New professionals join USN hallways, offices

Compiled by the Administrative Team

Nate Leishear joins USN as our Associate Director of Admissions, working on the MS and HS admissions processes. Nate has spent the last three years as a Senior Admissions Officer for South College, first in Florida and now here in Tennessee at the college’s Nashville location. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Leishear attended McDaniel College, majoring in business administration and minoring in marketing, management, and entrepreneurship while playing both football and lacrosse. He moved to Nashville to be closer to his two sisters, who had moved here shortly after graduating from college. He enjoys playing golf and hanging out at home watching shows and movies with his girlfriend, Maria, and their two cats, King and Peach. He also enjoys traveling for kickball tournaments and visiting friends and family. Leishear is a big Baltimore Ravens fan; when he was younger, he caught a touchdown at halftime during a Ravens game.

Cole Harris is the newest member of the Technology Department as a Systems Administrator. Cole recently relocated from the Indianapolis area but originally hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. He earned his bachelor's degree in cybersecurity from Purdue University and brings years of systems administration, network engineering experience, and project management skills. He's passionate about learning new technologies, enjoys finding ways to make systems work better for the people who use them, and is excited to join the USN community. Outside of work, Harris enjoys writing and recording music, playing chess, and is always up for a good strategic challenge—whether it's on a chessboard or in the IT world.

Kalen Russell joins University School of Nashville as Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications, bringing a strong background in strategic communications, media relations, community engagement, and storytelling. In addition to her work at a public relations agency, she has led communications initiatives working in-house for nonprofits and civic organizations, including The League of Women Voters of Nashville, The Equity Alliance, and ThinkTennessee. Russell holds an M.Ed. from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. in Strategic Communications with a minor in Spanish from the University of Central Oklahoma. Passionate about education and creating meaningful connections, she is excited to help share the stories that make USN such a vibrant learning community. Russell said she loves being part of Music City — enjoying Nashville’s food, checking out art shows, and attending community events. She is originally from Oklahoma and has lived in Nashville for eight years.

Kyleen Shyer is moving from the fourth grade team to the Hassenfeld Library as our new Lower School Librarian. Shyer comes to us with 17 years of experience in teaching across multiple grades. She joined USN in 2015 as a third grade teacher, and moved in 2024 to the fourth grade team. She has also run several Little Tigers summer camps for rising K-1 students. Prior to USN, she taught fourth and fifth grades at the Lovett School in Atlanta and Liberty Elementary School in New York. In 2024, she became the most recent recipient of the Bovender Family Faculty Chair, an award that honors exceptional teachers who “model the best in innovative teaching practices and thorough involvement in the life of the school.” Shyer earned her MA in Literacy Education from the Teachers College at Columbia University, and throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to expanding her students’ horizons through reading and writing, a pursuit which has grown to include information literacy and research instruction. She also possesses a deep love and knowledge of children's literature and a strong commitment to ensuring that all children can see themselves reflected in the books and materials we collect and display. She’s thrilled to move into a role that allows her to expand her impact across the entire USN community as a collaborative partner, literacy leader, and advocate for lifelong joyful reading.

Gavin Pennington is a new Grounds Assistant, maintaining fields at the River Campus.