Board

Ryan Strain, Vice Chairman, School Board Position 1

Ryan and his wife, Sarah, grew up in Germantown and returned in 2017 to raise their family.  Ryan and Sarah’s primary reason for moving back to Germantown was so they could send their children to Germantown schools.  All three of their sons attend schools within the District.

Ryan attended Dogwood Elementary, Houston Middle, and Houston High (class of 2001). He graduated from the University of Memphis in 2005 with a degree in history and then graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2008. Ryan is a lawyer with a focus on civil litigation, though he has counseled clients on various other matters, as well.

Ryan is passionate about serving others and education.  He has received honors from his law firm for his pro bono legal service, and he has been involved with or volunteered for the Dogwood PTO Board, the Dogwood Dads, the City of Germantown’s Historic Commission, Leadership Germantown, the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County Foster Care Review Board, the Tennessee Bar Association’s Public Service Academy, the United Way, Advance Memphis, the Hospitality Hub, Nathan Street Ministries, and the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation TEAM Mentoring Program. He also served on the Board of Directors for Operation Broken Silence, a nonprofit helping to fund a primary and secondary school in Yida Refugee Camp near the border of Sudan and South Sudan. Ryan is also an active member of First Evangelical Church, where he serves on the Memphis Ministries Team.

Ryan served as the Germantown Board of Education's liaison to the Tennessee General Assembly from December 2020 (shortly after his election to the Board) until December 2022. Ryan then served as Chairman of the Board in 2023 and 2024.  Ryan currently serves as the Board’s Vice-Chairman and liaison to the City of Germantown's Education Commission.

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Brian Curry, TLN Representative, School Board Position 3

Brian Curry has been a resident of Germantown since 2007. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, majoring in Transportation and Logistics. In 1996, while in college, he began working for FedEx and after graduation, became an Operations Manager. Brian managed FedEx station operations at multiple locations across Mississippi and the Nashville area. After an 8-year stint in management, Brian moved to FedEx World Headquarters and became a Management Facilitator. In this role, he trained managers and engineers and conducted training and implementations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America. He currently serves as project manager for FedEx international operations policies and procedures and FedEx practices for international operations.

Brian was a founding member of the Forest Hill Elementary PTO, serving on the board as the Legislative Chairman. He was on the Bylaws Committee that helped form the PTO at Forest Hill Elementary and was thrilled to be a part of opening a brand new school. He previously volunteered with the Dogwood Dads as part of the Dogwood PTO. He has served as a Community Advisor on the board of Farmington Presbyterian Day School, a leading preschool program in the city of Germantown that many of our GMSD students utilize for its before and aftercare programs. He has also served in the past as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Cedar Lake Homeowners’ Association. 

In addition to serving as an elected official on the School Board, Brian serves as a Cooperative Weather Observer for Germantown for the National Weather Service office in Memphis, recording daily weather events, precipitation, and storm spotting and reporting.

Brian has been married for twenty-three years to Kristi Curry. They have two daughters, Caroline and Linley. Caroline is in the 11th grade at Houston High School and Linley is in the 7th grade at Houston Middle School. Brian enjoys traveling, diving, playing golf, and being active in the community. He is a proud Eagle Scout. Brian and his family attend Germantown Church of Christ.

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Angela Griffith, Chairman, School Board Position 4

Angela Griffith is a third-generation resident of Germantown having attended our own Riverdale Elementary School and graduating from Germantown High School (Class of ’94). She then earned a BA from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, majoring in history and political science.

After college, she completed the course for Rule 31 Family Mediation Certification. She then began giving back to one of her favorite organizations from childhood, the Germantown Youth Athletic Association. Griffith served as co-director of the association’s softball program from 1999-2001. In 2005, Griffith became a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) through Shelby County Juvenile Court to be the legal advocate for children who were removed from their parents’ custody.

Professionally, Griffith has worked in foodservice sales and marketing since 1999 and at her current position as regional sales manager for St. Clair Foods, a local food manufacturing company, since 2002.

She and her husband Brad have been married since 2007, moving back to Germantown in 2010 to raise their family. They have two sons, Henry an 11th grader at Houston High and John David an 8th grader at Houston Middle. 

As a member of the Dogwood PTA/PTO, she has volunteered for the school’s annual Springfest and Book Fair and served on the Dogwood 40th Anniversary, Gift and Appropriations Committees and currently an active member of the HMS/PTO and HHS/PTSO.

Griffith previously served as the 2nd Vice Chair on the board of Farmington Presbyterian Day School, one of the primary preschools which feeds into GMSD. As an active member of St. Louis Catholic Church in East Memphis, she has taught fifth grade Sunday School since 2005. She is a graduate of Leadership Germantown Class of 2021 and currently serves on the Germantown Historic Commission.

In her leisure time, Griffith enjoys traveling, fishing and listening to live music of any kind. A political and history buff and an avid sports fan, she faithfully pulls for the Tennessee Vols, St. Louis Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys and hopes to visit every Presidential Library and Major League Baseball Park. Griffith says that it is her greatest honor to serve her hometown and its schools. She is a strong proponent of developing well rounded students, empowering our great teachers with a focus on providing a variety of opportunities in safe and updated facilities. Griffith is actively engaged with parents and the community, knowing that the success of our schools directly impacts the future of our city. 

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Andy Ellis, School Board Position 5

Andy Ellis, a long-time Germantown resident, is dedicated to serving the students, families, and educators of the Germantown Municipal School District. Originally from Halls, TN, Andy earned his accounting degree from the University of Memphis and began a career in the mortgage industry. After graduating college and living in East Memphis for 10 years, he chose to make Germantown his home with his wife Leigh, and their three children: Runyan, Byler, and Emme Leigh.

An active member of the community, Andy enjoys coaching youth lacrosse and basketball, playing golf, attending University of Memphis football and basketball games, and spending time at Horseshoe Lake with his family. Passionate about education, Andy envisions a school system that fosters belonging, provides high-quality learning opportunities for all students, and empowers every student to thrive. His mission focuses on supporting educators, cultivating a sense of community, and ensuring a bright future for all GMSD students.

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Jack Boccher, Student School Board Representative

Jack Boccher is a senior at Houston High School, whose passion for leadership and community service has set him apart. Jack is a GMSD student through and through, having attended Dogwood Elementary, Houston Middle School, and Houston High School.

Jack is a dedicated servant leader. At HHS, he and his friends started the Community Service Club, and he is consistently volunteering his time to help the GMSD community. In the 23-24 school year, Jack was a Council Leader for the GMSD Ambassadors, and he is also a Council Leader for the HHS Honors Academy. Jack is also involved with the German Club, German Honors Society, Chemistry Club, GMSD Ambassadors' Committee for Athletics, and Beta Club. He holds leadership positions in several of these pursuits.

As a member of the boys varsity soccer team, Jack has also embraced opportunities to help younger Mustangs who are new to the program. He has been an active leader for his team, both at Houston and within the Germantown community. Jack is devoted to representing the student body, and he is thankful for this opportunity to further his leadership skills.