Brenda Barker
Southeast Branch Director

Brenda Barker has a variety of adoption experiences having worked in several capacities with Children's Hope since 1995. Brenda has been an adoption social worker, international adoption coordinator, worked in international adoption development, served nationally on adoption committees and is a published author. She has also traveled extensively overseas working with adoption officials and orphanages. She was recently a speaker at an international conference in Russia on foster care in the US, China and Russia. Brenda offers families a wealth of knowledge, as well as a loving, caring heart for the families as they choose adoption as a means of building their families. Brenda and her family received The Family of the Year in 1997 by the State of Tennessee Family and Children Services, and again by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in 2002. Brenda also received the Angels in Adoption Award in 2001 as one of two Tennesseans nominated by Congress. She also recently was named Ambassador of the Year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Brenda serves on the board of the Vanderbilt Medical Center International Adoption Center.

"My greatest accomplishment and challenge has come as my husband and I raise our nine internationally adopted children from India, China, Eastern Europe, Vietnam and Ethiopia. I have a passion to see children placed in loving homes, and see parents well-educated and well-prepared as they begin this experience of a life-time!" I would consider it a privilege to participate in helping your family dreams become a reality!

Lisa Lee
Administrative Assistant

Bio I’m a country girl from Cullman, Alabama. I received my BS degree in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. As soon as I graduated I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. I met my husband there and we have been married for almost 33 years. We lived in Winston-Salem, NC for 12 years and then moved to Nashville.

I was in the travel industry for 24 years, first with US Airways and last with American Express Corporate Travel. My husband, Jerry, is a Sales Representative in the furniture business and is self-employed.

Adoption has always been near and dear to my heart. We have one daughter, Summer, whom we adopted when she was 11 weeks old. She is now 24 years old and a beautiful young woman. I still remember that time, the joy and excitement, like it was yesterday!

My family and I have been truly blessed.

Amanda McKee Bennett
Kazakhstan Adoption Consultant/Social Worker

Amanda McKee Bennett joined Children’s Hope as a social worker and program specialist for the China Program. Amanda was born in Lexington, Kentucky but grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. She completed her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee College of Social Work in Nashville, Tennessee. Her previous experience includes an internship in international adoption and work in the field of mental health. Amanda is excited about the opportunity to work and serve others by helping them build their families through international adoption.

Lindsay Veach
Ethiopia Program Specialist / Social Worker

Lindsay Veach is a Social Worker and Ethiopia Program Specialist for Children’s Hope. She is a native of Franklin, Tennessee and currently lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee. She is a graduate from Middle Tennessee State University and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a concentration in Child Development and Family Studies. Lindsay’s previous experience includes internships in international adoption and child advocacy. She loves working with children and families and is very excited to have the opportunity to help families adopt internationally.

Rachel Messer
Social Work Coordinator

Rachel Messer has been with Children’s Hope International since May of 2005.  Rachel obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Belmont University and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee. Rachel is the Social Work Coordinator for Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky, as well as the Colombia Program Specialist for the Southeast Children’s Hope office.  Rachel’s previous experience includes an internship supporting adoptive families in crisis. She truly enjoys helping families navigate the process of adoption and counts it a true blessing to see children find their forever families. 

Rachel and her husband Jared live in the Nashville area with their two daughters.

Lorri Mast
China Adoption Consultant

Lorri Mast has joined Children’s Hope International as an adoption consultant for the China program.  She grew up in Parkersburg, WV, and moved to Tennessee as a junior in high school.  Lorri attended college at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a Masters Degree in educational leadership and administration.  Lorri has taught 10 years in the public school system and is passionate about children and families.  In 2005, Lorri and her husband adopted their daughter, Ella, from China.  She is excited about bringing her experience with adoption to other families and is thrilled to be a part of the wonderful team at Children’s Hope International.

Ellie Lancaster
Vietnam Adoption Consultant

Ellie Lancaster joined the Children’s Hope team in January 2008 as the Vietnam Adoption Consultant.  She earned a BA in English from Middle Tennessee State University in 2004.  After her first international adventure to Vietnam in 2001, Ellie’s passion for experiencing culture was ignited.  She has since traveled to Europe, Africa, and China to witness firsthand the need for children around the world to be offered the gift of hope.  Ellie currently resides in Nashville and looks forward to growing families at Children’s Hope
International.

Rebecca McCurdy
Children's Hope Intern

Rebecca McCurdy is an intern at Children's Hope International this year while completing her Masters Degree in Social Work form UT Nashville College of Social Work.  She has a BSW in Social Work from Austin Peay State University.  "I really want to learn more about adoption from a professional view."  She and her brother and sister are adopted.  She was born, adopted, and raised in Clarksville, TN and her brother and sister were both adopted separately from South Korea.  She has grown up around adoption and hopes to adopt one day as her parents did twenty-two years ago.

Kathy Williams
Contract Social Worker, Knoxville, TN

kwillial@cwhlth.com

Sharyn Thompson
Contact Social Worker, Jackson, TN

Sharyn Thompson has joined the CHI staff as a contract social worker conducting home studies and post placement visits. She is certified in Family and Consumer Science through the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences. Sharyn also serves as the Director for Community Health in Memphis and rural West Tennessee for Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center. She has prior work experience in the public health field as a Nutritionist and Health Educator. Sharyn holds certifications as a CPR/First Aid instructor, Red Cross Mass Destruction Worker, Child Passenger Safety Seat technician, and as a Challenge Course facilitator.

Sharyn resides in Jackson, Tennessee with her husband Chuck. They have been married for 11 years and enjoy spending time on the golf course, reading good books, and going for long walks. They are also in the process of adopting their first child from Kazakhstan. Sharyn enjoys working with people in her community and considers it a privilege to help others through their journey of adoption.

Janelle Witt
Contract Social Worker, Knoxville, TN

Janelle has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee and has experience in family preservation and hospice. She and husband Mike have been married for 10 years. Mike has 2 adult children, Michael and Erin, and in 2005, the Witt family adopted 4 year old Dasha from Novosibirsk, Russia, through CHI. Janelle is honored to help families through this incredible journey!

Melissa Roberts
Contract Social Worker, Memphis, TN

Melissa, originally from Ohio, moved to Germantown Tennessee in 1993 where she lives with her husband and 2 children.  She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Ball State University and completed three years of graduate studies in counseling from the University of Cincinnati.  Melissa joined CHI in the spring of 2004 and has enjoyed working with families in the Memphis area

Alabama Staff

Teresa Wood
Outreach Coordinator, AL

Teresa Wood is the part time Outreach Coordinator for the state of Alabama. Teresa graduated from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL with a BS degree in music education. She has taught elementary music, taught pre-kindergarten classes, and home schooled her own children. Family and children have always been a major part of her life.

Teresa and her husband, Ryan, have 3 children. It was the adoption of their third child, Christa, that ignited her passion for orphans around the world. "Our adoption journey was such a 'journey of faith' for me. I want others to know that if God puts the desire to adopt in their hearts, that He will bring it to pass (PS. 37:4-5)."

Arkansas Staff

Connie Bailey
Outreach coordinator, AR

Connie Bailey joined our staff in 2006 as Arkansas Outreach Coordinator. Her background includes a BS degree in Secondary Education from Central Missouri State University. She has taught school, worked nine years as a trainer for Hallmark Cards headquarters, and has many other interests, but her passion is family. Connie enjoys being a wife and mother of four internationally adopted children. Her children range in age from seven to fourteen, and were adopted from El Salvador, China and India. Not only has adoption allowed her and her husband the wonderful blessing of parenthood, but it has opened their world up to many other adventures and relationships. She loves sharing the joy of adoption with others.

Ginger Couch
Contract Case Worker

Ginger has an undergraduate degree from Auburn University and a Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of Georgia. Her prior work experience includes case management and discharge planning with Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She lives in Little Rock with her husband and 2 children. They are in the process of adopting a baby girl from China.

Gcouch1964@sbcglobal.net

Kristi Foster
Contract Case Worker

Kristi Foster has a BS degree in Elementary Education from the University of Arkansas and her MS in Counseling from John Brown University. She is currently a school counselor and mother of three. Two of her three children were adopted from China in 2004 and 2007. After completing her first adoption through Children's Hope in 2004, she decided that helping other families through the adoption process would be the best job ever! She began as a contract case worker for NW Arkansas in January, 2007, and is loving meeting new families and sharing the joys of adoption.

knkfoster@sbcglobal.net

Diana Smith
Contract Case Worker

Diana Smith came to work for CHI as a contract case worker in 2006. She has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker in the state of Arkansas. She lives in Little Rock with her husband Pat and their giant schnauzer Skampi. When not working or traveling, Diana enjoys riding her dressage horse, Amulette, while Pat enjoys coaching high school rugby in central Arkansas. In addition to her work for CHI, Diana has worked as an outpatient psychotherapist at Arkansas Children’s Hospital since 1995. Previously she worked as a medical social worker and as a chemical dependency treatment specialist.

tbhorses@ix.netcom.com

Kentucky Staff

Michelle Satler
Contract Social Worker and Outreach Coordinator, KY

Michelle Satler is the part-time Outreach Coordinator for Kentucky. She and her husband, Gary, began their adoption journey for their new daughter from China in May 2006. A native of Kentucky, she graduated from the University of Louisville, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has spent nearly 8 years working for non-profit agencies. Michelle is very grateful for an opportunity to work with families considering adoption and to be a part of an agency so devoted to helping children find loving homes.

Misti Carrigan
Contract Social Worker

Misti Carrigan holds a Master of Arts degree and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Kentucky. For the past seven years, she has worked in education and in mental health the previous six years.

Outside of her work, she enjoys time spent with her husband of fifteen years and the couple's three year old daughter, Emerson Dawn. As a family, they attend The Turning Point Church in Madison, TN and take pleasure in the great outdoors with their three basset hounds, Frederick, Abigail and Jane. In addition, Misti actively seeks fundraising efforts that affect change around the world for orphaned children.

On becoming involved with Children's Hope, Misti states, "Becoming a mother was the most rewarding experience, and I look forward to serving CHI families as they too journey to achieve their dreams of parenthood."

misti.carrigan@bgreen.kyschools.us

Chana McGuire-Davis
Contract Social Worker

Chana has a love for families and children.  She brings a wealth of experience to our families in Kentucky. Chana has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Murray State University and is certified in Youth Agency Administration.  Chana has been employed in the non profit sector for the last seven years.

ChanaDavis@adelphia.net

Louisiana - Mississippi Staff

Angelle High
Outreach Coordinator, LA, MS

Angelle became acquainted with CHI three years ago, when she and her husband began the adoption process for their daughter from China. They are now waiting for the referral of their second Chinese daughter! Because this has been one of the most fulfilling experiences she has ever had, Angelle wants to share the miracle of adoption with others.

She says, “My hope is that our blended family will be an encouragement to others to allow God to create a family that may be different from the one they had originally envisioned, but one that is still His idea.”

She lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband Jay, her two sons, Landon and Micah, and her daughter, Rebekah. She loves her work as the Outreach Coordinator for CHI in Louisiana and Mississippi. Sometimes it’s a challenge to get it all in as she homeschools her children, but it’s never boring!

Virginia Staff

Tammie Perkins
Outreach Coordinator, VA

Tammie Perkins is the part time Outreach Coordinator for Virginia. She and her husband Greg have 5 children. Their daughter, Reagan, joined their family in January 2004 from Hubei Province, China. Through Reagan's adoption, Tammie discovered her own passion for helping others adopt and has been a CHAPS Volunteer and active in helping to start an adoption ministry in her home church.

 "After experiencing the miracle of adoption in our own lives, I can't wait to help others discover the wonderful way God uses adoption to bring families together."

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