Our Board of Directors
The core values of our Board of Directors follow education research data that has shown reading at age seven was a key factor in determining whether students went on to get a high-income job, having better housing and a more professional roles in adulthood. The Board seeks to improve the quality of both early childhood reading and writing, through an innovative curriculum and research based pedagogical standards, as well as the design of imaginative play materials and learning environments.
Thomas Hardy, Chairman and Secretary
B. S. Government, Nasson College. Publisher, Vero Communiqué. Software systems owner (now retired). Memberships: National Press Club, Columbia Journalism Review, Society of Professional Journalists, LIONS (Local Independent News Society and Pulitzer Center K – 12. Children’s book author, “The Exclusive Life of Reba K. Williams, a Parakeet.”
Jann L. Moylan, Vice Chair
Master’s Degree, Economics and Urban Regional Planning, Florida State University. Jann Moylan received a B.S, Social Studies, Florida State University.
Sheana Firth
Marketing Director, Islamorada Beverages, Islamorada, FL. Prior to joining Islamorada Beverages, Sheana was, for over two years, the Chief Brand Officer and Director of Marketing for The Mental Health Association of Indian River County. B.S. Sociology and Psychology, Florida State University. Applied empathy and human-centric framing to strategize a new brand identity and strategic marketing plan. Utilized the non-linear process of “Design Thinking” to inform process innovation and the creation of marketing programs, consumer engagement, and brand identity.
Sherry Nist Corey
Sherry was Chair of The Young Journalist Board upon our founding and has enthusiastically returned to Board in June of 2022. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Honors College but has always circled back to mentoring youth about their endless opportunities in education and life. Sherry has worked in big cities, small towns and as far away as China. In the past, she has written about Vero Beach, its history, people, and treasures for Vero Vine & the Press Journal’s Newsweekly. Her heroes from an early age have been historical Muckrakers. One of her most enjoyable pastimes is exploring Vero Beach via early morning bike rides, beach strolls or golf cart cruises, while stopping to appreciate the “treasures” everywhere. She finds Vero Beach to be the perfect place to live, work, play and give back.
Charlie Hall
Charlie and his wife, Lisa maintain residences in Vero Beach and South Portland Maine.
Charlie attended Cardigan Mountain School (6-9) whose founders included Ernest Martin Hopkins, president of Dartmouth College.
For 10-12 schooling he attended the Winchendon School a coeducational, preparatory boarding and day school composed of two campuses; one in Massachusetts, and another in Herald Square, Manhattan, New York.
Charlie attended the University of Cincinnati and graduated from the University of Denver with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Following graduation from the University of Denver, Charlie entered a finance career as an insurance broker for Johnson & Higgins in New York City. Johnson & Higgins was one of the largest insurance brokerage firms in the world until it was acquired by Marsh & McLennan in 1997. Marsh and McLennan is the largest insurance brokerage company in the world by revenue.
Charlie later left New York City and relocated to Portland, Maine where he became an insurance broker for Fred S. James, later transitioning to L. L. Bean where he became a Product Specialist.
Upon election as a Board member, Charlie spoke about the reason the wanted to be involved was because Journalism should be taught as and regarded as a serious academic discipline, just as science or math. “We offer our program to third, fourth and fifth grade students who learn reading, reading comprehension and writing, which will lead to greater opportunities for jobs that pay a living wage, offer health insurance, and pay more than just the basics of life.”