Project Leadership & Team
Megan Spurgeon
DirectorMegan Spurgeon
Empower Upper Cumberland, Director
Vicki Smith
Assistant DirectorVicki Smith
Empower Upper Cumberland, Assistant Director
Tephany Randolph
Navigator ManagerTephany Randolph
Empower Upper Cumberland, Navigator Manager
Casey Eschette
Navigator ManagerCasey Eschette
Empower Upper Cumberland, Navigator Manager
Macey Korth
Marketing and Outreach CoordinatorMacey Korth
Empower Upper Cumberland, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Jeff Dyer
Operations Development ManagerJeff Dyer
Empower Upper Cumberland, Operations Development Manager
Paige Harris
Collaboration SpecialistPaige Harris
Empower Upper Cumberland, Collaboration Specialist
Andrew Al-Halawani
Data SpecialistAndrew Al-Halawani
Empower Upper Cumberland, Data Specialist
Evan Smith
Data SpecialistEvan Smith
Empower Upper Cumberland, Data Specialist
Shaquawana Wester
Community Engagement CoordinatorShaquawana Wester
Empower Upper Cumberland, Community Engagement Coordinator
Balinda Westmoreland
Community Engagement CoordinatorBalinda Westmoreland
Empower Upper Cumberland, Community Engagement Coordinator
Lehra Trobaugh
Community Engagement CoordinatorLehra Trobaugh
Empower Upper Cumberland, Community Engagement Coordinator
Empower Navigators (Localized Point of Contact)
Cortlind McCutcheon
Cannon County Empower NavigatorCortlind McCutcheon
Empower Upper Cumberland, Cannon County Empower Navigator
Caitlyn Like
Cumberland County Empower NavigatorCaitlyn Like
Empower Upper Cumberland, Overton County Empower Navigator
Regina Stowers
Fentress County Empower NavigatorRegina Stowers
Empower Upper Cumberland, Fentress County Empower Navigator
Cammie West
Macon County Empower NavigatorCammie West
Empower Upper Cumberland, Macon County Empower Navigator
Audri Bowman
Macon County Empower NavigatorAudri Bowman
Empower Upper Cumberland, Smith County Empower Navigator
Kelli Norris
Putnam County Empower NavigatorKelli Norris
Empower Upper Cumberland, Putnam County Empower Navigator
Adam Knepp
Putnam County Empower NavigatorAdam Knepp
Empower Upper Cumberland, Putnam County Empower Navigator
Jodi Evans
Putnam County Empower NavigatorJodi Evans
Empower Upper Cumberland, Putnam County Empower Navigator
Josh Yoder
Putnam County Empower NavigatorJosh Yoder
Empower Upper Cumberland, Putnam County Empower Navigator
Shelia Parris
Pickett County Empower NavigatorShelia Parris
Empower Upper Cumberland, Pickett County Empower Navigator
Amy Wright
Overton County Empower NavigatorAmy Wright
Empower Upper Cumberland, Overton County Empower Navigator
Kylie Medley
Warren County Empower NavigatorKylie Medley
Empower Upper Cumberland, Warren County Empower Navigator
Debbie Mayberry
White County Empower NavigatorDebbie Mayberry
Empower Upper Cumberland, White County Empower Navigator
Slaton Wheeler
System NavigatorSlaton Wheeler
Empower Upper Cumberland, White County Empower Navigator
Jeannie Tinnon
System NavigatorJeannie Tinnon
Empower Upper Cumberland, White County Empower Navigator
Working together to lift children and families out of generational poverty.
Forged from the collective, region-wide mission to lift children and families out of generational poverty, Empower Upper Cumberland – also known as Empower UC – is comprised of key community and regional partners including Highlands Economic Partnership (HEP), Upper Cumberland Labor and Workforce Development Board (UCLWDB), Tennessee Tech University (TTU), Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation (CRCF), and Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD) as well as community members.
Click here to learn more about our partners.
Led by Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA), the designated backbone organization, Empower UC is tasked with serving the most vulnerable populations of the 14-county Upper Cumberland region which includes the counties of Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White.