Meet Our Team

Linda Bailey is the co-editor of The Contributor where she designs each issue of the paper and works with vendor writers on submissions. She is also the creator and manager of the Where to Turn in Nashville resource guide. Linda has spent the last 10 years listening to and working with people experiencing homelessness to provide amplification of voices that are often underrepresented. She lives in Old Hickory with her partner, their puppy and various thrift store finds.

Holly Bowman is The Contributor’s Development Director. After attending undergrad in Virginia she received a Masters of Education in Community Development from Vanderbilt and began her work in the affordable housing sector in Nashville. Holly believes that housing is a human right and wants to help contribute to solving the problem of homelessness in our communities. When she’s not working, you can find Holly making pottery or taking her 5 year old goldendoodle Henry on an adventure.  

Ree Cheers is a passionate Human Services Advocate with over 26 years of experience serving communities in Nashville, Tennessee. Ree currently provides services for SOAR, SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Ree is the proud mother of three daughters who are all in the medical field. Ree’s work with The Contributor, an organization dedicated to supporting the unhoused population, has significantly impacted the lives of those in need.

With over 20 years dedicated to ending homelessness, Will Connelly has remained a street outreach worker at heart, “creating space for the stranger” by connecting relationally and hospitably with people who are homeless to get off the streets as quickly as possible. His career includes a mix of direct service and systems-level work, including policy and planning roles for local and federal governments aimed at improving the performance of homeless and health systems. Formerly the Executive Director of both the Metro Homelessness Commission and the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, Will also served as the CEO of Park Center, a mental health nonprofit in Nashville. His commitment to community and change continues as a co-founder and the current Executive Director of The Contributor.

Sophie Druffner is the data analyst intern for The Contributor. She majored in mathematics at Vanderbilt and has a Master’s in Education. She is currently working on finishing her Master’s in Public Health while being a Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt University. She works to support the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program, as well as the general data management at The Contributor. She is committed to ending homelessness and supporting people both experiencing homelessness and working in homeless services.

Evan Godt is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist under The Contributor’s SOAR program, helping members of the community navigate social support applications to ensure everyone gets the assistance they deserve. He comes from the media world where he’s spent more than 15 years as a journalist, editor and managing editor for PBS, Lonely Planet and a variety of specialty publications. Evan and his wife live in East Nashville (when they aren’t spending as much of the Carnival season as they can down in New Orleans, that is).

Amanda Haggard is the proud co-editor of Nashville’s street newspaper The Contributor. She is a freelance writer, editor, communicator and journalist who previously worked at the Nashville Scene and for Gannett Co. For the past decade, her work has focused on homelessness, education, books, music, politics, food, and everything in between. She lives in Nashville with her spouse, child and dog. She tries to love folks just the way they are.

Cathy Jennings has been working with The Contributor for over 11 years, becoming a volunteer in 2012 and Director in 2018. She now works as The Contributor’s director of finance. Previously she taught at Belmont and Tennessee State University and was a small business owner. With a BS in Finance and MS in English, she believes in financial accountability to donors, the intentionality of words, and the power of community to change the world for the better. She lives in Nashville with her husband, enjoys the outdoors, and is a proud mom to three daughters and a grandmom.

Caroline Lindner found her way to The Contributor after a big career change. Previously, Caroline worked as a barber and eventually became a  co-founder of Nashville Street Barbers, a nonprofit devoted to returning dignity and self-confidence to people through a haircut and a conversation. The Nashville Street Barbers mainly go into downtown Nashville and provide free cuts to anyone who needs them. Through this work, Caroline decided to hang up her barber cap of 13 years and jump into the world of Social Services. This lifelong Nashville resident is new to the game but has a big heart and is dedicated to being a support system to our unhoused community.

Zero Mannino is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and the Contributor’s Housing Stability Guide. As a Housing Stability Guide, they work with individuals that were recently housed to navigate resources as they are adjusting to their new living situations. Zero is dedicated to making the world a kinder place and believes in housing first. Zero served as a Homeless Outreach Worker with Park Center for two years. They enjoy drawing, hiking, and listening to music in their free time.

Raven Nye is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist that has been working with The Contributor since 2012. Raven began their work with The Contributor as a volunteer intern before moving on to managing the front office. When the housing team began to form, Raven took the opportunity to join and soon lead that. Raven’s other experience includes multiple years as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist for people recovering from homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorders. Raven serves as board chair of the Nashville Coalition for the Homeless, a multi-agency training and support group for homelessness advocacy organizations.

Gracie Rule is a SOAR coordinator and Peer Recovery Specialist at the Contributor. After moving to Nashville for school 8 years ago, Gracie has been involved in a variety of non-profit, governmental, and grassroots efforts that aim to make Nashville a more accessible and equitable community for all people. In their free time, Gracie can be found spending time with neighbors in Hillsboro Village, talking to renters about tenant unions, reading way too many books at the same time, or crafting.

Andrew Terry IV is The Contributor’s SOAR Referral Specialist. In this role, he takes people to medical appointments, works with community partners, and obtains other key information all to help vendors gain entry into the SOAR program. Andrew says he works at The Contributor to help others obtain the help they need and says this work brings him peace knowing his job fulfills a purpose greater than himself. Andrew has lived 25 of his 31 years in Nashville and attended MTSU. In his spare time he enjoys reading, traveling, making memories, and spending time with his family. You can also find him hiking, fishing and completing DIY projects.

Carli Tharp started working at The Contributor in August 2020. They have had various roles at the organization over the years and currently work as a Housing Stability Guide. Carli has an A.A. in Worship Arts, and a B.S. in Social Justice with an emphasis on public policy. In addition to working at The Contributor, Carli loves Jesus, their husband, phone games, cartoons, mycology, horror, social justice activism, and spending money on their dog, Kovi.

Justin Wagner has worked with The Contributor since he graduated from Belmont University in 2022. As a Housing Stability Guide, he helps vendors secure community supports, identity-verifying documents, and work toward housing — and as staff reporter, he tries to give vendors a platform to tell their stories. Justin lives in Nashville, loves biking and board games, and believes in helping wherever possible.

Tom Wills is one of the Co-Founders of The Contributor and manages the vendor program as The Director of Vending. He is a life-long member of The Downtown Presbyterian Church which is home to The Contributor.  Tom graduated from Centre College in 1994 with a double major in English and Studio Art. Tom has developed a training program and a custom vendor database that allows volunteers and staff to manage sales, of over 7 million papers to over 4,000 vendors in the past 15+ years. He is responsible for the vending culture of The Contributor and serving our vendors with dignity as they meet their goals.

Barbara Womack is the Advertising Manager of The Contributor Newspaper. She came to The Contributor from The National Council on Aging (NCOA), an organization that gives retired people and anyone 55 years old and up the opportunity to get back in the workforce if they so desire.  Prior to being at NCOA, Barbara had the opportunity to work for an African American Newspaper called The Urban Journal. She had always thought that her life’s work would be in the healthcare field as she studied Health Care Administration at TSU and Fisk U., but Barbara developed a passion for journalism as she learned more about the newspaper business.

While at NCOA, Barbara was asked what type of job she wanted and immediately said she wanted to get back in the workforce at a newspaper. It had to be a non-profit newspaper so she went looking and ultimately landed at The Contributor and she says it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. In her spare time Barbara is a self taught artist who loves painting African style art.

Amber B. DuVentre, currently serves as risk manager at Meharry Medical College, in Nashville Tennessee. She also led, for three years, the city of Nashville’s COVID-19 efforts, as the logistics leader for all drive through testing and vaccination centers. Prior to joining Meharry, Ms. DuVentre worked for her alma mater, Murray State University, as the coordinator of Domestic and Graduate Recruitment, recruiting students throughout the Midwest and Southeast regions. Amber has unparalleled experience in competitive public speaking, leadership training and city planning. She holds membership in several professional organizations. She has also contributed to two public speaking text books. She is active with various organizations and agencies that focus on literacy, college planning/career development, and housing insecurities. Her hobbies include traveling, building/repurposing furniture, reading and being an avid Tennessee Titans fan. She is The Contributor‘s Board Chair.

Christine Doeg has had a varied career that includes degrees in Zoology and English. She’s worked at a large corporation, and a small family business. She struggled through the early days with a cutting edge media company, and she’s been a stay at home Mom. She produced a documentary film about voting, and wrote a novel about Nazis. Most recently she taught writing at Belmont University. Christine has been the volunteer volunteer coordinator at The Contributor for the last five years, and she currently serves as The Contributor’s Board Secretary.

Wade Nelson Jr. is The Contributor’s Board Treasurer.

Kerry Graham is the CEO and founder of local marketing firm The Brand Hotel, Graham has previously served as Board Chair for the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Repertory Theater. He’s also served on the boards of TPAC, the Adventure Science Center and Cheekwood. Additionally, Kerry is a founder of We Are Nashville, the community awareness initiative started by Nashville businessman and philanthropist Ben Rechter which seeks to create conversations and relationships among Nashville’s increasingly diverse populations. 

Other Directors are:
Demetria Kalodimos
Cathy Jennings
Tom Wills
Robin Kimbrough-Hayes
Jim Shulman
Drew Morris