BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Debbie Harrison

PRESIDENT

Debbie Harrison is a Provider Reimbursement, Payment Integrity & Innovations Consultant, responsible for analytical project management, system implementation, and research analysis at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. She has been with Blue Cross for 33 years. Debbie is a graduate of Bessemer Academy and attended the University of Montevallo. Debbie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.

Debbie has been on the Board of Directors since 2020. She has served / is currently serving on the following boards over the past 20 years: Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church (Administrative and Executive Board), Junior Service League, Senior Ambassador / Chamber of Commerce.



Debbie lives in Bessemer with her husband, Wayne, and their son, Dawson, who attends Bessemer Academy.

Brooke Nixon

VICE PRESIDENT

Brooke Nixon is a partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, a labor and employment firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. Brooke works out of Constangy’s Birmingham office focusing on employment litigation and employment law advice and counsel. Brooke attended Bessemer Academy from the sixth grade until her senior year, when she graduated as salutatorian of her 2002 class. She attended Auburn University and then graduated from the University of Alabama in 2005 with degrees in political science and philosophy. In 2008, Brooke graduated from Cumberland School of Law second in her class.

Brooke has been on the Board of Directors of Bessemer Academy since 2014. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Tuscaloosa YMCA for a number of years, and in 2016 she was named the first female President of the Tuscaloosa YMCA Board of Directors. During her tenure as Board President, the YMCA constructed and opened a multi-million dollar new building. Brooke was also a founding member of the Young Professionals of Tuscaloosa where she served as Director of the Board for five years.

Brooke is married to Michael Nixon, also a member of the Bessemer Academy 2002 graduating class.

Brooke and Michael live in Hoover with their two daughters, Tyler and Harper, who also attend Bessemer Academy.

Kellan Bert

TREASURER

Kellan Burt works as a production manager for Kykenkee, Inc., a wood products manufacturing facility in Vance, AL.  After graduating from Bessemer Academy, which he attended for 13 years, Kellan enrolled at the University of Alabama, where he earned degrees in Mathematical Statistics and Computer Science.

Kellan currently serves on the Woodstock Parks and Recreation Board. He also volunteers, coaching youth basketball, baseball, and softball.

Kellan and his wife Kim live in Woodstock, AL. They have four children, three of whom currently attend Bessemer Academy.

Jade Beck

SECRETARY

Jade Beck is an accounting manager at the Association of Related Churches (ARC), a non-profit church planting organization, where he helps oversee the financial stewardship of the organization. He has been with ARC for over 10 years. Jade is a Bessemer Academy graduate and attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting.

Jade has been on the Bessemer Academy Board of Directors since 2025 and has served numerous boards at church and community parks and recreation.

Jade is married to his wife, Evan Beck, also a Bessemer Academy graduate and together they have four children: Stella Jade, Steven, Beau, and Micah, who attend Bessemer Academy.

Allen Smith

Allen is the Birmingham Branch Manager at Landscape Associates Inc. (LAI), where he has worked for four years. He graduated from McAdory High School in 2002. In addition to his professional role, Allen serves on the deacon board of Shannon First Baptist Church.



Allen and his wife, Erin, reside in Shannon, AL, with their three children: Samantha, Emmett, and Maddie, who all attend Bessemer Academy.

Polly Bice

Polly is a speaker, a writer, and the host of the Made to Matter Podcast. She graduated from Oak Grove High School and went on to attend Jefferson State Community College and UAB. Polly speaks at colleges, churches, and women’s events encouraging youth and women. She creates tools and resources to help with recognizing how someone is equipped to live life on mission and make it matter.

Polly and her husband have been foster parents in Jefferson County for seven years and have fostered over 35 children. She is an advocate for foster care and child welfare. She is the co-founder of Altar84, an organization that exist to encourage and equip the church to care for orphans and children in need. In addition, she co-founded Know More Orphans, an initiative that created resources for foster and adoptive families along with conferences and workshops. Polly is currently on the planning committee for the Foster Coalition in Birmingham.

Polly has been married to her husband, Shawn, for 28 years. They are raising a multi-ethnic family that includes 12 children. Nine of their children currently attend Bessemer Academy.

Mark Rhea

Gregg Roberts