Meet Our Board
Adam Tolliver, Chair
Adam Tolliver is a Southwest Atlanta native, and a graduate of Florida State University. He currently runs a Financial Services Practice, serving young professionals and growing families and businesses in Atlanta. Adam joined the Atlanta SMART Academy Board as Chair because he believes in the power of innovation and choice in education, and its ability to provide a limitless range of opportunities for students and families in the community he has always called home.
Veronica Crenshaw, Vice Chair
Veronica Crenshaw currently serves as the founding board secretary. She is dedicated to sharing her love and passion for students through her work in advocacy and dispute resolution formerly with the Georgia Department of Education and currently as an Assistant Director of Special Education and IDEA Compliance at Georgia Cyber Academy. She has over five years of teaching experience working with Teach For America-Alabama, Birmingham City Schools, and KIPP Metro Atlanta. In her spare time, Veronica pursues her other passion for law by seeking opportunities to make necessary voices heard in education policy. She is a strong believer in equipping people with the tools necessary to empower themselves. She is a graduate of Fisk University ('10) and Cumberland School of Law ('13). Veronica joined the board to ensure that students have access to a high quality education that will place them on a more stable path to success in college and/or career. Her focus is to increase student access and promote creativity through the arts. She is an active member of the Junior League Atlanta, Leadership for Educational Equity, Atlanta Coalition for Educational Equity, and the Go On Girl Book Club.
Ivan Lee, Treasurer
Senior Accountant with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting industry. Skilled in Microsoft Word, Accounting, Public Speaking, Mathematics, and Management. Strong accounting professional with a Master of Science - MS focused in Accounting from The University of Memphis. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the state of Georgia.
Lauren Harden, Secretary
Lauren Harden is a native of East Point, Georgia. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Child Welfare and Sociology from the University of Georgia and her Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law. As legal counsel for Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services, Lauren specializes in a broad range of juvenile dependency matters. She is thoroughly excited to support Atlanta students through Atlanta SMART Academy.
Ki'Jia Pridgeon, Member
Ki’Jia Briel Pridgeon, a native of the Midwest, developed a passion for entrepreneurship while working with non-profit organizations on branding and marketing. After being laid off from her corporate job in the insurance industry, she decided to follow her passion to help others see the greatness within themselves as business owners. Ki’Jia’s portfolio spans brand consulting, business coaching, and new homes sales. Ki’Jia’s success and commitment to her clients has seen her work and her clients featured across a range of media, including Bravo, Fox, and VH1. Ki’Jia holds a BA in public relations from Clark Atlanta University and is currently working on her MBA in Marketing.
Shirlynn Fortson, Member
Shirlynn is an experienced economic developer with more than five years’ experience in strategic planning which resulted in job creation and investment throughout the State of Georgia. She has expertise in tax incentives analysis, redevelopment and development processes, marketing, and business development; with a specialization in selling the assets of Georgia in the IT, Corporate Headquarters, Data Center, Financial Technology, and Health IT industry sectors. Shirlynn holds a Master of Science degree with an emphasis in Strategic Corporate Communications, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs. She is a graduate of The University of Georgia and Troy University.
Attend a Board or Committee Meeting!
Our monthly Board Meetings, unless otherwise noted, will be held the 1st Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom and are open to the public.
Up to 20 minutes will be set aside for public commentary at all board meetings. Those wishing to comment must send a request to the Board Secretary by 12:00pm NOON the day of the board meeting (lharden@atlantasmartacademy.org).
Each speaker will have 2 minutes to share with the Board. Speakers will be timed by a member of the Board and notified when time has expired.
The Public Comment period is designed to gain input from the public and not for immediate responses by the Board to the public comment presented. If there are questions or information that you have for the Board, you may also contact one or more of the Board members.
Our monthly Finance Committee Meetings, unless otherwise noted, will be held the 2nd Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom and are open to the public.
Our monthly Academics and Governance Committee Meetings, unless otherwise noted, will be held the 3rd Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. via Zoom and are open to the public.