Grant Coates
ceo & President
Grant Coates has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of The Miles Foundation since 2011. Two decades ago, Mr. Coates began his work in finance and operations management for Ellison Miles’ predecessor oil and gas business, Miles Production Company. He served in various financial roles for Miles Production over the next decade, and subsequently acted as a strategic advisor to Mr. Miles and his Board of Directors in the formation of The Miles Foundation. Mr. Coates was elected to the Board of Directors for The Miles Foundation in 2009.
Today, Mr. Coates is responsible for the general management of the Foundation, which includes the oversight of regulatory and legal compliance, guidance on strategic grant funding priorities, and stewardship of the Foundation’s investments. Mr. Coates leads the Foundation’s Investment Committee, serves on the Board of several of the Foundation’s portfolio companies, and ensures the organization’s fidelity to its outlined investment strategy.
Mr. Coates takes great pride in the positive change The Miles Foundation continues to achieve for local communities through its grant projects and partners. Mr. Coates earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of North Texas, and an MBA from Texas Christian University. He is a member of AEI Enterprise Club, a co-founder of the Fort Worth chapter of the Liberty Leadership Council and currently serves on the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) Education Advisory Council. Mr. Coates has two children, Owen and Isabel, and resides in Fort Worth, Texas.
Sherry Wilson
DIRECTOR
Sherry Wilson has served on the Board of Directors of The Miles Foundation since the inception of the Foundation in 1997. Ms. Wilson originally began working for Miles Production Company in 1981. In 1993, she became Corporate Secretary for the company, as well as personal secretary to Mr. Miles. As a Director at The Miles Foundation, Ms. Wilson’s role includes managing many of the administrative duties of the Foundation, as well as participating in the grant selection process. Ms. Wilson enjoys carrying on Ellison Miles’ dream of furthering education opportunities and making a positive impact on the lives of so many people, as did Mr. Miles throughout his lifetime. Ms. Wilson received her education in Duncan, Oklahoma. She currently resides in Weatherford, Texas.
Jack Burdett
DIRECTOR
Jack Burdett has served on The Miles Foundation’s Board of Directors since the Foundation’s beginning in 1997. Mr. Burdett started working as an accountant for Ellison Miles’ oil and gas firm, Miles Production Company, in 1981. In his current position, Mr. Burdett oversees many of the day-to-day financial activities of The Miles Foundation, in addition to participating in the Foundation’s grant selection process. Mr. Burdett believes that the people at The Miles Foundation always have been genuinely dedicated to carrying out Mr. Miles’ mission, and that this passion is what propels the Foundation and enables its continued success today. Mr. Burdett earned a BBA in Accounting from the University of Oklahoma, and formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Dallas County Community College District Foundation. Mr. Burdett resides in Denton, Texas.
Sara J. Redington
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Sara Redington is Chief Philanthropy Officer for The Miles Foundation. Ms. Redington brings nearly 20 years of strategic planning, business development, and communications experience to her role. She founded Redington Solutions in 2009, a strategy and communications firm serving businesses in Texas and across the country. Prior to that endeavor, Ms. Redington led both local and international business development efforts at the global law firm of K&L Gates. Today, she connects The Miles Foundation with its mission by spearheading strategic initiatives that amplify community impact, engaging key stakeholders in the Foundation’s whole-community approach, and aligning Foundation practices with its long-term vision for success.. Ms. Redington graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Communications and Psychology. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Zach, and daughter, Emma Joy.
Jared Harrell
General Counsel
Jared Harrell joined The Miles Foundation as General Counsel in 2016. Prior to joining The Miles Foundation, Jared served as an attorney at various law firms in the DFW metroplex, where his practice focused on the successful completion of commercial transactions across a broad range of industries, including real estate, energy, agriculture, and banking. In addition to his role as General Counsel at The Miles Foundation, Jared is the Director of the Center for Real Estate at the Rawls College of Business, Texas Tech University. Jared is a graduate of Texas A&M University (BS, Agricultural Engineering), the University of Texas Law School (JD), and the University of Oxford (MSc, Law & Finance). He and his wife, Leah, are the proud parents of one daughter, Hallie May.
Mike McKee
Chief Financial Officer
Mike McKee serves as Chief Financial Officer for The Miles Foundation. Mike is a seasoned finance professional with three decades of experience in investment banking, corporate finance, and executive level financial management, and serves on the Foundation’s Investment Committee. He earned an MBA from the University of Oklahoma and spent his first decade as a corporate lender with large U.S. and European banks. For the majority of the past twenty years, he has focused on investing and M&A activities, working both as an advisor and principal on dozens of transactions comprising an aggregate value of several billion dollars. Mike and his wife LuAnn have two adult children and reside in Tool, Texas.
Jassmine Posada
Program Manager
Jassmine Posada serves as Program Manager for The Miles Foundation. In her current role, Jassmine supports all of the Foundation’s grantmaking efforts, including the Best Place for Kids!®, Best Place for Working Parents®, and Quality School Options initiatives, and stewards community partner relationships across these key program areas. Prior to The Miles Foundation, Jassmine spent 13 years in education and community engagement roles in Fort Worth. She held various positions at the Fort Worth Independent School District, including serving as an after-school supervisor, teacher, math interventionist, and coordinator. Actively engaged in the local community, Jassmine has deep experience connecting schools with community organizations in innovative ways that help improve student outcomes and provide students with enriching educational experiences. She earned her B.A. in Linguistics from Montclair State University and her M.A.C.E. in Student Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jassmine resides in Benbrook and enjoys traveling to visit her nieces and nephews in New Jersey and Florida.
Peyton Johnigan
Financial Analyst
Peyton Johnigan serves as a Financial Analyst for The Miles Foundation. Peyton assists the Foundation in managing its current investment portfolio, sourcing and evaluating potential investments, and performing due diligence on all new investment opportunities. Prior to joining The Miles Foundation, Peyton served in various roles in Financial Operations and Medical Economics for a local Health Plan Administrator in DFW. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from The University of The Ozarks and is a current Level II CFA Candidate. Peyton currently resides in Fort Worth with his wife, Brooke, and their two boys.
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