OUR TEAM

Staff

Heather Karls Chaniott

President

Aaron Yusef Johnson

Director of Operations

Steve Lorenz

Co-Founder

Marti Scudder

Co-Founder 

Shalyn Eyer

Director of Mentoring

Mentors

Heather Karls Chaniott

Senior Mentor

Wynn Lembright

Senior Mentor

Susan Sharpe

Senior Mentor

Paige Pitts

Project Leader

Alec Dryden

Mentor

Nancy Heche

Mentor

Dan LaMore

Mentor

Warren Smith

Mentor

Angie Gaw Wilson

Mentor

William Chumchal

Senior Mentor

Steve Lorenz

Senior Mentor

Chris Stowers

Senior Mentor 

Karen Simpson

Project Leader

Craig Fry

Mentor

Keith Kallberg

Mentor

Helen Lane

Mentor

Jim Ward

Mentor

Courtney Yezerski

Mentor

Toni Fitzpenn

Senior Mentor

Alisa Malone

Senior Mentor

Troy Waugh

Senior Mentor

Lori Bachman

Mentor

Karen Graves

Mentor

Mark Karls

Mentor

Libby Peterson

Mentor

Bev Wells

Mentor

Mark Hogan

Senior Mentor

Marti Scudder

Senior Mentor

Aaron Yusef Johnson

Project Leader

Woody Camp

Mentor

Steve Griffith

Mentor

Don Klein

Mentor

Carolyn Riviere

Mentor

Dana Williams

Mentor

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Lori Bachman

Lori Bachman is on a mission to help businesses improve their organizational results and bottom-line ROI of their mentoring programs. As Founder and CEO of The MentorShift Group, Lori consults and speaks widely about her four-step mentoring system. Her MentorShift® process guides businesses, non-profits, and churches toward a lasting way to transfer skills and keep key talent from walking out the door. Lori invested over twenty-five years in the aerospace industry where she held leadership positions in financial planning and merger and acquisitions. Her combination of corporate and entrepreneurial experience positions her as a respected thought leader on the topic of mentoring.

She has authored three books, MentorShift, MentorShift at Work, and How to Find a Great Mentor for You. They have been read, employed, and enjoyed by aspiring mentors and mentees around the globe.

Lori previously served on the board of Mile High United Way; currently, she serves on the board of Chinese Children Adoption Int’l and Feng Li Li Foundation. She holds a BA in Psychology (Wheaton College (IL) and an MBA in Finance (University of Denver). The MentorShift Group’s motto, “Because Mentoring Well Matters” is the heart of Lori’s efforts as she strives to powerfully serve her mentoring and coaching clients each day. Lori and her family live in Denver, Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking and all that the Rocky Mountain outdoors has to offer.

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Woody Camp

Mentor

Woody Camp currently works as a general counselor for Oldacre McDonald, LLC. He is responsible for legal matters of the company including drafting and negotiating documents, reviewing leases, contracts, and overseeing the paralegal staff. He has a history in both real estate and consulting. He has served in numerous leadership positions over his long career. He has degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Nashville School of Law, and the University of Tennessee – Nashville.

Along with his extensive career experience, he has volunteered on many boards and associations including the Tennessee Association of Realtors, Nashville Board of Realtors, and Tennessee Real Estate Education Foundation. He was a founding member of Christ Presbyterian Church, is the Commissioner of the Nashville Institute of Faith and Work, and is a Board member and mentor at MDI. He and his wife Millie Camp have been married for more than 46 years and have 3 married children and 8 grandchildren, all in the Nashville area.

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Shalyn Eyer

Director of Mentoring

Shalyn has a passion for working with people and organizations, developing leadership skills, building collaborative and creative teams, and cultivating relationships that transform culture through the power of story. She is a firm believer that a great organization requires engaged people, fulfilled and excited to show up to work each day. Her experience spans 20+ years in training, development, and talent acquisition and management.

She holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Organizational Management and Strategic Leadership. Shalyn started her career in the government sector, took a brief detour in the financial industry, and then moved into higher education, where she was instrumental in creating, launching, and growing the executive graduate and wine business programs. This sparked the fire in her heart for leadership and team development, taking her into the world of consulting across multiple corporate industries.And then God intervened, colliding her desire to blend ministry and business by placing her on the staff of a Nashville mega church, where she built the HR department. Over the course of her career, she’s had the pleasure of serving as co-chair of the Nashville Chapter of 4word, a nationwide Women in Business leadership organization and being a member of the Center for Creative Leadership. Shalyn resides in Franklin, Tennessee, where her greatest joy is spending time with her husband and grown children.

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William Chumchal

Senior Mentor

William is an accomplished project and operations manager with more than 35 years of experience executing major capital projects and leading business operations in the global energy industry. He holds an engineering degree from the University of Texas and is a Registered Professional Engineer. A servant leader known for building high performing teams, he has expertise in crafting and implementing collaborative strategies to improve operations and execution that drive revenue growth and increase profits. He currently works as a Vice President for UPI.

William was actively involved in the development of The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas, developing by-laws and organizational structure and serving on the seminary’s Board of Directors. In his local church, he has served in leadership roles, overseeing home groups and studies in faith and work, and is a trained Stephen Minister. He is a Gotham Fellow in the
Nashville Institute for Faith and Work. Following several years living in both Houston and London, he and his wife, Yvonne, now call Nashville home.

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Alec Dryden

Mentor

Alec has had a diverse career working primarily in management, finance, and operations of small to medium size business in broad range of industries. He enjoys the creative process of starting new ventures as well as guiding established organizations to flourishing. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Communication. He has served as an advisor and board member to multiple nonprofit organizations. Now retired he serves as a Sam Walton Fellow, mentoring students on the Enactus team at Belmont University and continues to serve several local nonprofits.

Actively serving in his church, he has been an officer for many years. Alec has lived in Nashville since 1957, widowed a few years ago he enjoys family, woodworking, and gardening. He has two sons who are both married and one grandson. 

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Toni Fitzpenn

Senior Mentor

Toni Fitzpenn is President of Venture Publications, Inc., operating the firm's Nashville, TN, office. Previously, she served as Vice President of Creative Services and Director of Marketing and Creative Services for Star Song Communications, a recording label. Her responsibilities have included the design and development of recorded products and videos, promotional packages and campaigns for coordinated marketing efforts, trade show displays, book and album marketing, point-of-sale and in-store marketing, packaging, and print media applications in the music industry. In 1993, she joined Venture Publications as co-partner. Combining her expertise in the teen and young adult market with higher education has been a natural fit. Over the past 10 years, Toni has worked with over 130 community and technical colleges as Venture Publications sponsors. She has won numerous national advertising awards for her creative direction and campaigns.

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Craig Fry

Mentor

Craig Fry is the president of Christian Leadership Concepts, a men’s discipleship ministry that challenges men in small group settings to strengthen their relationship with Christ. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Belmont University, and MA in Ministry from Moody Bible Institute. He has worked in sales, operations, and since 2013, he has worked as the president of CLC. He served as a Chaplain for Skyline Hospital for 5 years and as a Member Board of Trustees of Williamson College.

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Karen Graves

Mentor

Dr Karen Graves is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She attended Vanderbilt University and Emory University School of Medicine.  Karen met her husband of thirty years, cardiologist Dr Dante Graves, while they were both interns in Medicine, working long shifts at Grady Memorial Hospital.  She went on to serve a Chief Residency as well as time in biomedical research.  Her subsequent life has been a mix of primary care medical practice, motherhood and care for the elderly.  Most recently she served as Director of Clinical Studies at MyGenetx Company.  

Growing up next door to the missionary furlough apartments for her church, Karen has always had a heart to care for those who minister to others. She serves on her church’s mission advisory team and is involved with several local ministries.   Karen and Dante have also led family, youth and medical mission teams to Honduras.   She is currently retired and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Steve Griffith

Mentor

Steve spent a decade at Walmart Stores, Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas, developing leaders in multiple levels and contexts. Prior to that, Steve spent 11 years in leadership development and organizational leadership in the campus ministry of CRU, a mega-church and a ministry start-up. He understands that the pressure, pace and competing priorities of today’s business world threaten to distract us from what matters most.

This experience gives him well-rounded, “in the trenches” experience as a business consultant and executive coach. His focus is on helping business owners and ministry leaders stretch themselves to execute what matters most, get in the right lane and leverage their influence. 

Steve is passionate about his faith in Jesus Christ, his wife of 27 years, Denise, and his adult son, Mitchell. He loves to tell stories about being bluff-charged by a grizzly bear, almost getting shot by a member of the Russian mafia and having a flat tire, just feet from a large male lion.

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Nancy Heche

Mentor

Nancy Heche has been active in the non-profit community serving organizations in Chicago and Bonita Springs, Florida. She has worked in the financial markets and taught in university classrooms. She has maintained a private psychotherapy practice for twenty-five years. She has written two books on issues involving family growth and change. She thrives on encouraging and supporting others in personal and spiritual growth, as individuals or teams or classrooms or offices.

She received a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling and Psychotherapy. Returning to school as an older adult served as a means of connecting with others in setting goals and managing a process through to a satisfactory solution, celebrating every step. 

This collaborative process is one of the biggest pleasures of her corporate life, seeing others thrive and grow and work together to solve a problem--personal, spiritual, or corporate. She is currently working with a women’s group to reorganize the leadership structure, with a family of newly-adopted siblings and with a large vibrant prayer community involving businesses, non-profits, schools and ministries to support, trouble-shoot and grow each entity.

Her personal life involves teaching women’s Bible studies, nurturing a growing young family of grandchildren and great grandchildren, and maintaining a healthy life style. She also enjoys working with one of her daughters in her retail shop in a small resort town in southwest Michigan in the summer.

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Mark Hogan

Senior Mentor

Dr. Mark Hogan taught and conducted workshops for the last forty years in higher education and within the nonprofit leadership sector.  He holds a B.A. in English from Greenville College, a M.A. in English and English Education from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in Education and Human Development, with minors in Educational Leadership and Psychology from Vanderbilt University. He also has a graduate certificate in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University, as well as seminary work in pastoral counseling.

Dr. Hogan has served in leadership roles in Indiana and Virginia prior to coming to Tennessee in 2014. He was the President of the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education until 2014. Dr. Hogan was elected President-Elect of the Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. Dr. Hogan has been active in developing advocacy for churches and non-profit programs and has taught classes and workshops on advocacy alongside marginalized people groups.

Dr. Hogan’s areas of practice include conflict transformation within organizations, servant leadership structures, and change-agency leadership. He gets most excited working toward (1) empowerment of voice and message of marginalized groups, (2) development of self-care for leaders, and (3) establishment of leadership structures that build on common Grace and servant-leadership.

Dr. Hogan is married to Dr. Krista Swensson Hogan, the father of three daughters and the grandfather to three granddaughters.  When not out enjoying people, Dr. Hogan can be found either writing or out in his garden.

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Aaron Yusef Johnson

Director of Operations

Hailing from Chicago, IL, Aaron Yusef Johnson can be found helping people build things all over the city of Nashville while listening to audiobooks in-between meetings. With over 10,000 hours in the field as a boutique strategy and brand consultant, he is called on to work in specific projects ranging from hi-level governmental to beginning non-profits primarily in Nashville and Chicago. At the core, Aaron is passionate about the Glory of God and lives to make Him known. With diverse backgrounds in ministry, expression, and business, he brings diversity and depth contextualized for both the body of Christ & the marketplace.

As an entrepreneur-equipper, he currently teaches workshops, a frequent Nashville conference speaker, and a proud graduate of the entrepreneurship program at the Nashville Entrepreneurship Center (Google).  Aaron has studied Pastoral Studies at The Moody Bible Institute (Chicago) and has helped plant 3 churches. He is an active alumnus of The Devos Urban Leadership Institute (Chicago). He also serves on the board of The Operation Andrew Group, is a recent volunteer chaplain at the Downtown YMCA of Nashville, TN, is heavily involved in strengthening police relationships in the African-American community of Nashville, and plans major prayer initiatives with several churches and ministries throughout the city of Nashville. He also can be found teaching free classes on social media and marketing at the TSU Business School at the Avon Williams Downtown Campus on a monthly basis and has finished a Masters Degree in Intercultural and Urban Studies.

Some fun facts about Aaron is that he has solved a Rubik’s Cube in under a minute, exhibits exotic animals, enjoys weightlifting, and outdoor hiking on the trails of Tennessee. He also enjoys public speaking, ethnic reconciliation, identity architecture, modernist cuisine, and pastoral ministry.

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Keith Kallberg

Mentor

Keith Kallberg is retired and is living with his wife, Lisa in Leipers Fork since 2016. The father of three he has been blessed with 9 Grandchildren. He attended North Park College in Chicago with a major in Business Administration.

Keith has spent the majority of his career in various roles in Sales, Sales Management, Business Development & Marketing within the technical field of Vacuum Process. Employers include Pfeiffer, Agilent, Varian and Leybold Hereaus. More recently he has worked with his two Sons in serving FEMA’s needs in support of providing temporary power to Puerto Rico before, during and following Hurricane Maria in 2017.

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Heather Karls

President

Heather has been helping organizations thrive for over 20 years.  With a unique background in business, marketing, entrepreneurship, real estate, and ministry leadership, Heather continually designs strategies that take organizations to the next level.

With a B.A. in business from Belmont University, Heather spent a decade in real estate advertising building a firm that serviced some of the largest developers in Nashville. Heather also created one of the largest cancer benefits in Nashville earning the Volunteer of the Year Award from Community Health Charities. Having invested in real estate since 2003, Heather has built a portfolio that allows her to dedicate herself to nonprofit work full time and can often be found advising others on life-changing financial strategies. 

At MDI, Heather has worked with over 50 ministries, ranging from startups to multi-million dollar organizations. She has helped ministries walk through leadership transitions, global crisis, restructuring, growth strategies, and pioneering new initiatives. Working from both the left and right side of her brain, Heather is known for her vision, her insight, and her passion. Heather's desire is to fan the flame that God has placed in leaders, to ignite movements that only He can do.

When Heather's not at work, she also enjoys friends, family, fashion, culinary arts, interior design and her 16 lb. american eskimo, Inge.

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Mark Karls

Mentor

Rev. Karls had been a United Methodist pastor for 36 years, retiring in 2014. In 2017 he was asked to come out of retirement to pastor the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church in the tourist destination town of Frankenmuth, Michigan, 13 miles from his home in Saginaw, Michigan.

He became a pastor after serving in Combat Action in Vietnam as a young U.S. Naval Officer. He gave his entire combat pay to World Vision to sponsor 2 Vietnamese orphans, then upon completion of his service he took the G.I. Bill and went to seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has eleven years of college and three post graduate degrees, including a master’s degree and Ph.D. work in mathematics at the University of Michigan before the military draft board called and he became a Naval Officer to avoid the draft.

Prior to retirement Rev. Karls was the pastor of his home church for 17 years in the inner city of Saginaw, Michigan, a city which had been listed in the top 5 “most violent crime” cities in America by the FBI for more than 10 consecutive years. He has received 2 awards for his work in uniting the city, and the most recent demographics show that “violent crime” in Saginaw was reduced by 80% over his last 5 years of ministry in Saginaw.

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Don Klein

Mentor

Don Klein is Founder and President of Don Klein Consulting, a company focused on senior management and board development, strategic planning and communications planning. The company was founded in 2014 in Nashville, TN. Clients include both for profit and nonprofit organizations with annual revenues between $500,000 to $30 million.

Prior to forming Don Klein Consulting, Don was the Chief Executive Officer of The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors for 16 years. During his time there, the association received recognition for excellence nationally, regionally and state-wide. In 2008, Don received both the William C. “Bill” Tune Award for Excellence in Real Estate Education from the Tennessee Real Estate Commission and the President’s Award from GNAR.

Before becoming the CEO for GNAR, Don spent 21 years in advertising, public relations and marketing communications. His earlier career involved positions at book publishing and music business firms, as well as in advertising and public relations agencies such as Brumfield-Gallagher and DVL in Nashville. He served a variety of clients including trade associations, political candidates, restaurants and healthcare firms. Don is a certified facilitator for the Investment in Excellence Program created by The Pacific Institute.

Originally from Muskegon, Michigan, he attended John Brown University, The University of Oklahoma and Tennessee State University. Early in his career, Don had a measure of success as a trumpet player and as part of a group performed with many pop and country artists, including an appearance on “Hee Haw” with Roy Clark. Don has lived in Nashville since 1980 and is active at Church of the Redeemer. His wife, Melonnie, taught 5th grade teacher at Christ Presbyterian Academy for 26 years and continues to tutor and teach in various settings.

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Dan LaMore

Mentor

Dan and his wife Laura live in Grand Rapids, MI.  He works as Senior Vice President for The Christman Company, which is a construction firm based in Michigan and serves the eastern half of the United States.  As a mentor for MDI, Dan applies his business experience and team-building experience gained from his work at Christman as well as global missions work to support. He has a civil engineering degree from Michigan State University.

 Dan has been involved in global missions leadership in Ukraine with several Christian organizations and local churches for the past 15 years. He also serves as a board member for Radooga, a Ukrainian youth ministry. Dan serves with multiple non-profit Christian organizations as well in West Michigan.

Dan and Laura have three grown children and two grandchildren that reside in Michigan as well.

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Wynn Lembright

Senior Mentor

Wynn Lembright presently serves as a part time Resource Director for New Hope Academy. Prior to moving to the Nashville Area in 2012, Wynn’s professional life included five years as a project engineer with Eli Lilly and Company, thirteen years as Director of Northeast Field Ministries for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and twenty-six years as Vice President of Taylor University.

Wynn has served on numerous boards that support both national and international ministries. He has earned degrees in engineering, behavioral sciences, and theology. Wynn and his wife Bonnie have two children both of whom reside internationally with their respective spouses and six grandchildren. The Lembrights worship at Christ Presbyterian Church.

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Steve Lorenz

Co-Founder

A graduate of Otterbein College and Harvard Business School, Steve worked in the music industry for 26 years and owned a publishing, record production, and artist management company. He retired from that season of his life in 1990 and he has worked in international missions ever since. He has served on over 30 different corporate, missions and industry boards and has been chairman of many of them. Steve and his wife Marilyn have two married daughters and four grandchildren.

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Alisa Malone

Senior Mentor

Alisa currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for IDS with responsibilities that include strategic planning, operations management and client relations. Ms. Malone has over 15 years of professional experience in non-profit, for-profit, and state government sectors. She obtained her Master’s degree in Public Service Management at Cumberland University and Bachelor of Science degrees in Medical Technology and Laboratory Science at Auburn University. As an executive, her areas of focus include: organizational change management, fiscal stewardship, strategic management, staff development, accountability, positive outcomes, and public policy.

One of Alisa’s greatest strengths is identifying and maximizing individual strengths to move a group toward a common goal. Additionally, she excels at using innovative methods and management philosophies to lead collaborative change, process improvement, and improving organizational proficiencies.

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Libby Peterson

Mentor

Libby started her career in healthcare, most recently at Covenant Surgical Partners leading their managed care contracting division. During her time at Covenant, her team generated an additional $50M for the company through contract negotiations. At the time, Covenant was growing rapidly. Through this experience she developed an interest in “fixing” and scaling processes to adapt to growth. She pivoted into private equity, working with Northcliff River Associates providing executive level leadership and consulting for middle market companies. Her focus was on high-growth and turnaround strategies for companies in the $50-$100M revenue range. Her family ultimately recruited her to manage the private investments of the family office, with a primary focus on Biblically Responsible Impact Investing. Motivated by her experiences with impact investing, Libby, with her brother Andrew, started a highway maintenance company, Big AL Mowing. 75%+ of their employees are struggling with homelessness, addiction, and/or are formerly incarcerated. Through partnerships with non-profits, the company is working to provide additional support to its employees with personal hardships. 

Libby serves on several boards, including her family foundation, Nashville-Davidson County Foster Care Review, The Signatry Middle Tennessee, Furman University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, and Lipscomb University's Business as Mission. 

Libby is a graduate of Furman University and resides in Nashville, TN with her husband, Tyler, a United Methodist Pastor, son, Will, and enormous dog, Jethro. Libby and her family attend Calvary United Methodist Church. In her spare time, Libby enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

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Paige Pitts

Project Leader

Paige Pitts received her degree in Early Childhood / Elementary Education from Furman University.  After graduating, she began her career teaching in Metro Public Schools desiring to serve in an urban school setting.  Soon finding herself with the opportunity to serve in foreign missions, Paige began working with ICARE Ministries traveling to Africa and, at the time, Eastern Europe.

In 1991, Paige began an outreach ministry to underserved neighborhoods.  After hearing their voice and attempting to understand their felt needs, she began Franklin Community Ministries, under the ministry of Christ Community Church.   Franklin Community Ministries provided many programs including the Eagles program (tutoring), Safe Harbor (ministry to single teenage moms), Tapestry (promoting racial reconciliation), Jr. and Sr. High Bible studies, Children’s Summer Program, and Neighborhood Renewal (revitalizing neighborhoods through home renovation and repairs).

After creating, implementing, and running many programs, Paige began to see the need for prevention as well as crisis intervention.  Thus, she founded New Hope Academy, opening its doors in the fall of 1996. New Hope Academy is a Christ-centered community school which exists to instill vision, confirm hope, and prepare each young person for a life of service.  While maintaining an economically, racially, and culturally diverse student body, NHA intentionally provides excellent education for underserved families.

Over the last fifteen years, Paige has spoken for conferences, workshops, women’s events, and schools regarding care for the poor, racial reconciliation, and classical education.

Married in 1998, Dan and Paige Pitts have two sons Tommy and Tait and reside in Franklin, TN.

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Carolyn Riviere

Mentor

Carolyn Riviere is retired from the field of Public Health after 40+ years. Her career experiences include faculty positions in Community Health Nursing at the University of Central Arkansas and the University of Arkansas. She has held Supervisory, Continuing Education and Program Director positions at the Arkansas Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Nashville Metro Health Department. She has worked at all levels of public health from the local, regional and the state level. She has had the opportunity to give presentations, and assist with training and program development both nationally and internationally. In 2013, she was recognized by the March of Dimes of Middle Tennessee as the Public Health Nurse of the Year.

She attended Ouachita Baptist University and the University of Central Arkansas receiving a Bachelors and Masters in Nursing.

She is active in her church and continues to be involved in helping in several community organizations, looking for opportunities to empower and enable individuals.

She and her husband Paul have lived in Nashville since 1986. They have two married daughters and six grandchildren.

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Helen Lane

Mentor

Helen Lane is an experienced c-suite executive with over 30 years of diverse experience in technology, operations, mergers & acquisitions, healthcare, strategic planning, and management consulting. She currently serves on corporate and non-profit boards and is actively involved as a mentor and advisor. Helen’s experience includes being one of 4 partners growing, and selling a management consulting firm, serving as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for two healthcare companies, and converting a distribution company to web-based operations. Her most recent role was as a Senior Managing Director at Ankura Consulting Group, where she focused on working with Fortune 1000 and Private Equity-backed portfolio companies to fuel growth and transformation. In this role she advised boards and executive teams on value creation, often serving as an integrating force to balance culture and personalities in keeping with the unique culture and dynamics of every board and management team. Prior to Ankura, as a partner and senior leader, Helen helped grow c3/consulting to be the largest consulting firm in Middle Tennessee, selling the company to Ankura in 2018. Her early career included multiple roles at IBM.

Helen is passionate about giving back to the community, with a focus on improving support for health and well-being, especially in the areas of cancer support and children’s health. Her community involvement includes service as the Board Chair for Gilda’s Club of Middle TN.

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Marti Scudder

Co-Founder

After graduating from Purdue University, Marti worked for many years as a commercial designer and space planner for large architectural firms in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago and San Francisco. She also owned a design business in Minneapolis and taught design at the University of Minnesota. Since 1990, Marti has lent her leadership to multiple ministries and boards, and has served as Director of World Missions for a large church. Marti and her late husband Gary have a married daughter who lives in Dallas, a married son who lives in Denver, and 5+ grandchildren.
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Susan Sharpe

Senior Mentor

Dr. Sharpe received her Doctorate of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Leadership Development and Coaching, and she is a certified Coach.  As President of Intentional Living, she is passionate about helping clients discover the unique purpose for which God has created them, as well as encouraging them to become intentionally influential leaders in their own areas of influence. 

Dr. Sharpe has published Leadership Development Coaching curriculum and received the 100 Most Influential Women in Chicago Award in 2000.  She has served on numerous Non-Profit Boards and currently serves as President of Feng Li Li Foundation and as President of Laura-Valentine Ministries.  Most recently she has started The Event which raises money for non-profit Christian organizations.

Dr. Sharpe’s greatest joy is taking time from her busy schedule to spend time with her husband and two children.  She and her family currently live in Nashville, TN.

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Karen Simpson

Project Leader

Karen Simpson was born and raised in historic Hyde Park, New York, the hometown of Franklin Delano Rosevelt. Since moving to the Nashville area in 1996, she has served within the community volunteering with Friends of Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, West Point Parent Organization for Middle TN., the Wounded Warrior Project and Habitat for Humanity.

Karen served on the Board of Trustees at Brentwood Academy and chaired the board in support of capitol campaigns, the parent of alumni organization and advancement efforts. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees at New Hope Academy accompanying advancement and annual fund efforts while recently co-chairing a Head of School Search Committee. Seeing the first-hand impact of investing in the life and education of children, blesses lives far beyond the walls of the classroom.

In prior years, she worked in physician practices and corporate catering, growing clientele. As a member of Christ Presbyterian Church for the past 6 years, she continues to see the body of Christ at work while serving on the outreach ministry, Missional Communities. Residing in Franklin, Karen is passionate about investing in community. She has a daughter and son in law who reside in Chicago with their 3 young children and, 2 married sons who reside in the Brentwood and Franklin community.

The intentional investment to partner with, walk alongside of and be an advocate for mission and vision centered organizations and their leaders, gift and create opportunity for deepened relationships. Grateful to be invited into the supportive mission of MDI to serve with one another.

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Chris Stowers

Senior Mentor

A native Floridian, Chris worked with a nonprofit hospital system, Orlando Health, for 17 years, where he was the Vice President and Executive Director of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation.

After moving to Brentwood in 2011, he served as the Vice President of Development and Senior Vice President of Philanthropy for HealthTeacher, Inc. and the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, respectively. Immediately prior to joining MDI Chris served as a Senior Consultant and heading the Nashville office of the Winkler Group, a fundraising consulting firm with headquarters in Charleston, SC.  He has worked with clients across the nonprofit sector leading them in the preparation for and management of multimillion-dollar capital campaigns. In addition, he has led several organizations through board retreats and strategic development planning.

Chris grew up attending First Presbyterian Church of Orlando and it was here that he put his faith in Christ for his salvation. He served in many areas of the church including youth ministry, young adults, Sunday School teacher, ordained Elder, and chaired both Missions and Stewardship committees. It was through 1st Presbyterian Church where he participated in four overseas short-term mission trips, which greatly impacted his walk with Christ and passion for international ministry

Chris has served on numerous nonprofit boards of directors. While in Orlando, he served with Lifework Leadership, a national ministry committed to transforming leaders across vocational, denominational and racial lines by clarifying their calling, challenging their minds and engaging their hearts for service. Through his participation in Lifework Leadership’s programming and board service, Chris developed a love for impacting leaders to better equip them for service. 

Chris is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and holds a certificate in Fundraising Management from Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy.  He is an active member of the Middle Tennessee chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University and a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Florida.  

Chris and his wife of 25 years, Tracy, have two children who attend Brentwood High School. The Stowers family worships at Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood.

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Warren Smith

Mentor

Warren Smith is a Principal and Managing Director of Avison Young’s Tennessee Offices. Prior to joining Avison Young, Warren Smith was the Chief Executive Officer for Cushman & Wakefield | Cornerstone. Warren plays an active role in supporting brokerage and management efforts to align client requirements with strategic business, financial, and operational objectives. Warren’s business philosophy is based on building long-term client relationships, as well as growing Avison Young’s coverage of Middle Tennessee through careful recruiting as well as retaining top talent throughout the company. Warren is a graduate of the University of the South and also received his MBA from Duke University.  Warren has also served as an adjunct professor of Real Estate Finance at the Owen School of Business at Vanderbilt University.

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Jim Ward

Mentor

More details coming soon!

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Troy Waugh

Senior Mentor

Troy was the CEO of The Rainmaker Companies, LLC and founder of The Rainmaker Academy, The Leadership Academy, The Rainmaker Consulting Group, The Rainmaker Alliance Group and Enterprise Worldwide. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS from the University of Tennessee and is a Certified Public Accountant. Troy is the author of three books and has been selected as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Profession for ten years in a row by Accounting Today magazine. Troy was named as the only recipient of The Advisory Board’s Hall of Fame recognition in 2015 for his years of innovative leadership in training and consulting.

Troy brings creativity and passion to help transform the lives of leaders. He uses many years of consulting experience to the clients of MDI and he serves those clients with prayer and passion.

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Bev Wells

Mentor

Bev Wells recently retired with her husband to Nashville. Prior to retirement, Bev served as CEO for Vital, a payment processing company located in Arizona – resolving a wide range of operational and strategic concerns including the ownership of the company.

Bev’s first 30 years were served with the Wachovia Corporation in a range of capacities including:  Executive Vice President of Retail Financial Services, President of the Credit Card Bank and executive for a range of technology and operational functions.

Throughout her career Bev was credited with setting a strategic direction and building an organization to ensure delivery of customer expectations for quality and operational excellence.

Bev enjoys “all things” outdoors, her dog, her grandgirls and the stimulation of thinking with others.

Dana Williams Headshot

Dana Williams

Mentor

Dana Williams was a co-founder and Senior Vice-President of Healthways, Inc. and served at the company for 36 years. Currently, he is Executive Vice President for Enterprise Solutions and Business Development for The Lifestyle Medicine Institute located in Redlands, California. Mr. Williams earned his Masters Degree in Hospital and Healthcare Administration at Georgia State University’s College of Business Administration and completed his Administrative Residency with Hospital Affiliates International at Henrico Doctors Hospital in Richmond Virginia.  His past positions include Administrator at Washington Memorial Hospital in New Jersey and Chief Executive Officer at Russell County Medical Center in Virginia. 

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Angie Gaw Wilson

Mentor

Angie Gaw Wilson is a Nurse Practitioner and her medical specialization is Nurse Practitioner - Psychology/Mental Health. She practices in Nashville, Tennessee and has the professional credentials of MSN. Angie graduated from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

MC_Courtney-Yezerski

Courtney Yezerski

Mentor

Courtney Yezerski is a resident of Franklin, TN with Kentucky roots. She and her husband relocated to Nashville in 2008 after living in Chicago, IL. While in Chicago, she provided in house consulting and strategic planning services for Advocate Healthcare.  Since relocating to Nashville, she has been a committed volunteer to New Hope Academy, a pre-k through 6th grade school whose mission is to provide a Christ-centered education to all, without regard to the ability to pay. Courtney has served on the Board of Trustees for New Hope Academy for 6 years, including terms as Board Chair and Vice Chair. During her service on the Board, Courtney has led projects including organizational strategic planning, development and fundraising strategy, and the successful transition of the Head of School. She is passionate about the value of diversity in organizations and the community and loves to learn from the experience of others. In addition to mentoring at MDI, Courtney serves on the Board of the Franklin Justice and Equity Coalition and worships at Empowerment Community Church. Courtney received her MBA and MSHA from UAB and her bachelor’s degree from Ole Miss. She is married to JE and tries her best to raise three
sons.

Board of Directors

Brian Smith, Chairman

David Crane

Becky Garrett

Kathleen Fuchs Hritz

Steve Lorenz

Marti Scudder

Mark Stout

Troy Waugh

Bev Wells

Colin Yankee

Board Members Emeritus

Marvin Nischan

Phoebe Nischan

Betty Stadler

Jim Stadler

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