United Way of the Mid-South is led by our Board of Directors. Board members live in our local eight-county area and serve as unpaid volunteers.

Mike Edwards

Mike Edwards is our volunteer General Campaign Chairman, leading our resource development efforts across the Mid-South. Edwards is President and Chief Operating Officer of Paragon Bank.

Jerry Collins, Jr.

Jerry Collins, Jr. is the Chairman of the United Way Board of Directors. Collins is President and CEO of MLGW.

Shannon Brown

Shannon A. Brown is the Immediate Past Chairman of the United Way of the Mid-South Board of Directors and serves as our Nominating Committee Chairman. Brown is Senior Vice President, Chief HR & Diversity Officer for FedEx.

SEE OUR BOARD MEMBERS
Jerry Collins (Chairman), Memphis Light, Gas & Water

R. Scott Barber, Horseshoe Casino and Hotel

Shannon A. Brown, FedEx Express

Mike Edwards, Paragon Bank

Irvin Calliste, Memphis AFL-CIO Labor Council

Darrell Cobbins, Universal Commercial LLC

Cathy Culnane, AutoZone

Shea Flinn, Greater Memphis Chamber

Scott Fountain, Baptist Memorial Health Care

Greg Gibson, International Paper

J.W. Gibson, Gibson Companies

Jeffery Greer, FedEx Freight

Dr. Alisa Haushalter, Shelby County Health Department

Tim Haynes, American Home Shield

Mary Ann Jackson, Baker, Donelson Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz

 Virzola Law, Lindenwood Christian Church

Sean Lee, Porter-Leath

Ari Litvin, Wells Fargo

Ursula Madden, City of Memphis

Bill Martin, Express Scripts / Accredo

David May, Regions Bank

Jean M. Morton, SunTrust Bank

John Pettey, III, Raymond James

Nataline Purdy, Communities In Schools

Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, M.D., United Way of the Mid-South

Paul Shaffer, IBEW, Local 474

Manoucheka Thermitus, St. Francis Hospital

Charles Thomas, AT&T

Chris VanSteenberg, First Tennessee

Craig L. Weiss, Tower Ventures

Richard Wright, Ernst & Young, LLP

OUR ORGANIZATION’S STAFF IS LED BY THE C-SUITE

Lori Spicer-Robertson

Chief Communications and Engagement Officer

Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, M.D.

President / CEO

Our United Way staff is a strong and diverse mix of seasoned professionals and fresh talent who are committed to the battle against poverty.
COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT
Our Communications and Engagement team
  • Connects volunteers and nonprofits to increase the impact of both
  • Helps you tell United Way’s story
  • Keeps you informed of United Way news through numerous channels

Letitia Robertson, MBA

Manager, Corporate & Community Engagement

Lori Evans

Associate, Corporate & Community Engagement

Keshia Merritt

Manager, Creative Services

Ashley Chalmers

Volunteer Engagement Fellow, CNA

Kirstin Cheers

Communications Specialist

Shamikia Adkins

Project Event Coordinator

COMMUNITY IMPACT
Our Community Impact team
  • Examines the front lines of care where United Way partner agencies impact lives
  • Provides operational support to United Way led programs and initiatives
  • Manages our volunteer-led allocations process which reviews programs and needs to make wise funding decisions

Diana Bedwell

Director, Community Impact

Phyllis Fickling

Director, Community Impact

Yvonne Howard

Senior Associate, Community Impact

Janet Haas

Administrative Assistant, Community Impact

Lindsay Larson

Community Impact Specialist

Cecelia Johnson-Powell

Director, Driving The Dream

Twana Whitlock

Senior Agency Relationship Manager, Driving The Dream

Eric Burden

Manager, Data & Quality Improvement, Driving The Dream

LaShondra Hill

Data Analyst, Driving The Dream

FINANCE & OPERATIONS
Our Finance & Operation team
  • Ensures gifts to United Way are collected and recorded safely and accurately
  • Sees your support is managed, tracked, and delivered to programs impacting people’s lives
  • Keeps United Way transparent and accountable with published audits and 990 reports

Brian Fiorino

Senior Associate, Finance

Helen Lemons

Administrative Associate, Process, Finance

Sharron Moore-Edwards

Manager, Tenant & Community Relations

Denise Peete

Associate, Human Resources, Notary

Matt King

Manager, Information Services

Stacey Reinke

Director, Finance

Donna Owens

Administrative Associate, Process, Finance

Phyllis Hunt

Security, Coordinator

Uretha Smith

Associate, Finance

Dynnice Perry

Senior Associate, Finance

Richard Champlin

Vice President, Information Services & Facilities Management

S. Lynn Jackson

Executive Assistant to the President & CEO/Office Manager

RESOURCE & DEVELOPMENT
Our Resource Development team
  • Raises vital resources to energize our network of care
  • Engages with workplace volunteers across the region to encourage support for United Way
  • Provides expert guidance about individual giving, corporate donations, and other investments

Mary Sexton

Vice President, RD

Stephanie Brockway

Director of Major Gifts, RD

Jennifer Besing

Director, RD

Regina Holland

Administrative Coordinator, Annual Giving & Major Gifts

Clint Anderson

Director, Priority Partners

Gail Floyd-Tyree

Manager, RD

Reginald Green

Manager, RD

Annette Knox

Manager, Resource Development

Tehrian Martin

Senior Associate, Data & Operations

Stacee Zebb

Manager, Annual Giving

Nichole Epson

Manager, RD

Cheryll Vaughn

Administrative Analyst, RD

Steven Jones

Logistics, Coordinator

Campaign Representatives

During the peak of United Way’s resource development season, the organization receives support from a team of Campaign Representatives.

United Way’s enhanced Campaign Representative program (previously known as the Loaned Executive program) is vital to the success of our resource development campaign. Campaign Representatives are employees who are “loaned” to United Way for roughly 13 weeks, from mid-August 21 through mid-November. Many local companies either lend a key member of their team to United Way, or they provide us with a Campaign Representative position through a sponsorship gift that provides us with either full-time or part-time help. While they’re only here a short time, they become part of our team’s family, working alongside our staff and Mid-South companies to develop United Way workplace giving programs.
We’re committed to keeping our expenses low and being efficient, and frankly we could not raise the millions of dollars to impact local programs without the help of Campaign Representatives. When an employee serves as a Campaign Representative, they receive:
  • Professional training and practice in sales, presentation skills, leadership, and negotiation
  • Valuable contacts in the business community
  • Involvement in solving community issues
  • Opportunities for self-development resulting in a more polished, experienced and confident employee
If you’re interested in sponsoring a representative, or if you’d like to become a representative yourself, contact Annette Knox or call 901.433.4370.