Dunigan-Smith
A “passionate supporter” of Center Grove Community Schools has joined the district’s board of trustees.
Jane Dunigan-Smith was named the board’s newest member during Thursday night’s meeting. She was one of 25 people who applied for an open seat on the board, which was left vacant following the death of Center Grove “icon” Gary Robinson on June 9.
Dunigan-Smith will complete the remainder of Robinson’s term, which expires at the end of 2026. The board unanimously voted 4-0 for her appointment, and she will be sworn in at their August meeting.
Of the 25 who applied, eight made it to a second round of interviews: Dunigan-Smith, Dr. Don Lyon, Kathryn Minor-Reed, Mike Overpeck, Terry West, Lindsey Williams, Robbie Williams and Nathan Williamson. All of them spoke at a special school board meeting on Monday, held ahead of the final decision on Thursday.
Dunigan-Smith is the senior vice president and chief strategy officer at BioCrossroads, an Indianapolis-based bioscience company. She has a master’s degree in business administration, marketing and strategy, along with and a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She is also a former Center Grove Education Foundation board member and a graduate of the Center Grove Ambassadors program.
She and her husband, Rodney, have two sons — one graduate of Center Grove High School and a senior at CGHS. She described herself as a “passionate supporter” of Center Grove schools and a devoted tennis mom.
After Thursday’s board meeting, Dunigan-Smith said she was excited to join the board.
“They went through a lengthy, but rigorous process, and I think that was necessary because Gary was such an icon in the community,” she said. “He was elected, I believe it was like an overwhelming result, and so they needed to do their due diligence. I’m glad they did.”
Dunigan-Smith applied for the vacancy because she wanted to make sure the board had a “quality group” to choose from, “which they absolutely did,” she said.
“They couldn’t have gone wrong with any of those selections, but I just really want to just have a chance to give back,” Dunigan-Smith said. She added that she wanted to keep Center Grove schools as “great as they have been.”
There’s a lot to learn and for her to get up to speed on with other board members, she said. Students are her No. 1 priority, followed closely by teachers, she said.
“Teachers are a close second because they’re the ones who impact the students,” Dunigan-Smith said. “I just want to continue to make sure that everyone gets an exceptional education you will experience here.”
When announcing Dunigan-Smith as the board’s selection, board Vice President Rob Daniels said they were impressed with the entire pool of applicants. He thought the board chose the direction that was best for the district, but this was not a reflection of anything negative with those who weren’t selected, he said.
“We literally had the opportunity of a good problem, which is a bunch of good people wanting to sit in that seat, so thank you to everybody who participated,” Daniels said.
Board member Scott Alexander encouraged everyone who applied to stay engaged or find other ways to engage with Center Grove schools. The board had a “lot of great discussions” about potential future leaders, he said.
One way is through the Center Grove Ambassadors program, which is accepting applications through July 31, board members said.
The Ambassadors program is a course of eight monthly sessions that provide participants with a first-hand view of many of the facets of running the school district, including academic programs, safety and security, business management, transportation and operations. The superintendent and members of the leadership team meet monthly with the ambassadors at various locations around the district to share the successes, challenges and plans for each area of the corporation. Ambassadors are encouraged to ask questions and offer insights and suggestions for the district, according to the program’s webpage.
More information about the program can be found at centergrove.k12.in.us/community/center-grove-ambassadors.
