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mission
TENNESSEE
BUILDING BRIDGES | CREATING PARTNERSHIPS | TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES
mission
tn
Is born
In the heartland of Tennessee, where community forms the essence of living, arose a compassionate vision aimed at knitting together the diverse threads of society into a cohesive tapestry. The genesis of Mission Tennessee traces back to a chilly winter morning in 2015 when a group of dedicated individuals, led by Bishop Richard Woodson Jr., congregated around the idea of alleviating the unseen burdens carried by the impoverished souls of their community.
President Mission Tennessee
Bishop Richard Woodson, Jr. serves as the President of Mission Tennessee, bringing to the role a remarkable blend of spiritual guidance, academic stewardship, and compassionate leadership. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, but with Montgomery, Alabama as his home of record, Bishop Woodson's formative years were mostly spent in Tacoma, Washington.
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With over 21 years of dedicated service in the United States Veterinary Command, he embodies the virtues of commitment and community service. Upon his honorable retirement from the United States Army, Bishop Woodson furthered his education, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree from Austin Peay State University.
Director MIssion Tennessee
In a world where compassionate vision meets actionable change,
Leonard Ellis, Jr. emerges as the steadfast Director of Mission Tennessee, guiding the organization into the uncharted territory of community transformation.
The start of Leonard’s professional journey was marked by seeing far too many cases of poverty, unemployment or under-employment, food insecurity, homelessness, educational gaps, and ineffective training curriculums dominating the environment in a land literally bursting with wealth and opportunity. This intolerable contrast spurred his call to action in supporting and helping others to achieve their full potential, develop self-sufficiency, and build a more equitable and prosperous society.