Board of Directors

Alex Wharton, Chair

THE WHARTON LAW FIRM

Alexander Wharton has been an attorney with The Wharton Law Firm since 2010 where he currently concentrates his practice in civil litigation, including personal injury, workers’ compensation, premises liability and municipal law, in addition to criminal defense. Previously he worked with Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham, LLP in Raleigh, North Carolina. Alexander graduated Cum laude from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2007. While enrolled in law school, Alexander was a member and president of the UNC Broun National Trial Team from 2005-2007. Alexander has served in a number of leadership capacities with bar and other civic organizations such as the American Bar Association-Section of Litigation, Memphis Bar Association, Boy Scouts of America and Books from Birth.

Sarah Stuart

BURCH, PORTER & JOHNSON PLLC 

Sarah (Smith) Stuart is an attorney at Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC, where she practices civil litigation and labor and employment law.  Sarah previously served as a law clerk in federal district court and on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is an adopted Memphian, having graduated from Rhodes College and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. While in law school, Sarah was involved in the founding of the Memphis Community Bail Fund and has experience in voting rights restoration and expungement.

Natalie McKinney

WHOLE CHILD STRATEGIES, INC

Natalie is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Whole Child Strategies, Inc. She has served as the Director of Policy for both Shelby County Schools and legacy Memphis City Schools, which included policy development and legislative planning. Prior to moving to Memphis, Natalie founded and directed the Juvenile Law Clinic at North Carolina Central University School of Law, providing a holistic approach to representing youth accused of delinquent behavior and expelled from school. She was recently appointed to the Shelby County Juvenile Justice Consortium Board and has served on the advisory board of the Southern Juvenile Defender Center and the board of the Child Advocacy Commission of Durham. Natalie holds a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; a Master of Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton; and a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College. 

Jane Van Deren Pera

Jane Van Deren Pera is currently retired, but was most recently the Corporate Director at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. In her position there, Van Deren helped rehabilitate the employee benefit system to make sure healthcare employees were guaranteed better pensions than they had previously received. She has a long history as a Finance Director, Project Director, and CPA. Currently, Van Deren is on the Board of Directors for A Step Ahead Foundation, which aims to help women access long acting reversible contraception by training healthcare professionals and the community and providing free birth control for women in Memphis. Van Deren has previously served as the Board President of  A Step Ahead. She is also a Pastoral Council Member at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Van Deren received her Bachelor’s in Economics from Rhodes College.