Our team delivers passion, dedication, and impact-focused support for the advancement of students. We are a family of creative minds and diverse professionals who focus our different skills and expertise to create opportunities.  Read more about who we are and what drives our passion for The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's mission.

Melissa Tomblin, Executive Director

Melissa Tomblin received a Master of Business Administration from Midway University and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Communications, Education, and Leadership from the University of Kentucky. Melissa was hired in 2022 as the inaugural Executive Director of The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation after working in philanthropy for more than 10 years. She is responsible for all administrative, budgetary, and grant operations and leads all strategic planning and developmental initiatives, including programming, communications, and engagement. She enjoys developing innovative ways to connect with and provide opportunities for students, partners, mentors, and organizations.

Melissa believes in giving back and supporting community and academic organizations. She is currently the Vice President of the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Midway University Alumni Associations, and the Southside Elementary PTO. Additionally, she serves as the Woman’s Chair for the Woodford County Farm Bureau and is a board member for the Woodford County Community Fund. She resides in Versailles, KY, with her husband, Dusty, and their two children, Ella and Landon. 

Kelsey Tackett, Director of Appalachian Engagement

Kelsey Tackett received a Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership from the University of Pikeville, an Education Specialist Post Graduate Degree in School Leadership from the University of Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Global Studies, Sociology, and Anthropology from Earlham College. She received the 2011 Samuel L. Huntington Public Service Award, which led to her starting the Successful Women and Appalachian Girls (SWAG) mentoring program for middle school girls in rural Eastern Kentucky.

She became a teacher through Teach for America Appalachia and served 12 years as a science and reading teacher in the middle school classroom. In 2022, she transitioned from the classroom into district leadership as a Digital Learning Coach and served as the rover teacher to all 8th-grade students.

In 2023, Kelsey joined The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation as the Director of Appalachian Engagement where she works with Eastern Kentucky schools to promote STEM opportunities and the foundation’s engineering scholarships. As a Floyd County native and a proud Appalachian, she works diligently to promote opportunities in her community by being a part of Floyd County’s Local Laboratory of Learning (L3) committee. She and her partner, Brandon Hall, live in Hi Hat, KY, with their son, Tyler.