Jessica Whatley
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga announced Jessica Whatley as the organization's executive director.
Officials said, "Jessica will lead the organization as we strive to fulfill our mission of providing children facing adversity with strong and enduring one to one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever."
Ms. Whatley earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Auburn University Montgomery and also obtained her Certified Fundraising Executive certification in 2018. She comes from Big Brothers Big Sisters in Birmingham, where she served as both the PR and marketing director and chief development officer since 2013. In addition to her work with Big Brothers Big Sisters she has served as a board member for the local Association of Fundraising Professionals and a local schools foundation in Birmingham. She has also been a Big Sister to her Little Sister, Kaydn since 2013. Ms. Whatley is married to Chris Whatley, and they have two boys, Hutton and Mills.
Ms. Whatley said, “I am thrilled to be joining and leading the team of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga and to be building roots with my family here in Chattanooga. I believe in the mission deeply which is why I am a Big Sister to my Little Sister, Kaydn, and why I carryover the mission of mentoring into other volunteer aspects of my life. What Big Brothers Big Sisters does is make long-term, tangible impacts on the life of the youth we serve and I am proud to continue the work that has been done by the Board and Staff of this organization.”
“We’re very proud to welcome Jessica to BBBS of Greater Chattanooga,” said Tory Johnston, board vice president. “After an extensive search involving many excellent candidates, we found Jessica’s deep experience and achievement within the BBBS organization, her proven track record of impactful leadership, and her genuine passion for mentoring to be the exact right fit for us here in Chattanooga. The board joins the staff in warmly welcoming Jessica and her family to our great city, and we look forward to providing that special friend and mentor to many more deserving children in our community for years to come.”