Administration

Head of School

Patti Pickering joined Vanguard as Head of School in May 2016. She has Master’s degrees in business administration and professional counseling and over 25 years of experience in a variety of healthcare and therapeutic environments. Prior to joining Vanguard, Patti was the Vice President of the transplant programs at Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH) in Dallas and Fort Worth. Her responsibilities included directing strategic initiatives and program development including a collaboration with the Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Patti left BSWH to found and become the executive director of a non-profit serving adopted children and their families and to establish a private counseling practice for adolescents. Patti is passionate about helping children who have experienced trauma and other challenges find a safe place to heal and discover their full potential.

As Head of School, Patti combines her business and clinical experience to expand and strengthen the program at Vanguard. Under her leadership, the Vanguard Center for Neurological Health (VCNH) was launched in April 2019, offering a continuum of therapeutic services at the school including testing, individual and family therapy, speech, occupational and nuerotherapies. VCNH clinicians collaborate closely with the school teachers and staff to assist students in achieving their highest potential.

When she isn’t at Vanguard, Patti enjoys spending time with her family. Patti also enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, birdwatching, and spending time with friends as well as her dogs, Cory, Bodie, and River.

Director of Clinical Services

Stephanie Cherry brings over a decade of experience to her role as Director of Clinical Services at Vanguard Preparatory School. For the past four years, she has served as the Vice President of Clinical Services at Vanguard Center for Neurological Health (VCNH), where she provided leadership and direct support to individuals across the autism spectrum and their families. As both a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Stephanie is passionate about blending counseling strategies with behavior analytic principles to foster meaningful and lasting chang

In her new role at VPS, Stephanie leads the clinical team and works collaboratively with students, families, and staff to support the social, emotional, and behavioral growth of every learner. She is most excited about building strong relationships with students and families, and working together to find creative, practical solutions that foster growth, resilience, and lasting impact

Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family, reading, being outdoors, and drinking (more than) her fair share of coffee.

Director of Academic Services

Ashere’ comes with over a decade’s worth of experience in various educational settings, from classroom teacher, instructional specialist, and other leadership roles in public school and private industry. She has a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas-Arlington and Educational Leadership from the University of North Texas. Ashere’ holds a Principal and Kinder-8th grade Generalist teaching certificate in the state of Texas.

Ashere’s qualifications showcase success crafting and implementing comprehensive curricula and lesson plans that align with state standards and meet student needs. She enjoys working with, learning from, and motivating talented team members and utilizing educational best practices to resolve complex problems and exceed all expectations. She is highly regarded as an out-of-the-box thinker committed to continuously improving training materials, courses, and resources to optimize student outcomes and achievement. 

Other highlights from Ashere’s career demonstrate her ability to immediately contribute to Vanguard’s growing success. Ashere’ earned recognition as Campus Teacher of the Year in Plano ISD in 2016 and won a Diversity in Leadership Award from Plano in 2017. She was also selected as a demonstration classroom and event speaker to represent Nepris, a platform that connects educators and learners with a network of industry professionals. Ashere’ enthusiasm for education is evident in all she has accomplished. 

Ashere’ is following in the footsteps of her mother, a retired schoolteacher. Ashere’ lives in Plano and has a middle school daughter.  

Director of Development

James “Jim” Jenner is the Director of Development at Vanguard Prep School, overseeing fundraising initiatives to ensure the school’s education and clinical teams have the resources needed to deliver the Vanguard program. 

With over two decades of experience in nonprofit development across North Texas, Jim specializes in frontline fundraising, strategic planning, and community engagement. He is passionate about helping families in need and prioritizes donor care and fulfillment in his approach. 

Jim joined Vanguard Prep in May 2025, after nearly three years as Director of Development at TACA | The Arts Community Alliance. His career includes roles at The Salvation Army of North Texas, Dallas Summer Musicals (now Broadway Dallas), Junior Achievement of Dallas, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, and the Dallas Museum of Art. 

A Michigan native, Jim holds a BA in English from Wayne State University with a focus on American literature and the Western novel. He resides in East Dallas, enjoys urban parks and museums, and has a lifelong interest in poetics, Western philosophy, and the American novel. 

Operations Director

Jill Herrington joined the Vanguard team full-time in 2019 as Operations Director. She graduated from Baylor University with a Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and began her career as a speech therapist. Jill spent the majority of her 15 years in healthcare at Baylor Scott & White health, with experience in direct patient care, workflow analysis/redesign, clinical informatics, and leadership. Jill loves to explore how processes can be improved to increase efficiencies, quality, and enjoyment in the workplace.

Outside of work, Jill enjoys cycling, hiking, photography, and cooking. She is happiest when she’s outdoors or traveling the country with her family in their RV!

Admissions Coordinator

Lauren became involved with Vanguard when her son enrolled at the school 15 years ago, quickly immersing herself in various volunteer roles. Over the years, she has contributed significantly to the Vanguard Parent Organization (VPO), holding positions such as gala co-chair, spirit wear coordinator, special event chair, and vice president. 

Administrative Coordinator

Shannon joined the Vanguard team in 2024 after being impressed by the dedication of the staff and the supportive, nurturing environment during her visits to Wolfpack basketball games.

She graduated from Curtin Business School in Perth, Western Australia, and has extensive experience in Human Resources and Graduate Recruitment, having worked for global companies across three continents. Shannon is excited to embark on a rewarding career in education at Vanguard.

Shannon enjoys traveling, spending time with her husband and fully embracing the Texan lifestyle—whether it’s cheering on local sports teams or enjoying country music and BBQ food!

Office and Facilities Coordinator

Jen joined Vanguard as a volunteer at the front desk in January of 2025. After meeting the staff and students at the school, she instantly wanted to be a part of the Vanguard team. She has a master’s degree in Telecommunications from New York University and is a graduate of Fordham University. She began her career as a project manager building financial trading floors and has successfully enjoyed leading engineering and operations teams at nationwide wireless companies. She loves solving problems and having an immediate impact supporting the team who focus on kindness and empathy while navigating people through life.

Jen is happily married to Donna, and together, they enjoy building things, travel, music, entertaining, and playing pickleball.