Courtney Bullard

Founder & CEO of ICS

Courtney has over ten years of experience representing institutions and organizations in matters involving sexual misconduct, including 8 years as a University system attorney. As in-house counsel, she served as a trusted advisor to the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Athletic Director, Director of Office and Equity and Diversity, Title IX Coordinator, Provost and other top level administrators on all legal matters affecting the institution. Her breadth of knowledge and familiarity with the unique aspects of a college campus provide a distinctive approach to partnering with institutions and school districts to assist with their legal needs. She excels in advising clients on all aspects of institutional compliance, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization amendments to the Jeanne Clery Act, and specializes in providing legal advice to institutions during sexual misconduct, stalking and relationship violence investigations. Courtney regularly provides Title IX and Clery training to organizations, attorneys, institutions and school districts, serves as an external investigator into allegations of sexual misconduct, and provides expert witness testimony on matters dealing with institutional response to allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and hazing in litigation.

Courtney is the host of The Law & Higher Ed Podcast and is nationally recognized for her contributions to news media, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and VICE news on HBO. Courtney is the creator of Title IX University, an on-line digital platform that provides Title IX training.

Courtney received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1998. She graduated from the University of Memphis School of Law in 2001, where she served on the law review as a Comments Editor. Prior to serving as Associate General Counsel for the University of Tennessee, she worked for Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell and Husch & Eppenberger. Courtney also teaches Business Law as an Adjunct Professor for the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and Southern New Hampshire University. Courtney is a member of NACUA and Workplace Investigations Group and is recognized as Lawyer of Distinction in Higher Education.

Courtney has two girls, Campbell (17) and Charlotte (13), and two bonus children, Tyler (18) and Austin (21). In her free time, you will find her with her husband, Todd, cheering on their children in all of their events and activities.

Licensed in TN

Betsy Smith

Chief Innovation Officer

Betsy brings a unique skill set to the ICS team, having served as both a student affairs professional and an assistant district attorney. Most recently, she worked for five years as a Director of Student Conduct and Deputy Title IX Coordinator at a large state institution where she conducted and oversaw over 2,000 Title IX and other campus investigations a year. The combination of Betsy’s familiarity with campus life, Title IX, and her background as prosecutor provides for a distinct, trauma informed, approach to her investigations. Betsy also specializes in using and presenting data to inform an institution’s prevention and response efforts in addressing sexual misconduct.

Betsy earned her B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, in 2006, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she was a member of the Lady Vols Swim Team. She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2009. She served as an Assistant District Attorney from 2009-2014 and worked at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from 2014-2019.

Betsy and her husband, Jared have one son, Brogen (11). In her free time, Betsy can be found coaching local high school and middle school swim teams and chauffeuring her son to all his sports practices.

Licensed in TN

Celeste Bradley

Chief Solutions Officer

Celeste has been a labor and employment lawyer for almost two decades, serving as Associate General Counsel at BlueCross BlueShield over their labor and employment division (with over 6,000 employees in offices across Tennessee) and in-house employment counsel for a large trucking company and parking services company. Celeste adds a new dimension to our team, providing diversity training and programming, Title VI, Title VII and other Human Resource Professional training and workplace investigations for the private sector and education institutions. Serving as in-house counsel provided Celeste with valuable experience in the importance of providing efficient and thorough assistance while presenting the information with an understanding of the business needs. She is successful in partnering with companies to develop strategies for success while remaining compliant with applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, she provides union negotiation support from the election process to finalizing the collective bargaining agreement. She also has experience in drafting and implementing pandemic plans and building Crisis Response Team and plans.

Celeste attended the University of Memphis and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in English in 1999. She then attended the University of Tennessee School of Law, graduating in 2003. While in law school, Celeste was President of the Black Law Students Association, received the Dean’s Excellence Award and was selected for the Fredrick Douglas Moot Court team. She moved to Chattanooga in 2003 to begin her career with Shumaker, Witt, Gaither and Whitaker followed by Baker Donelson where she practiced employment law and defense litigation. Celeste served as Associate General Counsel for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee for thirteen years.

Celeste is married to Drew Bradley and has two sons, Austin (12) and Spencer (16) along with a four-legged daughter, Rosie a Goldendoodle. She enjoys traveling with her family and being a soccer mom.

Licensed in TN

Amy Buck

Senior Title IX & Equity Specialist / Attorney / Team Lead

Amy has practiced law for over ten years and has a background in higher education, having served as an acting director of admissions and as a college professor. Since her admission to the bar, Amy has worked in private practice, handling cases ranging from employment and corporate law to personal injury and domestic matters. Most recently, Amy has served as the staff attorney for a local court, where she was responsible for conducting legal research, drafting proposals and orders, compiling data, writing policies, and establishing procedures compliant with law and regulations. In her continuing role as an adjunct college professor, Amy has developed curriculums, served as a department coordinator, and taught courses specific to law and business. Amy brings a unique perspective to the team, having served in various roles at faith-based institutions.

Amy earned her B.S. in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from Toccoa Falls College in 2004, where she was very involved in campus life, including serving as a resident assistant and traveling with a college choral team. In 2011, Amy graduated from Liberty University School of Law, where she served on the school’s Client Counseling Team and worked in the School of Law Library.

Amy and her husband, Andy, have two boys, Asher (9) and Adam (6). When she is free, Amy loves to spend time at home with her family, decorate her home, read, and binge-watch true crime docuseries.

Licensed in GA

Brittany Gates

Title IX And Equity Specialist

Brittany has worked in various capacities in the higher education field for the past ten years prior to joining the ICS team. Most recently, Brittany served for three years as the Title IX Coordinator and Director of Student Care at a small private university. In these roles, Brittany focused on developing new systems to increase communication and transparency about Title IX and mental health on campus to enhance trust and safety among the campus community members through training, programming, and conversations. Brittany continues to serve as a part-time college instructor teaching a crisis intervention curriculum that includes education on sexual harassment prevention and response. Prior to her work in Title IX, Brittany served as the Assistant Director of the on-campus Counseling Center and an on-campus clinical mental health provider for seven years. Brittany obtained her professional counseling license in 2014 and practiced as a licensed professional counselor with mental health service provider designation (LPC-MHSP) in the state of Tennessee until 2021 when she retired her license in good standing to pursue work in Title IX. She also has experience working in the community mental health setting and has worked in local juvenile court settings with youth and adolescents needing ongoing support. Her combination of on-the-ground Title IX experience paired with her clinical mental health training lends to her trauma-informed and person-centered approach to this work. Additionally, Brittany brings direct experience in working with faith-based institutions.

Brittany earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Lee University in 2009, where she was a student-athlete on the softball team. She earned her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling in 2011 with internship and work experiences during graduate school focused on a youth and adolescent demographic including working part-time at an elementary school.

Brittany and her husband, Chris, have two kids, Bryson (10) and Brooklyn (7). Most of her free time is spent shuttling her kids and their friends around to various sporting events. She coaches softball in the local rec league, loves a good board game, and always has room for dessert.

Erica D’Agostino

Senior Title IX & Equity Specialist / Team Lead

Prior to joining the team at ICS, Erica worked for over 20 years in the field of education, sharing her time between K-12 and higher education. She began her career as a school psychologist working for a large NJ school district. Eventually Erica transitioned into higher education, directing a student support office and later serving as dean of advising for a prominent liberal arts college. During this time, in addition to her key duties as dean, Erica also began her work in the area of Title IX as an advisor and doing appellate work. After 12 years in higher education, Erica was ready to return to her roots in K-12 and took on the role of assistant head of school at a small independent school in PA. In this role, Erica was responsible for a wide array of student-facing services and worked as part of a team honing the school’s bias response protocols. Most recently, Erica served several universities as a Civil Rights investigator, advisor, and interim director of accessibility services, where she enjoyed her direct work with students and community partners.

Erica earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Art from Lafayette College in 1995. She then went on to Seton Hall University where she earned a Master of Arts in Counseling, Educational Specialist Degree in School Psychology, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy.

Erica has two daughters who attend college in Louisiana. When she is not at work you will find Erica and her partner, Don, near the water in Florida, New Jersey, and Belize; she and her family enjoy boating, swimming, fishing, crabbing, and diving. She also enjoys reading a good psychological thriller while cuddled up with her English Bulldog, Venice.

Kelsey Baker

Case Manager

Kelsey has over a decade of experience working in higher education, having served in various roles within student affairs, academic affairs, and compliance. Most recently, Kelsey served as Title IX Coordinator at a private university, where she played a pivotal role in ensuring seamless compliance and student support amidst evolving federal and state regulations. Prior to her work in Title IX, Kelsey developed and implemented comprehensive retention initiatives as the Director of Student Success and Retention for her institution. Kelsey also comes with experience in the K12 setting, where she strived for equitable education outcomes as a Family Engagement Specialist for a Title I school.

Kelsey obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2012 and immediately began work in student affairs. She went on to complete a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration in 2015.

Kelsey is a Florida native and relocated to southeast Tennessee in 2010. She and her husband, Andy, have two young children, Nora and Brooks, and two German Shepherds. As a family, they enjoy spending time at the beach or lake and exploring the Chattanooga area.

Ryan McKinney

Title IX & Equity Specialist

Prior to joining ICS, Ryan spent fifteen years working in the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania, serving in roles spanning juvenile justice, pretrial supervision, adult incarceration, and community-based supervision. Throughout his career, he focused on accountability, court compliance, and effective supervision across a range of populations.

Ryan later transitioned into higher education, where he spent five years serving as a Civil Rights and Title IX Investigator for multiple private institutions. Through this work, he developed comprehensive expertise in regulatory compliance, investigations, and equitable resolution processes, ultimately advancing to the role of Deputy Title IX Coordinator at a private institution in Pennsylvania. Most recently, Ryan served as Director of Title IX and Equal Opportunity Compliance and Title IX Coordinator at a private institution in New Jersey, where he successfully designed, implemented, and led a comprehensive, forward-thinking Title IX program over a three-year period.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Kutztown University and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from The Pennsylvania State University.

Ryan resides in Southeast Pennsylvania with his wife, Kellie, and their two sons. Outside of his work at ICS, he remains actively involved in youth athletics, coaching baseball for several age groups for a large club organization as well as supporting his sons on the field, who share the love of baseball.

Kendall Horneman

Title IX & Equity Specialist

Prior to joining the ICS team as a Title IX and Equity Specialist, Kendall worked in higher education and civil rights compliance for the past decade. Most recently, Kendall served as a Title IX and Equity Investigator for a network of healthcare institutions in the United States and the Caribbean. In this capacity she focused on equitable and trauma-informed investigations while supporting institutional compliance efforts through training and policy reviews.

Before transitioning to investigation work, Kendall served in various roles in student affairs and residential life, gaining extensive experience in crisis response, student conduct, conflict resolution, and training facilitation.

Kendall earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Framingham State University and a Master of Education in Higher Education from James Madison University (Go Dukes!)

Originally from Massachusetts, Kendall now lives in Virginia with her family. She enjoys spending time outside with neighbors and friends, amateur gardening, and visiting local coffee shops.

Kelly Florio

Senior Title IX, Equity & ADA Specialist/Attorney

Kelly brings ICS a unique insider’s perspective on federal civil rights enforcement and extensive experience with laws that directly impact schools, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. An attorney for more than 25 years, she spent most of her career with the Department of Justice in United States Attorneys’ Offices, most recently as a Senior Civil Rights Counsel in the District of New Jersey, where she received numerous awards for her contributions to civil rights enforcement. She worked directly on federal civil rights enforcement involving disability rights, religious discrimination, race, sex, color, and national origin discrimination, and employment discrimination, issues that affect school and educational communities daily. She also represented schools in private practice in general and special education matters, giving her a practical understanding of the challenges that schools and higher education institutions face in meeting their compliance obligations. Kelly loves helping people understand complex civil rights requirements in a way that is clear, practical, and actionable. She has trained Department of Justice attorneys and staff on civil rights topics, as well as school leaders and community groups, for many years.

Kelly graduated magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University in 1996 and received her J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1999. In addition to her practical experience, she has also been an instructor and courtroom leader for the Department of Justice’s main training facility, the National Advocacy Center, for over 15 years.

Kelly lives in New Jersey with her husband, their two children, and their adorable dog, Munchkin. In her free time, she is generally attending her kids’ various games or performances or on her Peloton.

Sara Walsh

Consultant

Sara Walsh has practiced law for over 15 years, specializing in equity and workplace investigations, employment law, and compliance. Licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2010, Sara has built a diverse career across private practice and specialized consulting. Her expertise includes conducting neutral fact-finding investigations into Title IX and equity matters, drafting defensible investigative reports, and advising leadership on regulatory risk. Sara is a bilingual Spanish-speaking professional, ensuring language accessibility in complex legal matters.

Sara earned her B.A. in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, graduating with High Distinction. She then earned her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2010, where she received the Public Interest Law Award and served as the Senior Editor of the Children’s Legal Rights Journal.

Sara and her husband, Marty, are the proud parents of five young children. As a family, they stay active by playing and coaching youth sports. Deeply involved in her community, Sara also enjoys volunteering on her children’s School Advisory Board and advocating for Type 1 diabetes research.

Licensed in IL

Jessica Thomas

Director of Operations

Since attending West Chester University of PA and King’s College, Jessica Thomas has gained 20 years of business administration and operations management experience in both the corporate and nonprofit worlds. Drawing from personal involvement, Jess also has 10 years of experience as a volunteer Special Education Advocate for families navigating through the complicated world of public education and IEPs (Individualized Education Programs).

Jessica grew up in northeast Pennsylvania and relocated to Chattanooga, TN in 2004. She and her husband Ink have two children, Olivia (17) and Ian (14). Jess enjoys being a “Soccer Mom” and researching “real life haunted houses” in her free time.

Jordyn Evans

Operations Manager

Jordyn earned her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and later completed her MBA at West Chester University. Since obtaining her degrees, she has gained almost a decade of experience in both business operations and project management within several enterprise organizations.

Jordyn lives in northeast Pennsylvania with her husband, Bill, and their two young children, Brooks and Reese. In her free time she enjoys reading, working on home renovation projects, and spending quality time outdoors.

Christopher Simmons

Client Development Executive

Chris has nearly 2 decades of experience in the K-12 education space as a teacher, administrator, and education consultant. The last decade Chris has focused on business development helping school districts and higher education institutions reach compliance and improve graduation rates.

Chris played college tennis at Towson University, received his MBA from the University of Florida, and Ph. D. from Florida Atlantic University in Educational Leadership. Outside of work, he enjoys skiing, cycling, and playing tennis.

Jim Kelly

Client Development Executive

Jim has been in the SaaS space for over 23 years, with the last 12 in Education Technology. During this time he has developed and deployed solution platforms for some of the largest school districts in the country. Jim has a passion for assisting the underserved student populations, specifically Special Education.

Jim resides in the Northern Neck area of Virginia with his wife Amy and 4 children (14-20). When not coaching youth baseball, basketball, and football he can be found on the various ponds and rivers surrounding his home casting a line.

Jared Smith

Client Development Executive

Jared has served in public schools for nearly two decades in both Georgia and Tennessee. He spent his first years in education teaching at the high school level, followed by over 10 years in an administrative role. Through his tenure as a middle school assistant principal and an elementary principal, Jared served as both a building-level Title IX coordinator and Section 504 coordinator.

Jared completed his bachelor’s degree in History at Mercer University, followed by a master’s degree in education from the University of Georgia. He also earned a master’s degree and specialist degree in educational leadership from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee’s Leadership Academy for school leaders. Jared and his wife, Betsy, have one son, Brogen (11). When he’s not helping to coach one of his son’s various travel sports teams, he can be found playing catch in the yard or shooting hoops in the driveway.

Skyler Jones

Client Success Representative

Skyler earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Missouri and later completed her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction at Northwest Missouri State University. She spent the early years of her career teaching kindergarten and first grade in a large Kansas City school district, and as a sales development representative. Throughout her career, Skyler has been passionate about making a difference in education and building meaningful relationships.

Skyler lives in Tampa, Florida with her partner and their two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, kayaking, hiking, and trying new restaurants.