SENSE Board

Jessica Barnett

Jessica Barnett

Board President - Chair, Executive Committee

Jessica Ballard-Barnett has been a member of the SENSE Board of Directors since October 2015, serving as Secretary, Vice President, and President. She is currently the Board Vice President and a member of the Executive Committee. Jessica is an attorney with the Indiana Court of Appeals. She lives in Fountain Square with her husband, Erik and three children.  Her daughter, Veronica and Artemis, attend SENSE and her son, Felix, is a SENSE alum now attending Herron High School.

Lee Lewellen

Lee Lewellen

Vice-President - Chair, Governance Committee

Lee served as the founding board chair when SENSE was formed in 2003 and served on the original board until 2007. An avid guitar player, he became re-engaged in SENSE with Mrs. Whittle’s guitar class and was asked to re-join the board in 2018. Lee lives in Carmel and is also a semi-professional photographer specializing in photos of historic Indiana architecture.

John Williams

John Williams

Board Treasurer

John is currently a Consultant – Manager Research for Capital Cities, an institutional investment consultant located in Indianapolis. John has a B.A. in Mathematics from Hanover College and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation. He lives in Indianapolis with his fiancée Rachel and their micro doodle, Gus. He spends his time passionately cheering for Indianapolis sports teams, enjoying local restaurants, and gardening/landscaping. John is grateful to serve on the SENSE Board and for the opportunity to support the community.

Colleen Pawlicki

Colleen Pawlicki

Board Secretary

Colleen Pawlicki, PhD is a career educator and business owner in Fountain Square, Indianapolis. As the owner of Troy Street Professional Services, Dr. Pawlicki provides copy editing, qualitative research, project management, and writing coaching to authors and researchers.  Before opening Troy Street, Colleen taught high school English in Chicago Public Schools and then served in the Office of Special Education at the Indiana Department of Education. Colleen holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in English Education and a PhD from Indiana University in Education Policy.

Bethany Gosewehr

Bethany Gosewehr

Board Member - Chair, Marketing Committee

Bethany Gosewehr currently serves as the Vice President of Development for the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. She has a BA from Purdue University in Organizational Communication and a MPA in Policy Analysis from Indiana University. She is excited to serve the community in support of an important institution.

Bryan Bernard

Bryan Bernard

Board Member - Chair, Fundraising Committee

Bryan has been a resident of Bates-Hendricks since 2018. He is in marketing as a Demand Generation Manager for OnBoard, a local Indianapolis SaaS company, where he focuses his attention on providing software solutions to boards of directors. Outside of work you'll find Bryan biking around the area or enjoying a local restaurant in the Fountain Square area.

Mavis Washington

Mavis Washington

Board Member

Mavis moved to Indiana from California, twenty years ago with her husband and younger son.
She enrolled at Martin University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts.
Her educational journey continued at the University of Phoenix, where she completed the Teach to Transition program, equipping herself with the skills to make a broader impact in the field of education. Mavis applied her newfound expertise, by teaching music for six years at a charter school on the near east side of Indiana. Her teaching career was marked by her ability to inspire and nurture the musical talents of her students. Recognizing a growing need for mental health support among children, Mavis co-founded "Why Aren't You Smiling Inc." (W.A.Y.S.) with her son Armand. This organization is dedicated to supporting children ages 6-19, who struggle with their mental health. Through W.A.Y.S., Mavis continues to make a significant difference, providing crucial resources and support to young individuals navigating mental health challenges.

Jessi Crouse

Jessi Crouse

Board Member

Jessi-Marie Crouse is a first-generation college graduate and a life-long learner. She holds an associate degree in Veterinary Technology from International Business College’s Vet Tech Institute, and a bachelor's degree in Spanish (coupled with a minor in International Studies) from Indiana University. She is an inaugural class recipient for the certificate in Latino Studies program from Indiana University-Indianapolis. In October, she completed University of South Florida Corporate Training and Professional Education to obtain a Cross-Cultural Leadership Certificate. Jessi is finishing her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Southern New Hampshire University.

Jessi is on the leadership team at Indiana University Health serving as a Talent Acquisition Manager overseeing recruitment for the Indiana University Health system in the non-clinical setting. She also holds the position as co-chair for the system-wide employee resource group called the Culturally Inclusive Community which is IU Health’s diversity and inclusion-centered employee resource group. 

When others are asked to describe Jessi, a community-facing and empathetic leader is the most common recurring phrase spoken. On April 17th, 2024, Jessi was presented a Jefferson Award from Multiplying Good’s Midwest Executive Director Liz Burgess. The Jefferson Award is the Nation’s highest honor for service and volunteerism. This award was established in 1972 by former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jessi has a passion for community service and missionary work

Laura Giffel

Laura Giffel

Board Member

Laura has been a neighborhood cheerleader since moving to Bates-Hendricks in 2014, She’s served as a board member and president of her neighborhood association in addition to opening the first dog park in Downtown Indy in 2020. Laura is also a licensed therapist and spent 10 years providing support to families impacted by developmental delays. She received her bachelor's degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from Purdue University and her Masters Degree from University of Indianapolis in Clinical Psychology. Currently she serves as the District Manager for the Fountain Fletcher District, which represents the cultural districts of Fountain Square and Fletcher Place.

Board Contact Information

SENSE Board
IN Care Of SENSE Board President
1601 Barth Ave.
Indianapolis, IN. 46203

senseboard@senseindy.org