New Hope

Trudy Hughes has 20+ years experience in social services, juvenile justice and program development with children and families. Her work has included administration and management as well as direct services provision. She became interested in this field through her volunteer work with behaviorally and mentally challenged adolescent boys. Then employed in the banking industry, her commitment to advocacy and service to children led to a change in long-term career goals.

Ms. Hughes holds degrees in Finance, Human Services and Community Counseling, all from University of Tennessee schools. Service to the community is a life-long commitment evidenced by the work of Ms. Hughes with numerous child advocacy and civic organizations. She currently serves as Commissioner with the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (appointed by Governor Phil Bredesen) and is Past-President of the Tennessee Chapter of Child Advocacy Centers. She is a past Chair of the Hamilton County Child Abuse Prevention Council as well as an honorary member of the National Exchange Club. Other prior service includes Grantsmanship Chair for the Junior League of Chattanooga, past President of the Southeast Tennessee Council on Children and Youth, and working in the “Count Me In Census 2000 campaign”.

A graduate of both the 2004 Leadership Blount class and 1998 Leadership Chattanooga, Ms. Hughes received the 2006 Blue Ribbon Prevention Advocate Award from Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee and was previously awarded the Jim Pryor Advocacy Award from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth in 2000. Service in child advocacy has also led to Advocate of the Year and Outstanding Advocacy Awards from the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare and the Southeast Tennessee Council on Children and Youth as well as the “Cherish the Child” recognition from the Exchange Club. Sharing with others in their growth and development is also important to Ms. Hughes.

A frequent guest speaker at numerous seminars/conferences, she has also served as adjunct faculty with the Psychology Department at Maryville College, the Human Ecology Department, College of Education and Applied Professional Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Early Childhood Education Department at Chattanooga State Technical Community College and the Human Services Department at Cleveland State Community College.

Contact Trudy at Trudyh@blountkids.org

Tabitha Damron, a native of Blount County, has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Maryville College and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee. As Clinical Director, she oversees the clinical program at the advocacy center.

Tabitha also is a member of the Child Protective Investigative Team and provides consultation on cases reviewed by the team.

She has been working with sexually abused children for the past six years and has received extensive training in the area of sexual abuse and trauma. Tabitha provides individual counseling and also works with parents on how to understand and cope with their child’s behaviors. Therapeutic models utilized for treatment include Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Play Therapy for use with younger children.

Contact Tabitha at Tabithad@blountkids.org

Following an internship with New Hope in the spring of 2005, Jennifer Morgan graduated with her Bachelors in Child Development from Maryville College and quickly went to work in the non-profit world. She first worked as the Health and Safety Coordinator at the Blount County Chapter of the American Red Cross, but soon realized her calling to work with children, primarily the population served by New Hope.

Jen returned to the CAC in May 2007 as the Child and Family Advocate and Volunteer Coordinator.As the Child and Family Advocate, she works with the children and their non-offending families to connect them with resources and services in the community, offer support group, help with victim’s compensation, inform them of their rights and responsibilities in the investigation process, and sometimes just be an ear to listen. Jen says, “It is truly rewarding to see these families through the whole process. They come to our center in need of support and recovery, and that is certainly what they get. There is a light at the end of the dark tunnel they are in, and it feels good to be a part of getting them through to the other side.”Beyond her advocate role, Jen also is responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers. “We have so many warm and caring people that want to share their time and talents to help the kids and our center. How wonderful it is to come in and work with these individuals everyday!”

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer, please contact Jen.

Contact Jen at Jenm@blountkids.org

Christina Copland comes to New Hope from Illinois with nine years experience in forensic interviewing and has worked in child advocacy for almost 15 years. Tina received her Masters in Education at Southern Illinois University.

When an occurrence of sexual abuse is reported, the forensic interviewer is the first person to talk with the victim about the alleged incident. In a neutral manner, Tina talks with the child in a child- friendly setting about their life and things that may have happened in their life.

Contact Tina at Tinac@blountkids.org

 

 

Sandi could be noted as a “Jill of all Trades” with organization and multitasking abilities. Being a support person for others at the center, sometimes her duties are as simple as rocking a crying baby to sleep, supervising children in the playroom and making pots of mac’n’cheese for hungry kids.

The normal duties of an administrative assistant are combined with updating accurate information into several programs vital to the center. A national database, NCAtrak, follows the information concerning the child abuse victims and the alleged perps from the initial abuse, medical exam, investigation, counseling, and prosecution. Maintaining an accurate accounting of in-kind donations and mailing list information is very important for the public support of this much needed facility. Photography has been a passion since childhood. Computers, scanners, digital cameras and graphics have advanced this creativity into being able to design flyers, certificates, handouts, cards and signs for the many varied fund raisers and educational venues that we are involved in. From this background, she has added in her continued learning, the ability to update this website as part of her professional duties at the center.

Sandi was named the Administrative Professional of the Year at the Maryville Chapter International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) 2008 Administrative Professionals Luncheon.

Contact Sandi at Sandig@blountkids.org