Getting To Know Our School Board Members
Mr. Joe Chiarella represents District Three and brings extensive experience in military service, government, emergency medical services, and business leadership to the Fayette County Public Schools Board of Education.
A native of New York, Mr. Chiarella was raised by his single father, a lifelong butcher. At age 17, he joined the United States Army and received his first duty assignment in Baumholder, Germany. During his military career, he served in 21 countries and became a combat veteran, Special Operations Advanced Tactical Practitioner, paratrooper, senior jumpmaster, pathfinder, master breacher, and weapons and tactics instructor. He also graduated from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center’s Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center and School.
Mr. Chiarella’s work was published in the U.S. Army’s Long Range Surveillance Leaders Handbook, and he continues to speak at military graduations and events. Following his retirement from the United States Army, he taught U.S. and foreign Special Operations units for a private tactical training company. In his final assignment with the United States government, he lived in Amman, Jordan, and worked for the Department of State as a weapons and tactics instructor for the U.S. Embassy guard program.
Following his government service, Mr. Chiarella served as a president and regional director for emergency medical services companies throughout Tennessee. He currently serves as a regional director of business development for a nationwide staffing firm and continues to teach weapons and tactics at his private range.
Mr. Chiarella chose to run for the school board because of his deep commitment to children and his desire to help them succeed. A Fayette County resident for six years, he is married to his best friend. Together, they have four children, including an 11-year-old who attends the special education program at East Junior High School.
Mr. James Curran represents District One on the Fayette County Public Schools Board of Education. He was born in Dallas, Texas, and earned an associate degree from Dallas County Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Mr. Curran began his aviation career teaching ground school and providing flight instruction. He trained private and professional pilots pursuing multiengine, instrument, and commercial ratings. He later flew passengers and freight for several companies before joining Flying Tigers. Following the airline’s acquisition by FedEx, he continued his career there and retired after 28 years of service as a Boeing 777 captain.
Mr. Curran and his wife, Nora, have been married for 44 years. They moved to Fayette County in 1998. He has remained active in the community through the Fayette County Tea Party and the Fayette County Republican Party Executive Committee, where he served as secretary for two years. In retirement, he works part-time at the Fayette County Airport as a groundskeeper and aircraft fueler.
As a school board member, Mr. Curran wants students to develop strong reading, writing, mathematics, history, and science skills that will prepare them to become knowledgeable, self-sufficient adults. He believes clear standards are essential to student and community success. Guided by his faith, he views the Ten Commandments as foundational moral standards and supports their display in classrooms.
Mr. Adam Fearon represents District Two. Mr. Fearon was recently appointed to the Fayette County School Board to fill the seat of the late Dr. Mike Brown in District 2. A lifelong Tennessean, Mr. Fearon grew up in the neighboring Collierville School System and later earned his degree in Corporate Finance, with a minor in Business Administration, from the University of Memphis in 2015. His experiences as both a student and a professional have deepened his respect for the lasting impact of a strong education and the opportunities it creates.
As the father of two young sons who are just beginning their journeys as students in Fayette County, Mr. Fearon is determined to ensure that all children in the community receive the highest quality education possible. He believes every decision made by the Board must be deliberate, transparent, and focused on students, while also supporting parents, enabling educators, and maintaining the trust of taxpayers.
Professionally, Mr. Fearon serves as Chief Financial Officer for a Memphis-based family law firm, where he oversees both financial operations and daily management. He brings this financial and organizational expertise to his work on the School Board, where he serves on the Budget and Policy Committees. Through this role, he is committed to strengthening accountability, ensuring stability, and fostering an environment where every Fayette County student can reach their full academic potential.
Mr. Terry Leggett brings an extensive background in public service, law enforcement, business leadership, and community involvement to the Fayette County Public Schools Board of Education as the representative for District 2.
Mr. Leggett began his law enforcement career with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in 1968. During his many years of service, he held leadership positions in corrections administration, narcotics operations, internal affairs, training, homicide investigations, organized crime investigations, and uniform patrol. He later served as assistant chief of the department’s Reserve Division and as a reserve officer with the Oakland and Gallaway police departments.
His professional training includes graduation from the FBI National Academy, with a concentration in police management, as well as specialized training in SWAT operations, hostage negotiations, VIP security, and law enforcement leadership. He also studied criminal justice at Memphis State University and earned a private pilot’s license from the Federal Aviation Administration.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Mr. Leggett served as city administrator for the City of Gallaway, overseeing municipal operations and supporting economic and industrial development. He is also an experienced entrepreneur who founded and managed businesses in transportation, recycling, agriculture, and industrial development, including Leggett Motor Carriers and Leggett Farms.
Mr. Leggett has remained actively involved in Fayette County through numerous civic and governmental roles. He served as an elected Fayette County commissioner and held appointments to committees addressing health and welfare, public safety, finance, and county property. He is a founding member and former president of the Hickory Withe Community Association and previously served on the Fayette Cares Board of Directors, including several years as board president.
An active member of First Baptist Church Hickory Withe, Mr. Leggett has served in leadership roles involving stewardship, finance, and major building projects. His decades of experience in leadership, fiscal oversight, public safety, economic development, and community service provide a strong foundation for his work on behalf of the students, employees, families, and communities of Fayette County Public Schools.
Mr. Merrel Miller, School Board Member and Vice Chairman for District One, attributes his success to God's guidance and grace. Born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, he was the son of a humble hardware store owner with only a sixth-grade education. After attending public schools in Kansas City, Merrel earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas. During his high school years at Wyandotte High School, Merrel met his wife, Kathy, with whom he is celebrating 55 years of marriage. Together, they have a son, and their three grandchildren bring immense joy.
Merrel's career began at Procter & Gamble’s Kansas City Soap Plant, where he steadily rose through various roles. He eventually became Plant Manager at several locations, including the Memphis Pulp Mill, the Folgers Plant in Texas, and the Pringles Plant in Tennessee. Under his leadership, the Pringles Plant gained global recognition, becoming the only U.S. plant in P&G history to win the prestigious TPM Prize of Excellence, awarded in Yokohama, Japan.
Beyond his professional career, Merrel pursued many personal interests. He became a pilot and volunteered for Angel Flights, offering free transport to patients requiring distant medical care. He also enjoyed skiing, cycling, and traveling with family and friends. In retirement, Merrel focuses on his hobbies, including building an N-Scale train layout and astrophotography, for which he constructed an observatory in his backyard. He currently serves as Treasurer for the Memphis Astronomical Society and leads its Astrophotography group.
Merrel is dedicated to community service. Over the years, he has volunteered for organizations like Memphis Literacy, Boys & Girls Clubs, and caring for the financial concerns of senior citizens. His passion for giving back to the community led him to serve as President of the West Fayette Republican Club, which brought him to his current role on the School Board. He is committed to using his experience managing large organizations to positively impact the education of Fayette County's children, helping shape a better future for the county and the nation.
Mr. David Reeves serves as a School Board member for District Two. Mr. Reeves grew up in the small town of Euless, Texas, in North Texas. After attending Euless Trinity High School, he moved to Memphis, where he enrolled at the University of Memphis and later earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Bethel University. His career began at United Parcel Service as a load supervisor, but he soon transitioned to law enforcement, serving as a police officer with the Memphis Police Department. Throughout his career, he has worked in Uniform Patrol at various precincts, including Union, Old Allen, Appling Farms, and Austin Peay. He has also been part of several precinct-level task forces. For the majority of his career, Mr. Reeves was assigned to the Organized Crime Unit, specializing in criminal apprehension and vice/narcotics. He has received numerous commendations for his work, which has been recognized by the Memphis City Council. Currently, he serves as a Detective in the General Investigation Bureau at the Austin Peay Precinct. In addition to his law enforcement career, Mr. David Reeves proudly represents District 2 and is committed to improving the school system.
Mr. Hal Rounds serves District Three and is the School Board TLN representative. Hal Rounds was born and raised in California, attending public schools in Los Angeles. He earned a degree in Economics from the University of California. Mr. Rounds served in the United States Air Force, where he achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the Bronze Star with a "V" device for valor during his year in Vietnam. After his military service, he joined Federal Express, relocating to Tennessee and retiring after 25 years with the company.
Rounds graduated from the University of Memphis School of Law and is a member of the Bar for the Supreme Courts of Tennessee and the United States. Active in political and civic affairs, he has written for various publications, including Aviation Week, Mensa Magazine, The New American, and the Fayette Falcon, where he has a weekly column. His in-depth study of the Constitution and American history led to nationwide presentations of his “Constitution Refresher,” including a notable event at the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara.
He is the author of American History as a Political Tool, a critique of the College Board curriculum, available on Amazon. In 2018, he was appointed to the Tennessee Textbook Advisory Panel, where he helped review and approve textbooks, including one currently used in Fayette County Schools, following corrective edits.
School Board Chairman Mr. Warner Speakman represents District 3 and highly values the education, health, and safety of each and every student in Fayette County. Mr. Speakman has been affiliated with Fayette County Public Schools since 2011. He was selected by the School Board in 2011 to be an FCPS Representative during the building of Buckley-Carpenter Elementary School and continued to manage some projects and do consulting for several years after the completion of BCES. He has a wide range of work experience: TN General Contractor, Electrical Contractor, Arkansas Master Electrician, Security Licensure, and he has been a managing partner in a design and consulting firm for the past 30 years. Mr. Speakman was educated in Alabama schools, is a military veteran, and has been married for 53 years. He served as an apprentice in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #58 in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated as a Journeyman. He continued his night school education in Southfield, Michigan at a technical college and graduated with an Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree. Mr. Speakman then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in their Engineering Design group and specialized in electronics and communications.
Mr. Speakman has an especially keen interest in our Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School CTE program and is looking to expand the offerings it now has. He hopes to serve FCPS as a positive factor in the technical, financial, and academic offerings of our school system. His goal is to lay a solid foundation in order to open doors for our students both while they are in school and after graduation.
Mrs. Becky Trimm serves as a school board member for District One. As a mother, grandmother, and proud resident of Fayette County, Mrs. Trimm is deeply committed to the success and well-being of our children and schools. Her decision to run for the Fayette County School Board stems from a strong desire to advocate for parents and ensure their voices are heard in shaping the future of their children. Growing up in a military family, she had the unique experience of living in different parts of the world, which gave her a broad perspective on both education and community.
Mrs. Trimm is particularly concerned about the current direction of our schools and believes that now, more than ever, we need strong leadership that prioritizes the needs of our students and families. She is dedicated to creating a school environment that promotes academic excellence, integrity, safety, and accountability.