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Bob Obrohta

Executive Director

Bob Obrohta is an expert in college access and success for first-generation/low-income students. His 35-year career spans being a practitioner for thousands of students directly, as well as designing numerous scholarships and access programs for colleges, organizations, and communities across the country.

Bob began in college admissions and financial aid at Beloit College (WI) and ran Beloit’s TRIO Upward Bound program. In Tennessee, his career spans leading the Ayers Foundation Scholars Program, and founding both Oasis College Connection (Nashville), and the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. His commitment to access has helped bring numerous federal, state, and corporate resources to Tennessee communities.

A low-income/first-gen student himself, Bob is a recipient of the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) Executive Leadership Award of Excellence. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of St. Francis (IL) and is the recipient of its College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni award. He has a master’s degree in Higher and Adult Continuing Education from Columbia University, Teachers College (NYC).

(615) 427-9720
bobrohta@tncollegeaccess.org

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Wendy Blackmore

Deputy Director

With 20+ years experience in college access and success, Wendy has worked with programs such as The Kresge Foundation’s CoPro2.0, JP Morgan’s New Skills Ready Grant, Ed Trust TN’s Thrive initiative, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), the College Access Challenge Grant, KnowHow2Go and Race to the Top. Wendy earned a master's degree in public relations and advertising from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree in communication from Mississippi State University.

wblackmore@tncollegeaccess.org

John Paul Gray

Director of Postsecondary Access and Success Programs

JP has over 20 years of experience in college access and success. A proud First-Generation/Low-Income (FLI) student himself, JP’s personal journey fuels his mission to remove systemic barriers and expand opportunities for underserved students. His previous roles include Project Director for GEAR UP at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools—impacting over 2,700 students with a $1.9 million annual budget—and leadership positions at South Beloit High School and Beloit College Upward Bound, where he championed college readiness initiatives.

JP is the founder of the Nashville Scholars Initiative (NSI), which mentors high-achieving, low-income students through selective college admissions and long-term success. His work spans federal grant management, academic enrichment, team leadership, and strategic partnerships. JP currently serves on several advisory boards, including the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Nashville. Through both his professional roles and community leadership, JP continues to drive transformative change in college access across Nashville and beyond. JP earned a master of science in education from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater and a bachelor of arts degree from Beloit College.

jpgray@tncollegeaccess.org

Andrew Hunt

Strategic Initiatives Manager

Andrew has more than six years of experience working in higher education in Tennessee. He holds a master’s degree in human rights from the University of Vienna. His graduate thesis examined Tennessee’s financial aid programs through the lens of international human rights law, with a focus on the human right to education. Andrew also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in corporate management from Lipscomb University. Prior to joining the TN College Access and Success Network, Andrew worked on the Adult Learner Initiatives team at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

ahunt@tncollegeaccess.org