Meet The Team
​
We engage as specialists, sharing approaches and best practices to help schools and communities achieve excellence. With over 40 years of experience, we are experts in culture and climate.
Dr. Renee C. Meeks
Founding Partner of The Power of Engagement
​
Dr. Renee C. Meeks is a seasoned educator, mentor, and public speaker with over 20 years of experience in education. Her career has encompassed various roles, from classroom instruction to leadership positions and nonprofit education outreach. Dr. Meeks began as an elementary school teacher and later taught at the middle and high school levels. She transitioned into nonprofit work as an Education Outreach Specialist before moving into administrative roles, serving as a Resident Principal and Assistant Principal at elementary and middle schools. Currently, she is an elementary school Principal.
Dr. Meeks is also a Founding Partner of The Power of Engagement, LLC., which aims to inspire and empower others to actively engage in their communities and professions.
Her academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Memphis, a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Freed-Hardeman University, a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and a certificate in Women's Entrepreneurship from Cornell University.
Dr. Meeks has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including acceptance into the New Leaders for New Schools program and recognition as an ASCD Emerging Leader in 2015. She has served on various local and national education committees and is currently a board member of Rock Life Memphis, Exquisite Pearls of Excellence, and the Tennessee affiliate of ASCD.
Dr. Tarcia Gilliam-Parrish
Founding Partner of The Power of Engagement
​
Dr. Tarcia Gilliam-Parrish is a dedicated wife, mother, educator, mentor, and motivational public speaker with over 20 years of experience in the field of education. Her extensive career includes roles in classroom instruction, instructional leadership, and community engagement. She began her journey as an elementary school substitute teacher and went on to lead district-level Summer School programs. Dr. Gilliam-Parrish has also served as an Assistant Principal and Principal at inner-city public middle schools.
​
As a Founding Partner of The Power of Engagement, LLC., she is committed to inspiring and empowering others to engage actively in their communities and professional lives.
​
Dr. Gilliam-Parrish holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Memphis, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Freed-Hardeman University, a Doctor of Education in Leadership in K-12 Administration from Bethel University, and a certificate in Women's Entrepreneurship from Cornell University.
She is actively involved in the educational community, serving on several educational boards and presenting at local, state, and national conferences. Dr. Gilliam-Parrish has published articles and teacher professional development materials, and she contributed chapter 10, “Implementing ExC-ELL: A Principal’s Perspective,” in Teaching Reading to English Learners Grades 6-12 by Margarita Espino Calderon and Shawn Slakk. She has collaborated with Dr. Calderon to implement a framework for improving achievement in schools. Additionally, she serves as the Shelby and Desoto County Executive Director of The Exquisite Pearls of Excellence, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring young girls.
