Board of Education

Amanda has over 20 years of business and non-profit management experience and has held leadership positions with Project 20/20, Generation E Institute/Center for Entrepreneurship, Battle Creek Unlimited and Marshall Economic Development.  In these roles and others, Amanda has been responsible for the acceleration of early stage and start-up companies, community engagement for city-wide initiatives, administration of grant and public art programs, co-development of an arts incubator, business recruitment and retention, expansion of Marshall’s 700-acre industrial and research park and more.  She is currently the CEO of the Battle Creek Area Association of REALTORS.

Amanda earned her B.A. from Western Michigan University with a major in finance and minor in general business. She is also a Harwood Certified Coach by the Harwood Institute of Public Innovation.
In her “spare” time, Amanda enjoys traveling, reading, gardening, playing volleyball and coaching soccer and basketball.  She resides in Marshall with her husband and two children (two on earth and one in spirit).

Growing up with seven family members who worked in the Chicago Public Schools is what made Marjorie Newman not only aware of the importance of education, but also the importance of leadership in education.

Marjorie is the Director of Student Transitions and Academic Success at Olivet College. Her primary focus is cultivating a positive first-year transition and onboarding experience for all incoming freshmen. Marjorie advocates for students by aiding in their development and providing assistance to ensure every student matriculates successfully through OC. Prior to this position, Marjorie served several years as faculty in three higher education institutions, including two in North Carolina (Louisburg College and Saint Augustine’s University) and one in Louisiana (Grambling State University). She taught developmental writing, journalism, and public relations courses. In addition to teaching and academically advising students, Marjorie served as her department’s undergraduate coordinator, QEP faculty liaison, curriculum council member, and Summer Bridge director.

Marjorie is an active community member who serves on the Kids ‘N’ Stuff Children’s Museum Board in Albion, MI, and is a member of both the Albion Area Philanthropic Women and the Albion Chapter of the NAACP. 

Marjorie is in the doctoral dissertation phase of her postgraduate program in developmental education with a concentration in higher education administration at Grambling State University. She earned her master’s degree in journalism from Roosevelt University in Chicago and her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

Marjorie and Marc Newman have been married for 25 years and are the parents of three young adults, and the grandparents of an energetic 6-year-old girl. They enjoy playing golf, watching movies, and visiting with family and friends.

Matthew A. Davis is a 1988 graduate of Marshall High School, where he excelled on the gridiron, earning 1st Team All-State Honors and a full athletic scholarship to play football at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1992, and after a stint as the Inter-Collegiate Athletics Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, Davis returned to Marshall and began a career in real estate brokerage. He is currently licensed as a Real Estate Broker and is the owner of Real Estate One Rosemary Davis.  Professionally, Matt was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to the State of Michigan Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons, where he served 8 years including 4 years as chairperson. He served two terms as president of the Battle Creek Area Association of Realtors and was the 2019 President of the 35,000 members Michigan Realtors. Davis was elected to the Marshall School Board in November 2020 for a six year term and has been elected to serve on the Kellogg Community College Board of Trustees since 2007, and is currently the longest-serving trustee.   Matt also volunteers on the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance Board of Directors as its Chairperson and The Haven of Rest Ministries Board of Directors in Battle Creek. He is a member of Marshall United Methodist Church and is a vocalist in the Worship Band along with his daughter Kendall. He is married to Leigh and has three daughters at home, Hunter/grandson Andrew (MHS Grad), Kendall (MHS Grad) and Madelyn (MHS Junior) and daughter Paige (MHS Grad) who lives in Grosse Pointe with her husband Derek and 3 children.  Matt's Father Raymond "Cactus" Davis served as a Drafting Teacher, Assistant Principal and Principal at MHS before retiring around 2000 after working for MPS for 40 years.  

Derek Allen is a proud parent of a Redhawk and considers his role as a father "the most important hat" he will ever wear. Wanting to help ensure the best education possible for his son and all of the children of Marshall Public Schools is what drove Derek to join the board. Derek hopes that his passion for learning and professional experience as an educator by trade makes him an asset to the board and the broader district.

Though Derek resides in the City of Marshall he also has significant ties to the Albion community, having worked for Starr Commonwealth for over a decade. At Starr he currently serves as their Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, providing administrative leadership to all programs and teams within the organization and thought leadership to the greater field of positive youth development, trauma-informed and resilience-focused care and practices, and the important work of racial healing.

When not performing dad or Starr duties Derek can often be found walking his beloved Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Ollie, around Marshall, usually to the iconic Brooks Memorial Fountain, or relaxing on his front porch enjoying a hot coffee or cold brew.