Julie Baumgardner
President & CEO
For more than twenty years, Julie has equipped people with the tools they need to grow healthy, thriving relationships in every season of life. She impacts hundreds of thousands of people each week through her Chattanooga Times Free Press family column and as host of JulieB TV, a YouTube-based talk show that focuses on all things relational.
As a passionate advocate for families, Julie currently chairs the Board of Directors for the National Association for Relationship & Marriage Education. She presented at the White House Conference on Helping America’s Youth and testified on Capitol Hill about the benefits of marriage. Julie is a nationally sought-after speaker at conferences, parenting seminars and marriage retreats where she gives talks on strengthening marriage, preparing for parenthood and navigating the complexities of motherhood.
Julie and her husband Jay have been happily married since 1989 and enjoy making memories with their adult daughter, Ashley.
Watch Julie’s story here.
Julie is a Certified Family Life Educator and Certified Crisis Intervener. Julie and her husband, Jay, have been married since 1989. They are the proud parents of a daughter, Ashley. In her free time, Julie enjoys gardening, horseback riding, cooking, working with children, mentoring couples and baking.
Mitchell Qualls
Operations Director
If you‘ve ever reached out for more info about an FTF event or experience, chances are you’ve talked with Mitchell, our Operations Director! He oversees day-to-day office operations and logistics for classes and events. He also serves as a facilitator when opportunities arise. He has been with FTF since 2016. He is originally from Brownsville, a small town in West Tennessee. Mitchell married his highschool sweetheart, Dalet, in June 2004, and together they have two children (Yadi and Bella). Pitbull is his favorite musical artist and his family roots for the Cardinals! Mitchell is very passionate about helping couples overcome obstacles which makes him an invaluable asset to the FTF team! Mitchell is also an avid baseball fan and his favorite musical artist is Pitbull.
Chris Gregory
Development Director
Chris joined the FTF team in 2017, where he brought his expertise in business development and finance to our organization. He’s quick to offer help in any situation and he loves to problem solve. Chris grew up in Birmingham, AL and has spent the last 10 years in Chattanooga, having also previously lived in Wisconsin and Slovenia. He obtained his degree from Auburn University. (War Eagle he says!) Chris has been married to his wife, Jodi, since 1998, together they have three kids. In his free time, Chris enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking and hiking.
Lauren Hall
Director of Marketing and Communications
Lauren oversees all messaging and visual elements that leave the First Things First office. She also gets to dabble in design, writing, video and audio editing, email formatting, social media, and creating fun, informational content. She has been with the organization since 2015. To Lauren, First Things First is more than a job, it’s a passion. Lauren and her husband, Daniel have a fun-loving baby boy, Strider, and a sweet puppy named Ida Mae. In her free time, Lauren LOVES to write and has been working on a novel for several years. She also sings and plays guitar and mandolin.
Reggie Madison
Program Director
Reggie oversees all programs at FTF. He has been with the organization since January 2015. He obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Vanderbilt University. Reggie married his wife, Erika, in June 2004 and together they have 7 kids. Reggie enjoys spending time with family, playing and watching sports, reading, hiking and outdoor activities.
Gena Ellis
Healthy Relationship Facilitator
Gena coordinates all the parenting programs. She says that she thoroughly enjoys speaking to parents because it has a multi-generational effect. She also serves as a facilitator in other capacities at FTF. She has been a part of this organization since 2007. A native of Savannah, GA, Gena came to Chattanooga in 2004. She received her B.S. in Education from Georgia State University in Atlanta and got her M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL. She has presented at the National Association for Relationship and Marriage Education and Smart Marriages Conference. Gena married her college sweetheart, Edward in 1994. They are the proud parents of three sons. In her free time, she enjoys reading and watching football.
Chris Ownby
Healthy Relationship Facilitator
Chris O. explores partnerships and facilitates classes with area churches and ministries. He was born raised in Chattanooga, and he joined the FTF team in 2018. His family served in church ministry in Las Vegas for almost six years, and Chris has worked in full-time church youth and family ministry for 18 years. He earned three degrees from Concordia University, including Bachelor’s in Psychology, Elementary Education and Christian Education, plus a Master’s in Family Life Science. He is certified in CPREP and Prepare/Enrich and is pursuing certification as a Family Life Educator under the National Council of Family Relations. Chris has been married to his wife Kristin since 2004, and they have two daughters. In his free time, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, going on adventures and exploring new places. He loves spending time outdoors - camping, hiking and fishing. Chris is a major foodie, an avid reader, trains in martial arts and plays guitar.
Sarah Ham
Healthy Relationship Facilitator
Sarah spends a lot of her time teaching healthy relationship skills to teens in various Hamilton County schools. Our resident newlywed, Sarah just married her husband Tyler in June of 2019. She‘s a vintage junkie and lover of all colorful things. She loves to travel and lived in England for a short spell. Her goal in life is to help others find happiness and share her zest for life with as many people as possible. And while she’s not in schools, helping students grow a deeper self-awareness and healthy relationship skills, Sarah has a fantastic side hustle selling handmade earrings. Also, she loves CATS & DOGS and believes it really is possible to love both.
John Daum
Healthy Relationship Facilitator
From marriage enrichment classes to teens in school around Hamilton county, John teaches healthy relationship skills. He has been a part of the FTF team since 2017. Originally from Westville, NJ, John has lived in Chattanooga since 1994. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies from Baptist Bible College in Pennsylvania and his Secondary Education History degree from UT Chattanooga. John was voted as the Chattanooga Times-Free Press Teacher of the Year in 2015. He also won the Margaret Hammock Excellence in Teaching Award 2013. For the last 21 years, he has taught high school English, history and philosophy in public and private schools in Hamilton County. John is married to his wife, Monica, and they have 5 children. In his free time, he enjoys stories through books, movies and conversations.
Caroline Henry
Brand Specialist
Caroline works in the Marketing and Communications department, ensuring the quality of the FTF Brand in our creative, as well as user and participant experience. She first got involved with FTF as a volunteer, then a marketing intern and has connected so deeply with the mission, that in 2018 she joined the team full-time. Our second resident newlywed, Caroline married her husband, Will, in March 2019. Although a Nashville native, Chattanooga has become home with Will and their sweet pup, Cece (who loves coming into the office once a week). Music is one of her hobbies, and she’s taken lessons on 6 instruments!
Tamara Slocum
Creative Strategist
Tamara is part of the Marketing and Communications team, strategizing and executing high-quality designs for FTF. Graduating from Southern Adventist University in 2009 with her BS in Graphic Design - Print Design, she has over 12 years of design and marketing experience. She’s worked on national brands such as Krystal, Planet Fitness, U.S. Express and Mapco, as well as local Chattanooga-based brands such as Erlanger, Sports Barn, and Mckee. With a passion for design, writing and a love of all things having to do with relationships, Tamara found her "dream job" when she joined the FTF team in December 2018. She married the man of her dreams, Bobby, in 2012 and they have two young daughters, Jackie and Maddie, with a third one arriving in Sept 2020! Tamara is a hopeless romantic, an avid bookworm, loves musical theater and has a fascination with true crime/murder mysteries.
Kris Nash
Editor
In addition to general writing and editing, Kris helps coordinate special events, uploads website content, assists with development, marketing and content creation, and serves the FTF team however else she can. She began at FTF in 1997, but left her position as Development Director at the end of 2001 to focus on her family. She returned to the organization in 2015, and is thankful to once again be part of such an amazing, passionate team. Kris has a B.A. from Western Kentucky University in Public Relations and Government. She has been married to her husband, Greg, since 1996 and they have three daughters. In her free time, Kris likes to read, sing, bake, garden, hike and play trivia games. She also likes to preserve goodies from her garden and spend time with her family at home and church.
