Melissa Spradlin

Melissa Spradlin has served as the executive director of Book’em since December 2007. Book’em is a children’s literacy organization in Nashville, TN. Under her leadership, Book’em has grown exponentially from distributing 30,000 books annually to 120,000 and providing 100 classroom reading role models annually to 270. She has served on various education and literacy-related committees in Nashville during her tenure at Book’em.

Spradlin previously served as the educational services manager at The Tennessean, which she joined in 1994. At The Tennessean, she managed all aspects of the Newspaper In Education program. From 1990 to 1993, she served as assistant to the coordinator of School/Community Partnerships in Waco, Texas.

Book’em, The Tennessean Newspaper In Education program, and Melissa have received numerous awards from Cumberland Pediatric Foundation, Center for Nonprofit Management, Reading Is Fundamental, Hands on Nashville, Alignment Nashville, the National Association of Newspapers Foundation, Tennessee Press Association, Youth Editors Association, and The Tennessean Lifetime Customer Program.

She is a graduate of DePauw University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree. She completed her Master of Public Affairs degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin in 1994.

Spradlin lives in Franklin, TN with her husband. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.