Board of Directors
Tonya Cornwall
Board Director
Tonya Cornwall resides in State College, PA. Moving to State College has been one of the best decisions of her life. Together with her husband Bob, she has 5 amazing children who have been fortunate enough to grow up and enjoy all that Happy Valley has to offer. Professionally, she is a Realtor here in State College and the surrounding communities. Her job allows her to create relationships with so many people who have so many different life experiences and needs. She also has her Masters degree in Community Counseling and Secondary School Guidance which continues to aid her in her career and volunteer work. Dance has always been an important part of her life. She started dancing at age three in modern dance, and then onto classical ballet and jazz in middle and high school. Like so many, it was a safe, artistic outlet for her. So, when Claire asked her to join her on this mission to Dance Against Hunger, she was honored. In addition to Dancing Against Hunger, she is also active in The Jana Marie Foundation and The United Way here in State College. She is beyond excited to be part of this amazing new organization in the community!
Kikora Franklin
Board Director
Aquila Kikora Franklin is an Associate Professor of Theatre/Dance and the Associate Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Penn State School of Theatre where she teaches courses including Intro to West African Dance, Hip Hop Theatre, jazz, and Mojah dance. Franklin has performed, choreographed and taught in cities across the globe including Linz, Austria, Grahamstown, South Africa, Dakar, Senegal, Minas Gerais, Brazil, throughout China, Europe, and the United States. In addition, she has choreographed and performed for the Atlanta Hawks Dance Team, Grammy Award Winning group Arrested Development, and renowned poet, Sonia Sanchez. Franklin’s creative work focuses on developing the Mojah dance technique, an original style that fuses elements of modern, jazz, West African, and Hip Hop movement into one form. As a community artist, Franklin engages with students of all ages using dance as a means of human development. She is the co-founder and director of Roots of Life Performing Arts Ensemble, a State College Area School District arts education program comprised of 4th-12th grade students who perform throughout State College, Pennsylvania. Franklin received a JD/MPA from Georgia State School of Law and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in Atlanta, GA.
Meghan McGinty
Board Director
Meghan McGinty is an English teacher at State College Area High School. She graduated from Penn State in 2011 (B.A. in English Lit), then served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Armenia for two years, where she taught English for K-12 Armenian students throughout her service (amongst many other projects). After returning from Peace Corps service, she taught English in Mérida, Spain for five months. While living overseas, she traveled as much as possible and learned to speak both Armenian and Spanish fluently. In 2015 she got her M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction through the PDS partnership with Penn State at State High. She also has experience teaching ESL and coaching swimming & lacrosse. She is a certified meditation teacher and teaches Yoga as well through TriYoga Central Pennsylvania. She values mindfulness and mental health support both inside and outside the classroom. When she is not teaching, she loves to be outdoors, read, and write.
Candice Packer
Board Director
Candice Packer currently teaches 7th and 8th grade Academic Literacy at Park Forest Middle School. She has been teaching for 24 years and continues to enjoy working with students to foster learning and reading environments where students can question the word and the world. She volunteers within the Reach Out Mentoring Program for elementary and secondary students. Her hobbies are as eclectic as her Spotify playlists. Candice has a deep appreciation for the visual arts, music, drama, dance, and story. While she only dances in her house when no one is watching, she is honored to serve on the Dancing Against Hunger Advisory Board. Candice is excited to be a part of the ripple of goodness that will spread from the dance floor to the hearts and homes of our State College community. She holds an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English. Candice also holds a Master of Education in Library and Information Technologies and a PSU certification as a Reading Specialist.
