Kala Davis brings nearly a decade of experience in the nonprofit and addiction treatment sectors, with a dedicated focus on social entrepreneurship. Her personal journey of overcoming addiction has shaped her passion for empowering others, driving her commitment to transformative, purpose-driven work.

With over 20 years of expertise in small business management, Kala has played a pivotal role in multiple ventures. She spent nearly 15 years in her family’s restaurant, The Hermitage House Smorgasbord, before co-founding Fried Green Tomatoes food truck in 2012. In 2020, after the brand’s successful appearance on Shark Tank, she helped establish its franchising model. Additionally, in 2019, she and her husband launched Davis Woodworks, a farmhouse furniture company.

Kala joined Rest Stop Ministries as Social Enterprise Manager in 2022, bringing with her a wealth of experience in addiction recovery and economic empowerment. Prior to this role, she was instrumental in developing a social enterprise for Doors of Hope in Murfreesboro, TN. Her partnership with Rest Stop Ministries began in 2021 when she and her mother, Holly Cooper—owner of Fried Green Tomatoes—collaborated to create a social enterprise initiative.

Kala resides in Lebanon, TN, with her husband, Tim, and their son, Rhett. She is deeply committed to her faith and sees her role at Rest Stop Ministries as part of a greater calling. She prays that she, along with everyone involved in Good Hope Farms, the Hope Enterprise and Workforce Empowerment pillar of RSM, will be faithful stewards of the opportunities before them, working to provide economic empowerment to every woman who enters the program.

Email Kala

kaladavis@reststopministries.org