OUR TEAM
The Leaders Behind POAC Succeed
Two leaders. One mission. A movement built on belonging.
POAC Succeed is built by leaders who walk into a room and shift the atmosphere. They bring clarity. They bring heart. They bring the kind of presence that makes students feel seen and helps staff feel supported. They turn culture change into something you can feel.
Meet Jamie Grayson and Dr. Tracy Platt. Their partnership is the heartbeat behind every POAC-led event, training, and transformation.
Why Their Partnership Works
Jamie and Tracy bring different strengths, different experiences, and one shared belief. People thrive when they feel seen, heard, valued, and supported.
Schools feel their impact because they bring:
Energy that wakes up a room.
Warmth that makes people feel safe.
Stories that feel lived, not rehearsed.
Tools that work the next day.
A partnership that models belonging in real time.
Their dynamic is the reason POAC events feel different. Their presence is the reason students lean in. Their leadership is the reason staff walk away hopeful.
Jamie Grayson
Founder and Executive Director, POAC Succeed
Strengths: Leadership development, community engagement, lived experience, culture building
Jamie L. Grayson is the Executive Director and Founder of People Of All Communities Succeed Organization. His leadership is shaped by years of experience in corporate banking, small business development, and community-centered relationship building. He brings a rare combination of professional expertise and lived perspective that makes people trust him quickly.
Jamie’s educational background includes:
Master’s degree from William Woods University
Management degree from Missouri Western State University
Certifications from William Jewell College and Washington University in St. Louis
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certification from the University of South Florida
Jamie is known for:
High energy that pulls students in
Emotional intelligence that makes people feel understood
Clear frameworks that help schools shift culture
A steady presence during hard conversations
A gift for making people feel valued within minutes
Under his leadership, POAC has grown into a regional movement serving thousands of students and educators. He builds trust fast and he builds it with intention.
Before founding POAC Succeed, Jamie spent more than a decade in financial services, building a career rooted in leadership, trust, and people-first problem solving. His path through the banking world was not just about numbers. It was about helping people grow, strengthening communities, and leading teams through real challenges.
Jamie served as:
Vice President, Small Business Banking at Mazuma Credit Union
Vice President, Business Banking at First-Citizens Bank & Trust
Small Business Market Specialist at Commerce Bank
Branch Manager at Commerce Bank and Wells Fargo
These roles shaped him into a leader who knows how to:
Read people as well as he reads financial trends
Build relationships that last
Lead teams across multiple territories
Solve problems with clarity and calm
Create systems that support people, not overwhelm them
His corporate experience taught him how to stabilize a room, guide people through uncertainty, and build structures that help others succeed. Those same strengths now fuel POAC’s approach to culture change.
Jamie took everything he learned in the financial sector and redirected it toward a mission that mattered even more to him. Today, he uses those skills to help schools build belonging, strengthen mental health, and create environments where students and staff can thrive.
Dr. Tracy Platt
President of Educational Strategies
Strengths: instructional leadership, trauma awareness, systems thinking, empathy
A Leader Who Brings Depth Into Every Room
Dr. Tracy Platt brings more than 25 years of educational leadership and a lived understanding of what schools carry. Her experience spans classrooms, principal offices, district leadership, and community spaces where real healing and real change are needed. Tracy has guided school communities through some of the hardest moments a building can face, and she brings that depth, steadiness, and compassion into every space she enters.
A Career Built on Service and Courage
Tracy’s work has always centered on people first. She has served as an Elementary Principal in Smithville, Missouri, and as a teacher in both Smithville and Kansas City Public Schools. Her leadership has shaped student success, strengthened staff culture, and opened the door for courageous conversations that help communities grow.
Academic Credentials
Doctor of Education, University of Missouri–Kansas City
Master of Arts, Texas State University
Master of Education, William Woods University
Bachelor of Arts, Chaminade University of Honolulu
The Strength Tracy Brings to Every School
Tracy is known for a calm, grounded presence that helps people breathe again. She brings expertise in student behavior, adult leadership, and trauma‑aware practices. She makes complex ideas feel simple and doable. She helps schools move from reactive to proactive, and she does it with a level of empathy that makes people feel safe enough to be honest and supported enough to grow.
A Voice That Builds Belonging
Through her writing, leadership, and coaching, Tracy helps schools and communities build systems that support mental health, strengthen relationships, and create sustainable culture change. Her work plants seeds that grow into healthier, more connected environments for students, staff, and families
How Jamie and Tracy Work Together
A partnership built on trust, energy, and complementary strengths
When Jamie and Tracy lead a POAC event, the room shifts. You feel the balance immediately.
Jamie brings the spark. Tracy brings the grounding. Together they create a space where people feel brave enough to be honest and supported enough to grow.
Their partnership works because:
They model belonging in real time.
They share the stage with intention.
They blend story with strategy.
They meet people where they are.
They stay after to listen, connect, and support.
Students appreciate their authenticity. Staff appreciate their expertise. Communities appreciate their commitment.
Impact Stories
From a Volunteer
“As someone passionate about self development and community building, this nonprofit is close to my heart. I believe that anyone who wants to make a meaningful and personal impact should volunteer with POAC.”
— Lourin DosSantos, Volunteer
From a Student
"Since POAC, I have had deeper conversations about equality and learned how to make other people feel comfortable. I feel like I did not have a voice before this to speak out."
— Dario Peto, Student
From an Educator
"It has helped build our classroom community because students are able to learn more about one another and create connections, which helps build their relationships."
— Amanda Bradberry, Smithville Middle School
What Makes Their Work Different
POAC Succeed is not a one‑time assembly. It is not a quick hype moment. It is not a box you check. It is steady help in the room. It is daily support that helps kids stay calm, talk it out, and solve problems in real time.
POAC Succeed brings value because it shows up again and again. It helps teachers breathe easier. It helps students learn skills they can use right away. It builds a classroom where kids feel safe, seen, and ready to learn.
Jamie and Tracy build:
Belonging systems that help every student feel safe and included.
Student leadership paths that teach kids how to lead and help others.
Staff support structures that make teaching feel calmer and more doable.
Mental health awareness that helps everyone understand feelings and needs.
Culture change that lasts because the skills stay in the building.
They show up in classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and community spaces because real change happens in the places where students live their day. They meet kids where they are, build trust in real time, and help the whole school practice the skills that make learning feel calm, safe, and connected.
Bring Jamie and Tracy to Your School
Whether you need:
A student-led culture shift
Staff burnout support
Mental health awareness
Leadership development
Community-building events
A Partnership That Strengthens Students and Staff
Jamie and Tracy bring the energy, expertise, and heart to make it happen.
Inspiring Stories That Show What Belonging Can Create
These Success Stories were written by Dr. Tracy Platt, capturing real moments where students felt seen, educators felt supported, and classrooms grew stronger together. Each story reflects the impact of belonging in action and shows how connection can change the way a school feels.
These are the stories that remind us what is possible.