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US nonprofit · EIN 620674974 · Nashville, TNiSource and licenceOrganisation record IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File (EIN 620674974) - NTEE activity code, address.Board and officers IRS Form 990 annual filings, Part VII (directors, trustees, officers, key employees), read year by year to observe time served.Latest return IRS Form 990 series e-file data - 990 for the year to 30 June 2025: assets, liabilities, staff, website, telephone, pay.Finances by year IRS Form 990 e-file data - total revenue and total expenses by tax year.Renewal outlook Computed by Governance Register from the observed filing history and filed revenue. Not a statement that the organisation is recruiting.Deductibility IRS Publication 78 data (code PC), downloaded 18 October 2026.Licence US Federal Government public domain.How we handle data

First Steps Inc

Donations deductible
Revenue
$3.5m
year to 30 June 2025
Expenses
$3.4m
year to 30 June 2025
Total assets
$4.5m
$284k liabilities
Net assets
$4.2m
assets less liabilities
Directors and trustees
14
3.0 years on average
Staff
70
33 volunteers
Left since last filing
4
29% of the board
Officers and senior staff
6
named in Part VII
How am I connected?

First Steps Inc's network

14 peoplei14 people on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (14). Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK.

The board

14 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations.Time served and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed time served is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 13 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.
NameRole as filedSinceOn the board
Abhay KarandikarTreasurer2023
3 yrs
Benjamin Lemly (also filed as Ben Lemly)Board Member2023
3 yrs
Christy FarrellBoard Member2020
6 yrs
Drew WeiskopfPresident2023
3 yrs
EJ RabellBoard Member2025
1 yr
Eric HoefflinBoard Member2024
2 yrs
Henna ChaudaryBoard Member2025
1 yr
Jaqueline DixonBoard Member2023
3 yrs
Jordan SeeBoard Member2024
2 yrs
Kates PotempaBoard Member2024
2 yrs
Kirsten SchrinerBoard Member2024
2 yrs
Megan KellyBoard Member2023
3 yrs
Ryan KeithCompany secretary2023
3 yrs
Schafer RoweBoard Mem. J2024
2 yrs
Under 5 years5 to 6 years6 years or moreShow all 14 →

Officers and senior leadership

6 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.
NameTitle as filedOn the filings
Beverly GrantDirector of2025
Chelsea FreemonDir. of Developmentsince 2020
Heather HigginsExecutive Directorsince 2019
Karla GarigDirector ofsince 2019
Kelli J HazenDir. of Operationssince 2019
Melissa HouckDir. of Development2019

Pay and hours

year to 30 June 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.
NameTitle as filedHours a weekPay from the organisationRelated organisationsOther
Heather HigginsExecutive Di40$147k$6k
Karla GarigDirector of40$109k$7k
Beverly GrantDirector of40$100k$1k
Drew WeiskopfPresident1$0
Abhay KarandikarTreasurer1$0
Ryan KeithSecretary1$0
Henna ChaudaryBoard Member1$0
Jaqueline DixonBoard Member1$0
Christy FarrellBoard Member1$0
Schafer RoweBoard Mem. J1$0
Eric HoefflinBoard Member1$0
Megan KellyBoard Member1$0
Ben LemlyBoard Member1$0
Kates PotempaBoard Member1$0
Ej RabellBoard Member1$0
Kirsten SchrinerBoard Member1$0
Jordan SeeBoard Member1$0

About

Legal name
First Steps Inc
EIN
620674974
Address
1900 Graybar Ln, Nashville, TN, 37215-2110
State
Tennessee
Mission
First steps provides education and therapeutic services for children with special needs. As a result of participating in our services, children make significant progress toward developmental goals. We create strong partnerships with families that build foundations for their long term success. (as filed on the Form 990)
Activity (NTEE)
B28Z Education
IRS classification
501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
Classified purpose
Education
Size band
6 (IRS master file code)
Formed
1957
Principal officer
Heather Higgins (as named on the Form 990)
IRS ruling date
1 February 1994
Status
Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
Form 990 filings on record
6, latest 2025
IRS Publication 78
PC (contributions deductible)

Most connected

Longest observed on the filings

≥6years on the filingsChristy Farrell
≥3years on the filingsAbhay Karandikar
≥3years on the filingsBenjamin Lemly
≥3years on the filingsDrew Weiskopf

Latest return

year to 30 June 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 June 2025. US dollars, as filed.
Total assets
$4.5m
Total liabilities
$284k
Net assets or fund balances
$4.2m
Contributions and grants received
$1.9m
Program service revenue
$1.6m
Employees
70
Volunteers
33

Filed finances

1 yeariTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.
Tax yearTotal revenueTotal expensesSurplus or deficit
2024$3.5m$3.4m$77k

As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.