Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville
Board of Trustees, Fiscal Year 2025-2026
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville (chartered as Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc.) is blessed to have a diverse and exceptionally talented Board of Trustees appointed by The Most Rev. J. Mark Spalding, Bishop of the Diocese of Nashville.
In addition to meeting as a whole, members of the Board are also part of standing committees which meet regularly to focus more in-depth on various aspects of the organization. The committees include Strategic Planning, Finance, Audit, Development and Philanthropy, and many others.
We are thankful for these dedicated volunteers who play an active role in providing oversight to the agency and ensuring that Catholic Charities stays true to its mission.
John Rodgers
President
Partner, Bradley Law
Renee Drake
Vice President; Strategic Planning Oversight Chair
Executive Vice President, Middle Tennessee Commercial Banking, First Horizon Bank
Shandy Husmann
Treasurer; County Expansion Chair
Retired Business Consultant
Kyle Eason
Secretary
Strategic Resources Group, HCA Healthcare
Frederick Strobel
Owner, Burgundy Group Advertising
Megan Pekar
Attorney, Loeb & Loeb LLC
Jenny Crowell Thompson
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Belmont University
The Hon. Vincent Dixie
State Representative, Tennessee General Assembly
Tony Dunning
Retired Business Executive, Advisor and Mentor
Rev. Fr. Theophilus (Theo) Ebulueme
Pastor, Holy Name Catholic Church
Richard Iniguez
Vice President, Community Manager, JP Morgan Chase
John Klare
Relationship Manager, Commercial Real Estate, Fifth Third Bank
Margaret Mary (Meg) Mahon
Director of Legal Affairs, Dalton Murphy Partners
Justin McElroy
Vice President, Finance, Ascension Saint Thomas Health
Matthew Nicholson
President, The Clear Blue Company
Ania Payne
Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, Single Use Support GmbH
Brooke Reusch
Director of Advancement, Father Ryan High School
Corey Ridgway
Vice President, Ambulatory Services, Ascension Health
Austin Weaver
Senior Vice President, Papa
In Memoriam: Cathy Kelly
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville mourns the passing of Cathy Kelly, a valued member of our Board of Trustees and a devoted advocate for our mission. Cathy served as a trustee from 2020-26 and chaired the Mission Advancement Committee. Cathy passed away March 23, 2026.
Cathy’s impact on Catholic Charities was both meaningful and far-reaching. Through her personal relationships and deep commitment to service, she helped connect the agency to new partners and opportunities that strengthened our work across Middle Tennessee. Notably, her introduction of philanthropist Bill Yeaman to our agency led to his transformational support of our hunger relief program. He has since become one of the most significant individual donors in our history.
Recognizing the value of multi-faceted, holistic care, Cathy also played an important role in expanding our connections within the healthcare community, including the Belmont School of Nursing, and she was a strong supporter of our rural offices and their ability to serve neighbors in need.
Cathy will be remembered for her kindness, leadership, and unwavering belief in the dignity of every person. Her legacy lives on in the lives touched through the mission she so faithfully supported. To read more about Cathy’s life and legacy, please visit The Tennessean.