TCVSL Speaker Bios

Naomi Asher

Naomi Asher is a leadership and organizational health consultant and founder of The Maven Consulting LLC. She equips nonprofits, coalitions, and civic partners with practical tools for board governance, volunteer management, culture, and change. A dynamic trainer and facilitator, Naomi blends real-world experience with evidence-based frameworks—drawing on the Job Demands–Resources model and the Maslach Burnout Inventory in her PhD research on nonprofit executive burnout. She’s known for high-energy, highly usable sessions that turn concepts into tools teams can apply immediately. Naomi regularly coaches executive
leaders, designs leadership cohorts, and advises organizations on strategy, succession, and people-first systems. 

Michele D. Baker, CVA

Michele D. Baker, CVA has over 30 years’ experience in the nonprofit and volunteer management worlds. She has worked at the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits; Volunteer Mississippi, the state office of volunteerism
and lead agency hosting AmeriCorps programs; and for several small arts-based nonprofits. She is an officer in DOVIA Mississippi (1999-present) and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA) (2023-present), which administers the international Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) credential. Michele has held the CVA credential since 2008. In 2010, she formed her own consulting company and now works closely with the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy as a trainer, facilitator, writer, and consultant. With her mother, she owns Treasures of Egypt Tours (www.treasuresofegypttours.com). She is also the author of two books on spirituality with a third due out this year. Learn more at www.MicheleDBaker.com.

Whitney Brown

Whitney is the Creative Director of Room in the Inn - Memphis, a growing nonprofit sheltering those experiencing homelessness. In work and in life Whitney finds her call rooted in creativity, joy, and community. With more than 20 years of mission-driven volunteer management experience, Whitney is passionate about creating physical spaces and educational frameworks that transform how individuals and groups engage in service. Her work centers on developing stories, environments, and experiences that move participants from charity to solidarity—inviting deeper reflection, relationship-building, and long-term community impact. Whitney’s approach helps volunteers, students, and the broader community connect meaningful action with empathy, ensuring service becomes a catalyst for growth for everyone involved.

April Carter

April Carter is an inspiring nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, and storyteller passionate about purpose-driven impact. As a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant and Chief Program Officer of the Tennessee Nonprofit Network, she empowers thousands of organizations statewide through bold programming, leadership development, and advocacy. A champion for women and youth, April also serves as a youth and peer mentor, guiding mentorship experiences that inspire confidence and leadership in young girls and emerging leaders. She is the co-founder of Roots & Wells, where she creates spaces for authentic connection, growth, and joy. In
2025, April was honored as a Super Women in Business inductee, recognizing her dedication to leadership, equity, and community transformation. Known for her energy, creativity, and unwavering faith, April believes in the power of women to rewrite narratives, build legacies, and lead with courage. She lives by the mantra: Serve Well. Live Fully.

Tyler Ford

A member of the tnAchieves team since May of 2018, Tyler Ford has spent his professional career in Tennessee serving students and families in the post-secondary process. Currently, Tyler serves as Vice President of
Workforce for tnAchieves. In this workforce role, he identifies, develops and maintains business and community relationships across the state. He also oversees the implementation and execution of the tnAchieves mentor program annually, partnering with more than 5,000 volunteers annually to serve students.

Alysia Smith Knight

Alysia Smith Knight is Executive Director of the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO), representing community mental health centers and nonprofits serving Tennesseans with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders.

She is passionate about ensuring timely access to quality behavioral health services and collaborates with providers, state agencies, and advocates to
strengthen the system. Lysia has led successful legislative efforts in Tennessee to secure critical funding and, for eight years, has served as State Captain for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, advancing federal policies to improve behavioral health nationwide.

Arnetta Stanton Macklin

Arnetta Stanton Macklin serves as the Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer for the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) in Memphis, Tennessee. With more than two decades of leadership experience, she has held senior executive roles overseeing impactful initiatives including Meals on Wheels, advocacy, government relations, community engagement, and fundraising.

Arnetta holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Memphis. Her commitment to community service and public policy is reflected in her board service with the Tennessee Federation on Aging, the Tennessee Nonprofit Network, and the Shelby County Civil Service Merit Board.

A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Arnetta is also a published author who enjoys writing poetry, taking nature walks, and traveling.

Kinzee Mounger 

Kinzee Mounger is a current first year graduate student at
East Tennessee State University studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling. As
a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Counseling and Human Services, she
assists with course preparation, departmental projects, and research
initiatives while strengthening her skills as an emerging counseling
professional. Kinzee recently graduated from East Tennessee State University
with her bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology. During her time as an undergraduate,
she was a research assistant in the Self and Relationships Laboratory. On
completion of her master’s degree, Kinzee aspires to work with those who are
underserved to improve mental health outcomes for those within her community.

Rebecca Nofi

Rebecca has served as Manager of Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager for the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) since 2018 and has built the volunteer program from the ground up. She manages the volunteer program for the agency, works closely with community partners who are using GNRC’s volunteer platform, and provides support and education in volunteer engagement to GNRC’s partners. Rebecca holds the professional Volunteer Administrator Certification (CVA) and has more than ten years of experience in Volunteer Management across
different sectors. She is an active volunteer and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Senior Ride Nashville.

Jared Peer

Jared Peer has led hundreds of volunteers across East Tennessee over the last two decades. He currently works for the American Red Cross as Volunteer Services Specialist for the East Tennessee Chapter. His volunteers and programs have won a variety of awards, from the Governor’s Volunteer Stars to TFA's Volunteer of the Year. Jared is an AL!VE Impact Award winner and a nationally recognized volunteer leader. He enjoys a quiet life in Loudon County, surrounded a large collection of indoor plants and Lego creations.

Meagan Potts

Meagan Potts is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. For over three years, she has fostered student and community growth by building partnerships with local nonprofits to bridge the university and community through service. Meagan teaches University Success courses, leads alternative break trips that promote civic engagement, and oversees a volunteer-driven Living and Learning Community. Her work inspires students to develop leadership, service-oriented values, and collaboration skills. Meagan is dedicated to creating meaningful connections and cultivating a lifelong commitment to service and learning.

Deidra Rogers

Ms. Deidra Rogers is a faculty member at East Tennessee State University who teaches service learning to students across all
disciplines, helping them connect classroom learning with real-world impact. An AmeriCorps VISTA alum, former nonprofit program director, HIP Ambassador, and Chair of the Tennessee Service-Learning Consortium, she brings a dual lens of educator and practitioner. With firsthand insight into how students learn and engage with community experiences, Rogers brings an educator and adult learner perspective to how competencies and career readiness take shape in the classroom and are strengthened through experiential learning. 

Teresa Brooks Taylor

Teresa Brooks Taylor, Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling & Human Services, East Tennessee State University (ETSU),
Johnson City, TN. Teresa is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with degrees in Sociology. She formerly directed the Service-Learning
and America Reads programs at ETSU. She has taught in various disciplines, including Human Services, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Cross Disciplinary, and Service-Learning. Her primary courses are Family Development, Family Theories, Lifespan, and Human Services Administration. For many years, her teaching and work have focused on community engaged learning. She has also worked in various capacities in Student Life and the nonprofit sector and is also an avid volunteer. 

Graham Thomas

Graham Thomas currently serves as the Chief Community and Government Affairs Officer at tnAchieves. In his nearly 16-year tenure at tnAchieves, Graham has managed the volunteer mentoring program and all efforts external to tnAchieves including external partnerships and the organization's policy efforts. Prior to his time at tnAchieves, Graham spent a year in Washington, DC working for then US Representative Marsha Blackburn.

Penny Willis

Penny is an international speaker, conference, and non-profit organization workshop facilitator with more than two decades of experience leading the research, development, and training of internationally recognized, positive youth development programs and adult professional development in social and emotional learning, character education, service-learning, and prevention of substance and alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy. Current projects include developing research-based tools to foster social and emotional teaching practices including curriculum, adult social and emotional competence building, classroom observation and professional learning strategies.

Jerry Wilson

Jerry Wilson is a seasoned IT professional and systems leader with over fifteen years of
experience in enterprise infrastructure, educational technology, and digital
transformation. He spent more than a decade as an IT Server Administrator at a
Fortune 100 company, where he built a strong foundation in systems reliability,
security, and scalable technology operations.

Jerry later brought that expertise to the education sector as Director of Educational
Support for a large charter school network. In that role, he scaled a
one-person IT operation into a multi-campus department supporting over 2,000
users, led a team of seven, and managed a seven-figure technology budget. He
also led large-scale device deployments and rapid virtual learning
implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A certified Applied Advanced AI professional through Purdue University, Jerry currently
works as an independent software developer and IT consultant. He is also the
Executive Director of Blacks and Latinos in Technology, advancing diversity and
access in the tech industry.

Violet Cox-Wingo

Mrs. Violet Cox-Wingo is a full-time Clinical Lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University, where she has taught for seven years. She previously taught college courses at the Chillicothe Correctional Facility in Ohio for five years, bringing education into challenging environments. With more than 37 years of clinical experience in mental health, program administration, and supervision. She retired after 29 years of service, at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, serving as Chief of Social Work Services for seven years. Her career also includes leadership as Director of Geri-Psychiatry, Nursing Home Care Units, and Psychosocial Rehabilitation Units at Cherry Hospital in North Carolina. A licensed Independent Social Worker and
a Board-Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, Mrs. Cox-Wingo has published in Social Work Magazine and co-authored a textbook chapter on
bullying. An advocate for social justice and community service, she is the 2025 recipient of the Harold Love Senior Community Service Award.