Board of Directors
Sally Bresnahan
Board Member
I began my career in human resources and special education, channeling my passion for teaching into higher education at Vanderbilt University’s Iris Center at Peabody College. My journey continued as I combined my background in human resources and education, serving as the Director of Professional Development at Lipscomb University in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
In 2023, I transitioned to my current role as the Program Manager for Technical Residents and Pathways Interns in Talent Development in the Information Technology Group at HCA Healthcare. This position allows me to merge my passion for program education with my commitment to supporting others, particularly students, as they navigate their journey into the corporate world.
I am honored to serve on the board at Rest Stop Ministries and look forward to collaborating with others to support and restore female survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. This mission and core values align with my personal values and provide a meaningful opportunity to contribute to positive change. My commitment is rooted in a belief in the transformative power of education, opportunity, and mentorship.
Chasity Edwards
Board Intern
Hailing from Virginia Beach, VA, Chasity Edwards is a Publicist based in Nashville, TN. Currently, she serves as a PR Manager at Asurion. Previously, she worked as a publicist in book publishing, sports, and live events. When she is not positioning brands in the media and telling stories, Chasity can be found getting lost in a good book, serving at her local church or cuddling with her crazed miniature schnauzer, Maverick.
Ken Glaus
Board Chair
Ken Glaus is a Human Resources professional who gained valuable experience working for United Parcel Service (UPS) for 34 years in a variety of assignments. After early retirement, Ken joined Grade A Construction in Mt. Juliet, TN as Director of Safety and Organizational Development.
Ken serves as a full-time community volunteer, actively involved with Hermitage Church of the Nazarene, Men of Valor, and Rest Stop Ministries. Ken has served on the Board for Rest Stop Ministries for six years and currently serves as Board president.
Ken and his wife Cindy have been married for 31 years. They have two adult children (Carter and Lizz) and three small dogs (Buster, Sassy, and Tidbit).
Natalie Gregg
Board Intern
A native of Hendersonville, Natalie is a lover of all things Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a double major in Music Performance and Musicology. She also graduated from Northwestern University with a master’s in music performance. Following graduation, Natalie was a member of the US Air Force Band of Mid-America, where she performed flute and piccolo for military functions. Currently, Natalie works at the Tennessee Hospital Association as an Executive Assistant. She also has a private lesson studio of about 20 flute and piano students. When she isn’t organizing schedules or teaching music lessons, Natalie enjoys cooking, gardening, and enjoying the outdoors. She has an orange cat named Sebastian (inspired by one of her favorite composers Johann Sebastian Bach) and is a member of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville. She also plays flute with the Green Hills Wind Symphony and the Nashville Praise Symphony and is a founding member of the Quintessential Winds Woodwind Quintet.
Natalie is passionate about many causes, but especially those that involve music, faith, and helping future generations succeed. She is very excited to be a Board Intern with Rest Stop Ministries this year.
Dr. Christi Griffin
Board Member
Dr. Christi Griffin is Associate Professor and Program Director for the Health Care Administration program in the Labry School of Science, Technology and Business. Dr. Griffin teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in health care administration, business ethics, employment law, and business law.
Under Dr. Griffin’s leadership, the Health Care Administration program was admitted as a participant in the prestigious American College of Health Care Executives’ Higher Education Network. She has also developed a network of health care industry leaders who provide experiential internships to students, as well as a distinguished guest lecturer series that brings business leaders directly into the classroom.
Dr. Griffin’s service to the University includes Faculty Senate, chair of the Academic Integrity Board, faculty for an on-site cultural field study exploration of the New Mexico Pueblos, and member of the University’s inaugural Institutional Review Board.
Dr. Griffin brings three decades of private health care company and government experience to the classroom, including executive officer, corporate general counsel and hospital management positions in Nashville, Washington, D.C. and Boston. She has served as panelist and guest speaker to a variety of business, civic and academic organizations. Dr. Griffin has also been selected to judge national and regional academic competitions.
Dr. Griffin holds a Juris Doctor (Law) degree from Creighton University, a Master of Health Services Administration (Health Services Financial Management) from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Dr. Griffin is a published author and was on the editorial staffs for the Creighton University Law Review and the District of Columbia Bar Digest.
Dr. Griffin is founder and owner of Griffin Law Office, a boutique health law practice representing health systems, physicians, and non-physician providers. She is three-time recipient of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Attorneys for Justice Pro Bono Service Award. Dr. Griffin is a member of the Tennessee (active), Maryland (inactive), District of Columbia (inactive), and U.S. Supreme Court Bars.
Additionally, she is involved in a number of community and not-for-profit activities.
Kate King
Board Member
Kate King is excited to be joining the Rest Stop Ministries Board of Directors. Kate has served the last 6 years on the board of The Mary Parrish Center, serving in a variety of roles from Treasurer to Vice Chair to Chair. She has a passion for serving vulnerable communities and is even a foster parent in her spare time.
Kate currently works as an IT Product Manager at Bridgestone with an MBA in Finance from Belmont University. She is looking forward to bringing her knowledge and experience to the RSM board as we enter the next phase of growth.
Buddy Mabry
Board Member
Buddy Mabry is a Fleet Service professional who recently retired from Smyrna Ready Mix after over forty years in the concrete construction business. For approximately twenty-five of those years, Buddy served in the United States Army receiving two Commendation Medals and one Meritorious Service Medal. Buddy served abroad in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
Buddy is a longtime resident of Wilson County who graduated from Mt. Juliet High School and later attended college at Trevecca Nazarene University and Cumberland University. Buddy has faithfully served at Hermitage Church of the Nazarene for over thirty years.
Buddy and his wife Kristi have been married for thirty-eight years. They have two adult children, Ben Mabry and Marileigh Mabry Bennett.
Hillary Smith
Board Member
Hillary, started her career as a young social worker helping to open the doors of Rest Stop Ministries, serving as the program coordinator and has served as a trauma therapist in multiples agencies for victims of human trafficking. This included human trafficking stings assisting law enforcement to identify victims and provide them with services for healing.
She comes with expert knowledge of healing therapy including EMDR, TFCBT with a special focus on a holistic approach to more positively shape each survivor’s future.
Hillary graduated from Middle Tennessee state university in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in social work and with a Master of social work in 2015 from the University of Tennessee. An avid Tennessee fan, she enjoys spending time with her two young children and husband in her spare time.
Hillary is ready and passionate about connecting with Rest Stop Ministries again, in order to unite multiple agencies all across the United States and beyond for the betterment of healing young women for God’s glory!
Dr. Rondy Smith
Founder and Executive Director
Dr. Rondy M. Smith is Founder and CEO of Rest Stop Ministries, Inc., Tennessee’s first long-term residential restoration program designed specifically & solely for adult female survivors of sex trafficking with 24/7 staff support opened in 2015.
Rondy is an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene and served as Community Life Pastor of the Hermitage congregation from 2001-2015. From 1991-2001 she was Associate Professor of Management at Trevecca Nazarene University and Founding Director of the Graduate degree program in Organizational Management. Dr. Smith began her career in the corporate sector serving the Leadership Development Center at Northern Telecom, Inc. She was also a consultant with Executive Learning, Inc. and continued her consulting practice after joining the academic ranks as university faculty.
Rondy, an undergrad alumna of Trevecca University, earned a master’s degree in organizational communication from the University of Kansas in 1987 and a Doctorate in Human and Organizational Development from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in 1996.
Rondy loves sharing life with Bobby, her husband of 39 years, at their home on Old Hickory Lake and wherever their foodie/travel adventures take them! She loves being the biggest fan of their 4 adult children and two grandchildren: Daniel, Lauren & Haven Smith and Kyle, Emmy & Wyatt Smith. She loves to read, study and teach the WORD, and to live in sacred community with the women she serves and the team she leads at Rest Stop. Becoming Love and Inspiring Hope are her core values.
Dr. Noa Stroop
Board Secretary
Dr. Noa D Stroop is a Professor of Business Administration at Cumberland University. His focus on the board is organizational effectiveness and entrepreneurship through social enterprise. Before teaching and starting his own small business consulting firm (Data North Star Consulting), he spent a decade in various marketing, sales, and hospitality management roles.
Noa is married to Nicole, a Nurse Practitioner. They have a Corgi named Winston and live one mile each direction to where they grew up in Mount Juliet.
Gabrielle Thompson-Brown
Board Member
Gabrielle Thompson-Brown has a heart for empowerment, justice and serving vulnerable populations around the globe. She has worked as a development practitioner in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America. Thompson is the current President and CEO, for IDEAS (International Development and Educational Associates), where they work to help communities and individuals flourish by helping to remove barriers to dignity. Prior to leading IDEAS, Gabrielle was the CEO of an international anti-human trafficking organization for eight years. During that time, Thompson oversaw the rescue of over 1,000 women, men and children, partnered with one Safe Home, wrote and developed a human trafficking prevention curriculum that has now trained over 6,000 people, and created a nationally recognized Survivor Scholarship program, which to date, has awarded over 300 scholarships to survivors of human trafficking. Thompson served as an adjunct professor in the Masters of International Affairs department at Middle Tennessee State University, teaching, “Global Issues in Human Trafficking”. Thompson was awarded Nashville’s Top Professionals 30 under 30 in 2018 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Nashville Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 Professionals in 2020, and Middle Tennessee State Universities’ Alumni Achievement Award in 2021. Thompson previously worked in gender-based development initiatives in Costa Rica and Turkey and holds a Master of International Affairs from Middle Tennessee State University.
Heather Whigham
Board Treasurer
Heather Whigham is the Owner and Principal of Whigham Advisors Accounting & Consulting Services, where she provides strategic financial consulting and interim CFO services to small and medium-sized businesses. With over 20 years of experience in financial management, she has held key leadership positions in the real estate and construction sectors. Heather has one son, Quinn, who she is enjoying watching grow into a confident and strong young man of God. Heather has been on the Board of Rest Stop Ministries since 2017 and is honored to be able to serve the ministry in this capacity. She has enjoyed her role as Treasurer immensely and is very blessed to partner with the management, staff and fellow Board members of Rest Stop.
Non-Voting
Rev. Rondy M. Smith, Ed.D. – Executive Director, Rest Stop Ministries
Chasity Edwards – Board Intern
Natalie Gregg – Board Intern
Advisory Council
Our Advisory Council includes Survivor Leaders, collaborative partners, church partners, community business-legal-medical-human services professionals, small business owners, and international representatives.
