Bob Obrohta
Executive Director
Bob Obrohta is an expert in college access and success for first-generation/low-income students. His 35-year career spans being a practitioner for thousands of students directly, as well as designing numerous scholarships and access programs for colleges, organizations, and communities across the country.
Bob began in college admissions and financial aid at Beloit College (WI) and ran Beloit’s TRIO Upward Bound program. In Tennessee, his career spans leading the Ayers Foundation Scholars Program, and founding both Oasis College Connection (Nashville), and the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. His commitment to access has helped bring numerous federal, state, and corporate resources to Tennessee communities.
A low-income/first-gen student himself, Bob is a recipient of the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) Executive Leadership Award of Excellence. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of St. Francis (IL) and is the recipient of its College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni award. He has a master’s degree in Higher and Adult Continuing Education from Columbia University, Teachers College (NYC).
(615) 427-9720
bobrohta@tncollegeaccess.org
Wendy Blackmore
Director of Operations
With nearly 20 years experience in college access and success, Wendy has worked with programs such as The Kresge Foundation’s CoPro2.0, JP Morgan’s New Skills Ready Grant, Ed Trust TN’s Thrive initiative, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), the College Access Challenge Grant, KnowHow2Go and Race to the Top. Wendy earned a master's degree in public relations and advertising from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree in communication from Mississippi State University.
Andrew Hunt
Strategic Initiatives Manager
Andrew has more than six years of experience working in higher education in Tennessee. He holds a master’s degree in human rights from the University of Vienna. His graduate thesis examined Tennessee’s financial aid programs through the lens of international human rights law, with a focus on the human right to education. Andrew also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in corporate management from Lipscomb University. Prior to joining the TN College Access and Success Network, Andrew worked on the Adult Learner Initiatives team at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Ameshica Linsey
Associate Executive Director, GOAL Collective
Ameshica is a graduate of Fisk University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and completed the Teacher Certification Program, pre-k through 6th grade. She furthered her studies at the Collegiate School Teaching Institute in New York, New York and conducted NSF Applied Psychology research at Clemson University with research training in human factors and organizational psychology. Ameshica also holds a Masters of Education in Supervision and Administration from Tennessee State University, and Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University. Ameshica previously served as the executive director of the East Nashville Hope Exchange.
Bonnie Matthews
Senior Operations Manager, GOAL Collective
Bonnie grew up just north of the Tennessee border and graduated from Russellville High School. A NOVA documentary on PBS featuring the restoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling encouraged her to study art history in New York and Italy. She received a B.A. in Fine Arts (Art History) from New York University, where she later earned her M.A. in History. Her graduate research focused on racial reconciliation in the modern Pentecostal church. She was worried about leaving “the most diverse zip code in the U.S.” to move back to Nashville, but to her delight, Nashville neighbors come from all over the world, too! Bonnie’s career has spanned a wide range of non-profit roles, from fundraising and financial management to community engagement and professional development. She enjoys building systems with empathy for the people they impact. Before joining GOAL Collective, Bonnie supported the craft art community for five years at Tennessee Craft, most recently as Director of Programs & Community Engagement, where she led the staff in DEI initiatives and expanded the statewide network of craft enthusiasts. She currently serves on Tennessee Craft's Community Engagement Committee and is a Co-Director of the ‘Crafting Blackness Initiative.’ Bonnie was named the 2016 East Nashvillian of the Year for volunteer work within her local community. Her greatest delight is connecting partners to bring their dreams to life.