Newly Elected School Board Members to be Sworn in, Election of Board Officers

Posted on January 14, 2025

The newest members of the P-H-M Board of School Trustees were sworn last night (Monday, January 13, 2025) at the P-H-M Board of School Trustees meeting. New to the Board is Katie (Katelyn) Inabnit Bell, a 2012 graduate of Penn High School and Gary Fox, a former Trustee of 19 years. Returning Board Vice President Ryan McCullough was also sworn last evening. St. Joseph County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Steele administered the Oath of Offices. Click here to see the full photo gallery below.

 

Bell is replacing Jim Garrett who held the Penn Township, Seat 3, for two terms (2017-2024). Garrett is a retired P-H-M teacher and Penn Championship Girls Golf coach. Fox will take over the Harris Township, Seat 4 replacing Clare Roach, who did not seek re-election; she served one term (2021-2024).

Gary Fox being sworn in
Gary Fox being sworn in by Judge Steele

Gary Fox served on the P-H-M Board from 2001-2020 before stepping down. He served as Vice President from 2005-2007, President from 2008-2010 and again from 2015-2017. Fox retired from Crowe LLP, a public accounting and consulting firm, after 42 years; before retiring, he was Head of Corporate Development. Crowe and his wife Tammy of 44 years are parents to two Penn High School graduates and now have five grandchildren, two of which are at Moran. Tammy and Gary Fox are longtime donors of the P-H-M Education Foundation most recently supporting the Fun Zone at Penn’s 2024 Homecoming and the Short Circuits program for all P-H-M 3rd graders at all 11 elementary schools. Fox is also making a $10,000 contribution to the Foundation’s Naming Rights Campaign to name Penn High School’s fieldhouse, currently under construction, the Dr. Jerry Thacker and Donna Thacker Fieldhouse (click here for more details).

Katie Bell being sworn in
Katie Bell taking her Oath of Office
Katie Bell, Kindergarten teacher, 2016
Katie Bell, Prairie Vista Kindergarten teacher, 2016

Katie Bell, a graduate of Ball State University, worked for Penn-Harris-Madison for the 2016-2017 school year as a kindergarten teacher at Prairie Vista Elementary School. She also served as the assistant girls basketball coach at Discovery Middle School. Bell also taught fourth and fifth grade English Language Arts at Dewey School of Excellence in Chicago for three years before returning to the area. Bell is now a stay-at-home mother and manages her household full-time. She and her husband, Steve, have three young children. Bell is active in the community volunteering her time with several organizations.

Ryan McCullough being sworn in
Ryan McCullough takes his Oath of Office

Also being sworn in at tonight’s meeting is Ryan McCullough who was re-elected to Penn Township, Seat 2. McCullough was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2021 when then Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb appointed Jamie Woods to the St. Joseph County Superior Court. McCullough is a 1995 graduate of Penn High School. McCullough and his wife Nicole, also a Penn grad, returned to Penn Township several years ago to raise their three children: two graduates Classes of 2020 and 2024, and another currently at Penn. McCullough is actively involved in the P-H-M community including volunteering as a Penn Freshman Football Coach.

Also at last night’s meeting, the Trustees elected the Board Officers for the coming year. Chris Riley was re-elected President; he has served consecutively as President since 2018. Ryan McCullough was also re-elected Vice President; he was elected 2023. Outgoing member Clare Roach was the Board Secretary. Dana Sullivan was elected to serve as Board Secretary.

 

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Katie Bell

Last Modified January 15, 2025