Our mission for the Guide

Put the school and childcare information Nashville families need into one free, independent place — so every family can research their options and find the right fit for their child. The Guide takes no advertising, sells no rankings, and harvests no data, drawing on official public sources so families get the same information for every option and decide for themselves.

Our philosophy

Ezell Consulting believes broad access to quality K–12 schools lays the groundwork for access to higher education, to higher-paying careers and jobs, to informed personal health decisions, and to stronger communities. Communities are made stronger when participation is broad-based.

Change happens through people. We know it's not just an idea that makes change (though great ones help). It's not just money that moves people into action (though funding is critical). And it's not just policy that makes the difference in quality public education (though advocates in the right places go a long way). Results happen when people connect, understand the issues, collaborate, and find a way to move forward together.

Meet Kate Ezell

Kate Ezell is a proven connector in the Nashville education and business community. Deeply passionate about making quality public schools and tools available to all students, she has served in numerous leadership positions and in consulting roles on education and community-building initiatives at the local, state, and national levels. Through her Nashville-based firm, Ezell Consulting, Kate pairs her experience in community relations, fundraising, strategic planning, and project management with her relationships in the business community and among civic leaders to impact education and social issues.

Kate's earlier investment-banking career led to leadership positions in the nonprofit community during her early years in Nashville — and to a lasting commitment to Nashville's potential. She is a graduate of Leadership Nashville and the Mayor's My City Academy. She is currently active on boards and organizations including the Nashville Public Library Foundation, UVA's Jefferson Scholars Foundation in Middle Tennessee (chairman), and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. Recent board and leadership experience includes the Fisk University Board of Trust, the UVA Board of Managers, the Jefferson Scholars National Selection Committee, the Women's Fund Board (Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee), and the MNPS Charter Review Committee. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and French literature from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from UVA's Darden School. Kate and her husband Steven have three grown children: Lauren, Read, and Eleanor.

The theory of change behind Ezell Consulting's work begins with a premise: broad access to quality K–12 schools lays the groundwork for access to higher education, higher-paying careers, informed health decisions, and stronger community engagement. Working side by side with client organizations, Ezell Consulting has often been the added layer of manpower needed to test and implement community and product initiatives — from one-time consultations to long-term engagements.

To imagine, create, and implement practical solutions to Tennessee's challenges, we have to understand the community landscape — which takes candid conversation about poverty, privilege, and economic inequality. One of the best tools for that is the Poverty Simulation, a three-hour immersive experience that helps participants understand how poverty affects families, students, and community resources like education, transportation, and housing. Ezell Consulting partners with MNPS, Catholic Charities, and other nonprofit hosts to bring it to companies and organizations. Kate is a certified Community Action Poverty Simulation™ (CAPS) facilitator, a tool developed by the Missouri Community Action Network.