Rhoni Basden
Executive Director
“Work Hard. Stay Humble. Smile Often. Be Honest. Stay Loyal. Never Stop Learning.”
Our Leadership Team and Board Members
Our Leadership Team
Alanna Hunsaker-Kosier
Director of Programs
“One of the great things about young people is that they do question, that they do care about justice, and that they have open minds.”
― Zack de la Rocha
Tracy Crossno
Director of Athletics
“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m Possible!”
―Audrey Hepburn
Kirby Deal
Director of Development
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou
Meghan Byrge
Outreach Director
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Meade
Kyla Black
Program Supervisor
“Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.”
― Stacey Bendet
Erin Douglas
Operations Manager
Whitley Myers
Development Associate
“The education and empowerment of women throughout the world cannot fail to result in a more caring, tolerant, just and peaceful life for all.”
― Aung San Suu Kyi
Abby Ridenour
Community Impact Coordinator
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
― Audrey Hepburn
Maya Thompson
Program Staff
April Hicks
Outreach Staff
“Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be.”
― Rita Pierson
Amyre Cain
Program Staff
2019 Corporate Board of Directors
Sheryl Houston (President), Consolidated Nuclear Security
Mike Beck, Consolidated Nuclear Security
Katy Brown, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Melanie Fillauer, Community Adovocate
Laurie Macnair, R3 Consulting
Dr. Mary Palmer, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
Melissa McMahan, Elavon
Donna Reat, Community Advocate
Chad Vander Wert, Discovery
2019 Knoxville Board of Trustees
Deb Crouse (President), Metro Drug Coalition
Dustin Crouse, Knoxville Elder Law
Lindsay Elsten, VIEO Design
Nicole Harman, Community Advocate
Stephanie Haynes, LHP Capital
Tanya Hockett, Discovery
Jon Leonard, Capital Financial Group
Tiffani Mensch, Alliance for Better Nonprofits
Quineka Moten, Knoxville Area Urban League
Mendy Moseley, Sanmar
Emily Norris, Dance Tonight
Abby Pensky, Community Advocate
Lisa Pierson, Subaru International
Tommy Smith, Ackermann PR
Alicia Verlinde, Knox County Government
2019 Oak Ridge Board of Trustees
Trish Polfus (President), Methodist Medical Center
Steve Cates, Community Advocate
Bob Cook, Community Advocate
Melissa Creasey, Enrichment Federal Credit Union
Terry Domm, CNS Y12
Jane Grossbeck, Community Advocate
Dr. Lyndon Hurt, Hurt Lyndon DDS
Mona Leake, Community Advocate
Dot Jones, Community Advocate
Rachel Moses, Cookeville Legal Aid
Deb Schenk, Regions Bank
Eleanor Stevens, Community Advocate
Patti Shelton, Community Advocate
Charlyne Thompson, Community Advocate
Lorie Wilson, TN Bank
2019 Blount County Board of Trustees
Betsy Cunningham, Y-12 Federal Credit Union
Caroline Fontinell, Community Advocate
Jackie Mills, Realty Executives Associates
Libby Klatt, Community Advocate
Cristina Boone, Standard Aero
Lindsay Elsten, VIEO Design
Regina Jennings, Pinnacle Bank