The people behind the mission.

Carole worked as a litigator and a federal prosecutor in the Major Crimes Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for nearly 15 years before leaving the public sector to teach. She is an active volunteer in multiple facets of the community and is passionate about helping people who want to work provide for themselves and their families and give back to their communities.

Charismatic and compelling, Al combines experience in collegiate (Vanderbilt) and corporate (Asurion) recruiting with a passion for people and an ability to tell engaging and encouraging stories personally and via digital platforms.

Jennie melds her past experience in entrepreneurship, business, and ministry into her multifaceted role with UpRise. The Nashville native spearheads volunteer engagement and serves in the application process for Nashvillians interested in gaining higher education and a career through UpRise. Jennie has a heart for being a connector who builds relationships, serving as a true champion for our UpRise Leaders.

Katherine Carver is a registered nurse who brings a unique blend of clinical expertise, compassion, and empathetic leadership skills to help others in their most vulnerable moments. In her healthcare career spanning more than a decade, she developed a strong foundation in patient advocacy, rapid problem-solving, and cross-functional teamwork. At UpRise, she translates her frontline nursing experience to empower leaders, helping them discover their own strengths to forge successful, sustainable career paths.

Jack is an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, serving as a Congregational Care Pastor and Chaplain. He loves connecting people, and pastoring and counseling them along the journey of life.

Wende serves UpRise where she connects Nashville’s business community to UpRise’s mission of alleviating poverty through education, redemptive relationships, and the gospel of Christ, while expanding career pathways and strengthening organizational sustainability. Prior to UpRise, Wende spent 34 years at Bank of America, leading enterprise-wide initiatives across talent, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and career mobility, earning multiple national awards for innovation and impact.

Lynise is a certified life and executive coach who brings over 20 years of coaching experience to UpRise. With a passion for serving under-resourced communities, Lynise is renowned for her ability to cultivate trusting and successful relationships and achieve meaningful program results.

Courtney comes to UpRise having worked in development at one of Oklahoma's longest-serving non-profits. She was at the helm of music industry media relations for over a decade. Courtney is grateful to be on a team striving to provide life-changing, communal opportunity for Nashvillians.

Charity brings over a decade of nonprofit experience, along with a background in education and corporate finance, to UpRise. Driven by her God-given purpose to empower individuals to not just survive, but thrive, Charity is committed to fulfilling this calling by helping move our mission forward to create lasting positive change.  

Dailey Rae graduated from Wake Forest University in 2023 with a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Inequalities and Social Justice. She was recently a Nashville Fellow and is passionate about encouraging people into who they are becoming.

Dr. Amelia Malone is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Kadema Cognition, where she works with non-profits, school districts, and community-based organizations to strengthen educational support for students with and at risk for learning disabilities and their families. She brings expertise in mathematics learning, learning disabilities, research design, and data-based decision making, along with a strong record of translating complex research and school-based information into clear, practical guidance. Her work includes developing family-facing training and resources, supporting parents as they navigate school systems and special education processes, facilitating learning sessions and collaborative groups, and helping organizations build stronger, more responsive supports for family engagement. Across consulting, non-profit leadership, teaching, and applied research, she has led advisory efforts, contributed to advocacy and policy work, written grants and curricula, and developed tools that help families, educators, and community partners make informed decisions and work toward better outcomes for children.

Maryanne’s dynamic professional journey has been defined by a strong passion for helping others realize and achieve their God-given potential. She has experience working as a staff director at a Christian summer camp, serving for almost a decade as a highschool teacher, coach, and school administrator, and helping foster care youth at a local resource center in downtown Nashville.

Bio forthcoming

Robert is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in team building, development, and organizational management and excels at coordinating with individuals from diverse backgrounds to achieve common objectives. Known for his exceptional ability to resolve conflicts, and motivate teams, Robert creates a synergistic work environment that fosters collaboration and productivity. He has a strong desire for people to know themselves, know their worth, and truly tap into the potential that lies within them.

A native to Middle Tennessee, Matt comes to UpRise with over a decade of experience from several ministries, both locally and internationally. With a love for people, good conversation, and great food, Matt uses his skills in facilitation and ministry design towards his passion to create a space where everyone feels like they belong, can explore, and see growth.

Christy brings more than 20 years experience in healthcare business development, laboratory operations, and community engagement. She has extensive experience in marketing, referral management, program development, with a proven track record of building strong relationships and driving organizational growth. As our Director of Education, she applies her skills, experience, and passion to supporting Leaders in achieving certifications and building pathways to long-term success.

Business Consultant/Entrepreneur

Market President, The MJ Companies

Owner, Law Offices of Barry Gammons

Managing Partner, VACO

Lead News Anchor, WSMV