2023 Martha Teschan Award Winner

On November 8th, 2023 the Nashville Adult Literacy Council held our Annual Learner & Tutor Banquet celebrating all we've accomplished together as a community in the past year.

Photo: Sam Angel Photography

CEO Kim Karesh and Award Winner Jane McPhail

NALC was founded in 1982, and in our earlier years, one of our volunteers was Martha Teschan. Martha was a committed and dedicated volunteer for NALC. She started as a tutor in 1992, and she later became a board member. She helped with everything from serving cake at events like this to shoring up our financials so we could pay the phone bill.

Martha was the executive secretary for the Centennial Club for more than 20 years, and she was very humble. She was quoted about her work with NALC in the Tennessean in 1996. She said, “During the years I worked, I made little, if any contribution to the community. After I retired, I saw a golden opportunity to give something back.”

To honor Martha’s memory every year, NALC recognizes a volunteer other than a tutor who provides outstanding support to NALC. This year’s Martha Teschan Volunteer of the Year Award went to Jane McPhail.

Jane started with NALC as a board intern in the midst of the pandemic. The times were so stressful that we suspended committee work to focus on the agency’s needs. Jane officially joined the board in 2022, and this year, she has driven our productivity. She led the reorganization of our committee structure with clear action items, improved documentation, and a new Google drive. The skills she uses in her day job, she donates to NALC for free as a volunteer board member.

Jane, your efforts are helping protect and grow this beautiful agency to be available as long as we are needed.

Thank you and Congrats!