Rachelle is passionate about advocating for youth and that not only are their needs fulfilled, but voices heard. Her role as the Care Manager in Nashville, TN directly plays into that passion. She works directly with youth who have aged out of the foster care system and provides trauma-informed care as they transition into their next life stage.

Rachelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Roberts Wesleyan College. She also holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Tennessee.

She has a wide range of experiences, but her Social Work career kicked off as a Safe Families for Children Coordinator in 2016. Rachelle bridged the gap between families in crisis and the church to create a hospitality network throughout Middle Tennessee.

Since then, she has obtained a Masters and License in Social Work. Rachelle worked as an apprentice and graduate assistant at Vanderbilt University, serving both students with developmental disabilities at the University but also patients with Huntington’s Disease at the Medical Center. During this time, Rachelle worked and presented aside inter professional teams, taught classes, and led support groups. Her experience as the Program Manager of Job Development fueled her desire for networking and creating new opportunities for the people she works with.

Her most recent position as the Resource Navigator, working with individuals experiencing homelessness, taught her that no person’s story is the same. And also, that everyone deserves a second chance regardless of what their story may have entailed.

In the midst of all of these experiences, Rachelle has served as a youth group leader, YoungLife leader, and volunteer for a local non-profit: People Loving Nashvile.

Having grown up in a diverse family herself, with 5 adopted siblings two of whom have special needs and 21 foster siblings through the years, Rachelle’s heart beats for those who might have been forgotten and aspires to give them back their voice and rewrite their story.

Rachelle lives in Nashville with her two dogs, Arthur and Banks. She enjoys spending time at her church, in her community, hiking, cooking, hosting, and traveling.