Karen Feamster
Owner/College Planner
After working with Class 101 founder Tom Pabin for her oldest daughter’s college planning, Karen Feamster appreciated the process and service so much that she wanted to provide it to her own community. She opened Class 101 Franklin in March 2014 and hasn’t slowed down since. It’s hard to keep up with this Kentucky Wildcat and CPA, who loves running, a good cup of coffee (with cream), volunteering with the Girl Scouts (she’s been involved for over 30 years), and of course, counseling high schoolers and their families to help them find their best-fit colleges. She’s served as PTO treasurer, PTO president, and IB Coordinator through the years, and as choir director for some of the youngest members of Franklin First United Methodist Church. Her favorite movie? “Remember the Titans”—which, of course, has a college tie, since it was filmed at Berry College in Rome, Georgia! “I love watching my students reach their goals and succeed,” says Karen. “From ACT score increases, to getting into colleges they didn’t think they’d get into, to scholarship money awards, it is such a joy to be part of their journey and see them mature and become these incredible adults.” Karen and her husband Mike live in Leiper’s Fork, and have two adult daughters and four adorable pups.Beth Koehler
College Planner
When longtime friends Beth Koehler and Karen Feamster set out on college tour with their daughters and Class 101 founder Tom Pabin, who could have known that it would become the catalyst for the launch of the fifth Class 101 franchise in the nation? But they fell in love with the process, and now Beth has been a College Planner with Class 101 Franklin since its inception in 2014. The daughter of a former Associate Dean at Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School, Beth has a long connection with education. Over the years, her work has taken her from a collegiate setting at Vanderbilt University, to the opposite end of the spectrum as a teacher at both Bethlehem United Methodist Preschool, and at Calvary Young Children’s School. A former social worker with non-profit organization Miriam’s Promise, she’s also served as a Girl Scout leader. “Connecting with students is the highlight of what I do,” says Beth. “Having the opportunity to attend college can be very transforming and can certainly shape your future. I know how fun and life-changing those four years can be, and I want to assist each student in finding their right fit.” A graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, HGTV-devotee Beth and her husband Tommy (a retired Williamson County Schools educator) live in the Grassland community and are the parents of three adult daughters.
Laura Brancheau
College Planner
Though she joined Class 101 Franklin in 2018, Laura Brancheau has done it all when it comes to counseling teens through the college process. Her 40-plus years in education have led her from teaching in both high school and college, to years as a high school guidance counselor and Director of College Counseling, taking students on tours to ivy league colleges as well as to those in her former home state of Florida. Laura is our resident essay expert, guiding our Class 101 students as they hone their personal statements so that colleges can truly see what they have to offer. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, with a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from St. Thomas University in Miami, she is certified in business education and in guidance and counseling. Like Karen and Beth, she was also a Girl Scout leader (we have four!) and loves being involved in her church home at St. Philip Catholic Church. “I’m passionate about working with high school students in helping them navigate their journey toward college! Being a teenager can be hard sometimes, and I am blessed to be a constant in their lives during this time.” An avid reader and movie buff, Laura and her husband Paul have three adult children—two daughters and a son, as well as five grandchildren.Melissa Dick
College Planner + Marketing & Community Outreach
Somewhere in the midst of thirteen college visits, five applications and her older son’s decision to attend Davidson College in North Carolina, Melissa realized how much she loved the college planning process. With over a decade of experience in public relations and marketing, she joined the Class 101 Franklin team in 2020, expanding the company’s social media and community presence. She’s written countless celebrity bios, magazine cover stories, and articles as a freelance writer, and secured national television and media appearances for her past clients. As a college planner, Melissa loves helping students share their unique stories and ‘market’ themselves to colleges through their essays and resumes. Trained in gifted education through Vanderbilt Gifted Education Institute and SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), she’s a self-described creativity nerd, who volunteered for nearly a decade as a Team Manager, Affiliate Growth Director, and Challenge Writer for the STEAM-based after-school organization Destination Imagination. “Like many parents, I took the ACT once, and applied to just one college,” says Melissa, a Belmont University graduate with a degree in journalism. “Every student has unique talents, with such potential to learn and grow, and I love helping students discover colleges that fit their gifts and passions.” A near-lifelong Franklin resident, Melissa and her husband Bill have two sons who share their irrational, nostalgic love of Disney World.
Kristen Melichar
College Planner + Test Prep
Like her co-workers at Class 101 Franklin, Kristen Melichar is quick to tell you she’s a total college nerd. Launching her own two children in two years to college is no small feat, but she was already familiar with what to expect, having worked on the admissions side of college planning for a number of years. She’s had the opportunity to sit in on and participate in Committee when final class-shaping decisions were being made at Vanderbilt University, and spent a year as interim Admissions Officer there as well. A former application reader for Vanderbilt, Kristen also read applications for Colgate University, as well as working at Colgate’s Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (known as The COVE), working with college students and local elementary schools. This 2021 addition to the Class 101 Franklin team is a graduate of Loyola University of Maryland, where she was an RA and worked in the Development Office at college (when not quoting “The Breakfast Club” or “Footloose” word for word). The perfect advertisement for the college experience, she remains close with her roommates to this day. “Class 101 combines my passions for education and love of working with people, plus helping them make connections to the right place for them,” says Kristen. “I get excited about colleges and all the possibilities available to students. I want to share that excitement with others.” A former Girl Scout leader who still teaches preschool in her 'spare' time, Kristen has three girls and a boy with her high-school-sweetheart husband Charlie (who also works in higher education), and loves to travel, eat, and sometimes even travel and eat together on food tours.Scott Kimbro
College Planner + Test Prep
Though he joined the Class 101 staff in 2022, Scott Kimbro has been a part of the family for much longer. He’s been on the parent side of things as a client for nearly five years, as Karen helped guide two of his children to their college goals. “I saw ‘Miss Karen’ successfully encourage our older daughter to take AP classes—though she didn’t want to take my or her mother’s advice about it. So I know how valuable having someone else step in to help can be,” says Scott. “In fact, as a result of AP classes, a good GPA and a good ACT score, our daughter entered college as an academic sophomore.” While he’s run one of Nashville’s top-100 privately-owned businesses and trained sales staff in the corporate world, he’s also worked with teenagers for years as a basketball coach and church teacher. Perhaps he’s been inspired by a particular wise green Jedi, having found many teachable moments in his favorite movie, “The Empire Strikes Back.” Whether he’s leading Class 101 Franklin’s ACT prep classes (teaching proper subject-verb agreement, of course) or in his role as a College Planner, he describes himself as a teacher at heart. “I especially feel fulfilled when I work with someone—whether it be a student or a parent—to help them understand something better.” Though they may be empty nesters, Scott and his wife Mary Evelyn (who serves as Class 101 Franklin’s office manager) don’t have a minute to slow down with four young grandchildren and as active members and volunteers at Thompson Station Church.
Mary Evelyn Kimbro
College Planner + Office Manager
We often talk about the Class 101 family, but in Mary Evelyn’s case, it’s true. Her last name means she’s wife to fellow College Planner Scott, but her organizational skills and enthusiasm are a complement to the entire Class 101 team. Because they turned to Class 101 Franklin when their own girls were going through the college search (both now attending East Tennessee State University), she recognizes the impact of having outside resources as students make this big decision. “Knowing that it’s impossible to ‘know what you don’t know,’ I love that Class 101 allows the burden of college planning to be shared. We are here to help guide and walk alongside parents and students,” says Mary Evelyn. Her detail-oriented personality, honed from years working in sales and marketing management, helps students work methodically through choosing colleges and completing applications by their deadlines. Those same qualities also help her as Office Manager, keeping the Class 101 Franklin staff on track. Outside of the office, you might find her in the kitchen utilizing her secret talent of making homemade marshmallows (among other tasty treats), or watching old musicals and Elvis movies. This University of Arkansas grad boasts a degree in Communications and Public Relations and loves connecting with students. “I love these kids,” she says. “Their joy, their quirks, their goals—they all give me hope for this next generation.”
Owner
Karen Feamster
Phone
(615) 349-4525
Address
7110 Crossroads Blvd., Ste. 100, Brentwood, TN 37027
“I owe it to Class 101 for not having to go into debt for college! They helped me from my first step of discovering what schools I wanted to go to, to figuring out all the insider information on application dates and requirements, to editing my essay, to submitting my applications before anyone else! I cannot recommend them enough to everyone and anyone I meet about to take on the stressful process of applying to college.
Nell Palumbo
George Mason University
Class 101 has been extremely helpful in raising my ACT scores, filling out my applications, getting scholarships, and picking my perfect college. Everyone I worked with there was supportive and helpful when I was trying to reach my goals. Class 101 made the college process a whole lot simpler and enjoyable!
Kaelan Asch
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Class 101 was a huge advantage in the college process. Mrs. Feamster opened my eyes to other schools I had not considered, and helped me contemplate where to apply. Through ACT test prep, I was able to raise my score 5 points, which gave me more scholarship money. With Mrs. Feamster’s guidance, I decided to go to Auburn University, and have absolutely loved it! My freshman year was incredible and I have Mrs. Feamster and the rest of Class 101 to thank!
Keilah Anderson
Auburn University
