Department of Finance & Administration
Mark Emkes, Commissioner

2008 Volunteer Tennessee Board with former Governor Phil Bredesen

Volunteer Tennessee is the 25 member bipartisan citizen board appointed by the Governor to oversee AmeriCorps and service-learning programs and to advance volunteerism and citizen service to solve community problems in the Volunteer State.

Our Vision

Our Mission

Our Members

Apply to be a Volunteer Tennessee board member, click here.

Volunteer Tennessee grievance process click here

Tennessee's 2010-2012 State Plan click here.

Vision

The State of Tennessee is the national leader in the promotion of volunteerism, community service initiatives and partnerships in which its citizens of all ages and backgrounds engage in services addressing the educational, public safety, environmental and other human needs of the state and nation.

Mission

To encourage volunteerism and community service.

Chair: Julie Hembree, Knoxville, is a liaison at the University of Tennessee for the Professional Development School program at Fulton and West High Schools in Knoxville. She also consults for the Tennessee Department of Education to develop and lead service-learning workshops for teachers. Julie holds a Master Teacher designation for service-learning and has developed service-learning curricula. Julie has volunteered for the FISH Food Pantry for over 20 years. Julie is the Chair for Volunteer Tennessee in 2011.

Laurel Creech, Nashville, is Nashville’s first Chief Service Officer (CSO). As CSO, she created and directs Nashville’s service plan in partnership with Cities of Service. Prior to becoming Nashville’s CSO, she was an on-air talent for WRLT lightning 100 and the founder and director of Team Green, an environmental/service/adventure organization. Laurel has received many awards and honors, including Nashville Emerging Leader Award, Community Public Hero of the Year, Mike Curb Achievement in Radio Award for Outstanding Community Service, and Lipscomb University’s Tennessee Green Innovator of the Year.

Kay Davenport, Smyrna, has been an educator for thirty years and is in her eleventh year as a principal at Smyrna West Alternative School. As the principal of an alternative school, she has embraced service-learning as a means of educating students most at risk. She is also the Rotary Club of Smyrna school liaison and Boy Scouts Venturing Crew Leader.

Shannon Duke, Spring Hill, is the director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) at FiftyForward, a non-profit in Nashville that helps people 50 years and older live fuller, more productive lives with a sense of dignity and self worth. She served as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member at Volunteer Mid-South in Memphis where she recruited and organized volunteers. Shannon also served as Vice-President of Students Advocating Service at the University of Memphis.

Jonathan Farmer, Nashville, is an attorney with Jones, Hawkins &Farmer, PLC and former Assistant Metro Public Defender. His extensive community volunteer engagements include Room in the Inn, Hands On Nashville, Generation Tennessee and the Humane Society. Jonathan is the treasurer for Volunteer Tennessee in 2011.

Carol Gaudino, Memphis, is director of Corporate Services at Volunteer Mid-South. Carol has over 20 years of marketing experience and owned her own marketing and advertising firm. She is a member of the Points of Light Institute/HandsOn Network Corporate Volunteer Council. She volunteers with KIPP Diamond Academy, St. Benedict High School and Donor Resources.

Mary Graham, Franklin, is the President of United Ways of Tennessee. Before leading the United Ways of Tennessee, Mary had various leadership positions in the field of mental health, including Senior Vice President of Mental Health America. Since United Ways of Tennessee has an AmeriCorps*VISTA program, she has additional experience related to National Service programs.

Deborah Grubbs, Clarksville, is director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) sponsored by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Action Agency. She represents national service Senior Corps programs on the commission and is a national leader and innovator in the engagement of senior volunteers in homeland security and public safety missions. She is a founding board member of the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Center, a member of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Citizen Corps Council, Child Fatality Review Board and Head Start Policy Council. Deborah is Chair Emeritus.

Ken Hall, Memphis, owns a consulting firm, Civic Engagement Consulting and is the marketing coordinator for Leadership Memphis. Ken was formerly the Marketing Director at Shapiro & Company Architects and has extensive experience in marketing and public relations in the private and non-profit sectors. Ken served as Executive Director and Interim Executive Director at Hands On Memphis. He has served on numerous non-profit boards. Ken chairs the Communications committee.

Diane Hayes, Nashville, is Executive Director of the Nashville Young Leaders Council. A former Director of Marketing for the TN Department of Tourism, Diane has extensive communications and public relations expertise. She volunteers as a board member of the Mental Health Association of Middle TN, Friends of Radnor Lake, Dismas, Inc. and TN Arts Commission 2005 grant review panel.

Mani Hull, Nashville, launched and now serves as director of the Tennessee Campus Compact. She is also the Director of the Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Program. Mani has over 25 years of professional international experience in new business research and development; bids and proposals; contracting and compliance; finance and accounting; human resource management and administration; career counseling and placement; and educational exchange and training.

Emily Jones, Knoxville, is Program Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. She has a wealth of experience in fund raising and resource development and has served as director of development for several non-profits in East Tennessee. Emily also has experience in public relations and organizational and human resource management.

David Keiser, Madison, is a Program Director at Cumberland Region Tomorrow, a non-profit organization dedicated to planning for the future livability and economic vitality of a 10-county region in Middle Tennessee. David has broad service and community development experience both nationally and internationally. He supervised AmeriCorps*VISTA members engaged in community development projects in Savanna and served as an agriculture and apiculture developer while in the Peace Corps in Morocco. David is active with a local Rotary Club on community development projects ranging from support of dental projects in Haiti to local municipal recreation & parks projects. Dave chairs the Strategic Partnerships committee.

James Kilgore, Jr., Greeneville, is President and CEO of Free Will Baptist Ministries, which provides long-term and short-term residential care for individuals and families in crisis. He has also served as a teacher, principal and administrator in Virginia and Florida.

Paige Lowe Kisber, Nashville, is president of the Hospital Alliance of Tennessee. She has extensive experience with the University of Tennessee, including development of the Aspire service-learning program while a consultant at the UT Center for Government Training. Paige is active with a variety of charities and has been honored as Volunteer of the Year by the DeDe Wallace Center and is the recipient of a Daily Points of Light Award. She serves as vice-chair of the Youth Court Advisory board and is a member of the legislative committee of the American Society of Training and Development.

Matthew Little, Chattanooga, is Research Analyst at Austin Peay State University. He previously served as Director of Recruiting for Chattanooga State Community College and is an AmeriCorps alumnus from the original 1994 class at City Year Boston. He also served in Seattle and collaborated with the UT Chattanooga AmeriCorps program. His life is a story of national service; he credits his AmeriCorps service with making it possible for him to attend college, the first member of his family to do so. Matthew is Vice-Chair for Volunteer Tennessee in 2011.

Shannon Little, Bartlett, is the Coordinator for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement and Assistant Professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College. She is also active in the Tennessee Campus Compact as the Professional Development for Community Colleges Project Leader. Shannon has served on the steering committee for the Annual Sickle Cell Walk and as a facilitator and site coordinator for the Common Ground race relations sessions. Shannon is Secretary for Volunteer Tennessee in 2011 and chairs the Foundations of Service committee.

LeRoy "Bubba" McIntosh, Nashville, is an Orthopedic Service Line Executive with Saint Thomas Health Services and has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare field. He has served as a board member for several agencies, including the Governor's Rehabilitation Services Council. Bubba also served as the Habitat for Humanity Program Director for Saint Thomas Health Services.

Elizabeth McKnight, Maryville, is the Professional School Counselor at Heritage High School in Blount County. She is active in the American School Counseling Association, the Tennessee School Counseling Association, and the Smoky Mountain Counseling Association. She also served as the American Cancer Society Blount County Relay for Life-Team Recruitment Co-Chair/Event Co-Chair elect and St. Mark's United Methodist Church Lay Delegate to Holston Annual Conference. Elizabeth served as an AmeriCorps member in the AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps.

Justin Ross, Memphis, is a Senior Attorney with FedEx in Memphis. He is active in the Memphis Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He serves on the Steering Committee for the Tennessee Bar Leadership Program.

Patrick Smith, Acting Commissioner of Education served as executive director of the Tennessee First to the Top Oversight Team. He is represented on the Volunteer Tennessee board by Angie Cannon.

Cheyne Stewart, Winchester, is a student at Middle Tennessee State University. He has been involved in many school and community activities. Cheyne served as the Youth Mayor of Winchester and as a legislative aide for Governor Bredesen. As Chair of the Franklin County Prevention Coalition, he was the youngest chair of a prevention coalition in Tennessee.

Tracy Hornsby Van de Vate, Knoxville, is a Secondary Clinical Instructor and Supervisor at the UT College of Education, Health and Human Services and an Instructor with the UT Education 100 Apple Corps. Having held various collegiate teaching positions, she has broad experience in the education field. Tracy is active with the Girl Scouts and the Great Starts Transagency Committee.

Susie Wilkin, Cowan, is an experienced educator with experience in special education, service-learning and coordinating transitions of students with disabilities into meaningful employment. As a member of the Tennessee Education Association Membership Board, Susie fills the designated board slot for a representative of organized labor.

Ex Officio Representatives

Ryan Allen represents Commissioner Karla Davis, TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Pam Davenport represents Commissioner Raquel Hatter, TN Department of Human Services.

David Gregory represents Chancellor John Morgan, Tennessee Board of Regents.

Deborah Hardin represents Commissioner Susan Cooper, TN Department of Health.

Jerry Herman is director of the Tennessee State Office of the Corporation for National & Community Service which administers Senior Corps and AmeriCorps*VISTA.

Michael Hogan represents Commissioner Bill Gibbons, TN Department of Safety. Michael chairs the Grants committee.

Buddy Lea represents Commissioner Mark Emkes, TN Department of Finance & Administration.

Mike McCullough represents President Joe DiPietro, University of Tennessee.

Nancy Schelin represents Commissioner Robert Martineau, TN Department of Environment & Conservation.

Servella Terry represents Commissioner Kate O'Day, TN Department of Children's Services.

Jane Thompson represents Commissioner Doug Varney, TN Department of Mental Health. Jane chairs the Board Development Committee.

Capt. Linda Williams represents Major Gen. Max Haston, TN Department of the Military.