Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South leader wins national MVP award

Junior Achievement USA named Kesha Ivy, chief academic officer at Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, one of three Model of Values Professionals honored at its National Leadership Conference in Salt Lake City. The recognition spotlights Ivy’s role in expanding student reach, building new programs and shaping JA’s national education work.

Why it matters: - The award puts a Memphis-area education leader on a national stage for work that has expanded Junior Achievement programming across the Mid-South. - Ivy’s recognition highlights the role local nonprofit leaders can play in shaping student access, program design and regional education outcomes.

What happened: - Junior Achievement USA presented Kesha Ivy with its Model of Values Professional Award during the National Leadership Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. - Ivy is chief academic officer at Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South. - Junior Achievement USA selected only three MVP recipients from nominations across its nationwide network. - The honor was presented by Junior Achievement USA President Tim Greinert during the conference’s closing celebration. - More than 300 Junior Achievement leaders from across the United States and representatives from JA Worldwide attended the event. - Rebecca Borovsky of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington and Ed Priem of Junior Achievement USA also received the award this year.

The details: - The MVP Award recognizes people who reflect Junior Achievement values through leadership, innovation, integrity and commitment to students. - Leigh Mansberg, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, nominated Ivy for the award. - Mansberg cited Ivy’s visionary leadership, commitment to educational equity, collaborative style and ability to build programs that can be replicated across the Junior Achievement network. - Since joining the Memphis and Mid-South organization, Ivy has helped nearly double its in-person reach. - The organization now serves 45,000 students annually across a 71-county area in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. - Ivy led development of JA Triple Play and Layered Learning Schools, two models designed to deepen the impact of JA programming. - Ivy also helped launch JA World Ready Radio and the JA Hometown Heroes: Letters to My Younger Self video series this spring. - Ivy serves on multiple national Junior Achievement advisory committees that help shape educational programming across the network. - Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South says the organization works to help children become world ready and engaged members of their communities so they can lead independent lives. - The organization directs readers to more information and lists 901.366.7800 for those who want to invest in its work.

Between the lines: - The award signals that Ivy’s work is not limited to one region; her program ideas are being positioned as models for broader use inside Junior Achievement. - The recognition also reflects a growing emphasis on educational equity and scalable student programming within the network. - Mansberg’s comments frame Ivy’s impact as both operational and cultural, pointing to leadership that influences colleagues as well as students.

What's next: - Ivy is expected to continue helping shape Junior Achievement programming through her national advisory roles. - Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South will keep building on the expanded reach and new program formats Ivy helped create. - The organization’s public-facing outreach and fundraising efforts will likely continue through its website and social channels.