Holly Slater

Executive Director

hslater@ivyacademychattanooga.com

Holly Slater is Ivy’s Executive Director. 2019-2020 marks her 10th year at Ivy and her 5th year as an administrator. Previously, she worked in Exceptional Education and taught Senior Project, PBL, Leadership, and Health/Wellness at Ivy. Holly’s specialities include citizen science projects, energy education, Project Learning Tree, writing grants, native flora, and other environmental initiatives. She started “Future Environmental Educators of America,” a student outreach group at Ivy and was instrumental in creating the citizen science program at Ivy.  Holly earned degrees at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga: Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, minor in Women’s Studies, and Master’s Degree in Special Education. She also received the Graduate Student Achievement Award during her time at U.T.C. 

Holly says, “I believe in Ivy. I believe in choice. I believe that not every student fits into one mold of schooling. With options and choice, students can hopefully find where they fit and enjoy school. They deserve the opportunity to fall in love with education. They deserve to feel safe, confident, and happy, so that they can learn. When I hear parents say that their child now likes going to school because they attend Ivy, I know I am making a difference. Ivy has a way of making people feel happy. With fresh air, sunshine, exercise, hands-on, engaging lessons, and innovative, caring teachers, it is just an amazing adventure to be a part of.”

Holly enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling. She leads seasonal wildflower hikes on the Ivy trails. She is married to John-Mark Slater, and they have one daughter, Coco and a son, Heron.