Department of Finance & Administration
Dave Goetz, Commissioner

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

Volunteer Tennessee grievance process 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 Deborah Wydra, 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. 

Nerissa Aquino, Nashville, is a case manager with Nashville CARES. She served two terms as an AmeriCorps member, serving first during 1999-00 in the Northwest Service Academy in Portland and then in the National Rapid Response Corps in Miami during the 2001 program year. She then served in the Peace Corps in the Republic of Kiribati where she designed and implemented a training program for health volunteers. Nerissa has been active in the United Way's Nashville Wealth Building Alliance, Vanderbilt Dance Theatre, the Parent Advisory Committee of St. Mary's Child Development Center, and Oasis Community IMPACT's Nashville Anti-Predatory Lending Education Committee. Nerissa is Secretary for Volunteer Tennessee in 2009.

Alan Carmichael, Knoxville, is co-president of the Moxley-Carmichael public relations firm. He has broad experience with community and charitable activities and currently serves on the Knoxville United Way allocations board and fund development committee for the Emerald Youth Foundation. Alan is former senior vice-president of communications for TVA and a former reporter for the Tennessean and Commercial Appeal newspapers.

Brian Dickey, Selmer, is McNairy County Register of Deeds and active in his local church, Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Drug-Free Alliance and president of the Selmer Lions Club. Brian is co-chair of the Communications committee.

Richard Dixon, Christiana, was previously the Director of Volunteer Services for the Department of Correction. Richard has a wealth of experience in engaging volunteers of all ages, including older adults. He has also been involved with Leadership Rutherford and Generation Tennessee, and he is very active with the Bethel Murfreesboro Church.

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.

Susan Goodman, Waverly, is director of the United Way of Humphreys/Benton County. Susan is a former educator and active member of the Humphreys County Anti-Drug Alliance. She was the 2008 chair of the Association of United Ways of Tennessee. Susan is chair emeritus of Volunteer TN.

Ken Hall, Memphis, is 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.

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.

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 Vice-chair for Volunteer Tennessee in 2009.

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.

Devora Kaye, Nashville, is an Ingram Scholar at Vanderbilt University studying Human and Organizational Development, Political Science and French. Devora has worked with cutting edge national youth service organizations, including the Youth Innovation Fund Advisory Council of the National Service-Learning Partnership, Starting Bloc Fellow, the National Youth Advisory Council of Youth Service America and alternative spring breaks. She is an author, national workshop presenter and has earned the President's Student Service Award for 2002-04. Devora fills the earmarked slot for a youth representative on the Volunteer Tennessee board.

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. Paige chairs Volunteer Tennessee's Foundations of Service committee.

Matthew Little, Chattanooga, is Director of Recruiting for Chattanooga State Community College. He is an AmeriCorps alumnus from the original 1994 class at Boston CityYear. 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 the treasurer for Volunteer Tennessee in 2009.

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.

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.

Brianna Tidwell, Burns, is a senior at Dickson County High School. Brianna is heavily involved in youth leadership activities such as the DCHS Student Council, 4-H and the Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference. She has taken part in many service projects including Kids in the Kitchen at the Dickson Housing Authority, Tunes for Troops, Dickson County American Cancer Society walk for Life, and Great American Cleanup.

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.

Gayle VanHooser, Tracy City, is Grundy County Register of Deeds and a member and youth director of Hobbs Hill United Methodist Church. Locally, she serves on the Families First Council, Arts Council, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Fair Association, Historical Society, Food Bank Board and booster club. Gayle was a 2004 delegate to the Democratic National Convention and has twice been named Tennessee Register of the Year.

Tim Webb, Commissioner of Education is former a former teacher, administrator and director of schools for Lewis County. He is represented on the Volunteer Tennessee board by Angie Cannon.

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 Jim Neely, TN Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

David Gregory represents Chancellor Charles Manning, 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 David Mitchell, TN Department of Safety.

Buddy Lea represents Commissioner Dave Goetz, TN Department of Finance & Administration.

Mike McCullough represents President John D. Petersen, University of Tennessee.

Nancy Schelin represents Commissioner Jim Fyke, TN Department of Environment & Conservation.

Regina Surber represents Commissioner Gina Lodge, TN Department of Human Services.

Servella Terry represents Commissioner Viola Miller, TN Department of Children's Services.

Jane Thompson represents Commissioner Virginia Trotter Betts, TN Department of Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities.

Capt. Linda Williams represents Adjutant Gen. Gus Hargett, TN Department of the Military.