Lauren Hall
Interim President and Director of Communications
On November 11, 2020, the Board of First Things First named Lauren to replace departing Julie Baumgardner, effective January 15, 2021. With the help of a dedicated team, Lauren will continue to oversee FTF messaging and media while also filling the leadership role during the process of a national search for leadership.
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.
Mitchell Qualls
Operations Director
Mitchell is the Operations Director for First Things First. He oversees day-to-day office operations and logistics for classes and events, and has been with FTF since 2016.
Mitchell is very passionate about helping people strengthen their relationships, both through writing content and facilitating events, and making sure the staff has everything they need to succeed.
Mitchell married his high school sweetheart, Dalet, in 2004, and together they have two children, Yadi and Bella. Mitchell is an avid baseball fan and loves running and hiking with his family.
Chris Gregory
Development Director
Chris joined the First Things First team in 2017 as the Development Director. His primary role is helping fundraise for FTF, but is a huge team player and helps out in any other way he can.
He obtained his B.S. degree from Auburn University. (War Eagle he says!) He loves working for an organization that fights for families and healthy relationships.
Chris has been married to his wife, Jodi, since 1998. Together, they have three kids, Katie, Ian, and Maggie. In his free time, Chris enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking and hiking.
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 is a Healthy Relationship Facilitator for First Things First and has been a part of the team since 2007. She helps create marriage and parenting content, and loves giving simple and easy tools for healthy relationships.
Gena got 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 married her college sweetheart, Edward in 1994. They are the proud parents of three sons. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and watching football with her family.
Chris Ownby
Healthy Relationship Facilitator
Chris is a Healthy Relationship Facilitator for First Things First. He helps the team have great content through research, teaching, and writing digestible and relatable blogs. Chris joined the FTF team in 2018.
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.
Chris has been married to his wife Kristin since 2004, and they have two daughters, Kendall and Lily. In his free time, Chris loves spending time outdoors - camping, hiking and fishing.
John Daum
Healthy Relationship Facilitator
John is a Healthy Relationship Facilitator for First Things First. He is passionate about strengthening families, especially parents and teens. John writes and edits content for marriages and parenting and has been a part of the FTF team since 2017.
He has a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies from Baptist Bible College in Pennsylvania and his Secondary Education History degree from UT Chattanooga.
John is married to his wife, Monica, and they have 5 children, Shaffer, Søren, Davin, Given, and Jude. In his free time, he enjoys stories through books, movies and conversations.
Caroline Henry
Brand Specialist
Caroline is the Brand Specialist for First Things First, ensuring the quality of the FTF Brand in all we do. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in Communications.
She first got involved with FTF as a volunteer in 2015, became a marketing intern, and then loved it so much that she joined the staff in 2018. She loves seeing the stories of families and marriages strengthened through First Things First.
Caroline married her husband, Will, in March 2019. They have an adorable pup named Cece, and together they love exploring Chattanooga’s amazing outdoors.
Tamara Slocum
Creative Strategist
Tamara is the Creative Strategist for First Things First. She’s the one behind all the beautiful designs you see come from FTF! Tamara joined the team in 2018.
She graduated from Southern Adventist University in 2009 with her BS in Graphic Design - Print Design. Her passion for design, writing and a love of all things having to do with relationships lead her to FTF, where she says she found her "dream job."
She married the man of her dreams, Bobby, in 2012 and they have three young daughters, Jackie, Maddie, and Amelia. Tamara is a hopeless romantic, an avid bookworm, loves musical theater and has a fascination with true crime/murder mysteries.
Kris Nash
Editor
Kris is the Editor for First Things First. Her keen eye for detail helps make sure we never have a spelling or grammatical error! In addition to editing, Kris helps to keep our website up-to-date, plan events and fundraise. Kris has a B.A. from Western Kentucky University in Public Relations and Government.
She first started at FTF in 1997, but left her position 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.
She has been married to her husband, Greg, since 1996 and they have three daughters, Anna, Caroline, and Ella. In her free time, Kris loves to read, bake, garden, hike and play trivia games with her family.
Margo Mathis
Marketing Assistant
Margo is the Marketing Assistant at First Things First, helping with various tasks with the Marketing and Communications team.
Margo graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in Communications. She began at First Things First as an intern in 2018 and came back to join the team in 2021.
She has been married to her husband Jeb since 2018, and they love working in their garden and tackling home renovation projects together.
