backpack
To learn more about Blessings in a Backpack Louisville Chapter, visit https://louisville.blessingsinabackpack.org.
