Our Team
Chris Whitney
FOUNDER / CEO
Chris and Elaine Whitney moved from St. Louis, MO, to Franklin, TN, in 2004 to start a church. Little did they know that, in the process of pastoring a church, a food ministry called One Generation Away would begin to take shape. In 2013, the Whitneys established OneGenAway and 150,000 meals from the back of their car in the first year. OneGenAway has now grown to serve over 3 million meals annually to those in need throughout Middle Tennessee, Northern Alabama, the Florida panhandle, and disaster relief locations.
In November of 2018, Chris stepped down as the pastor of a local church to focus on OneGenAway full time. OneGenAway has been inching closer to its goal of wiping out hunger ever since.
Mark Thompson
OPERATIONS: First Responder
Board of Directors
Neil Headden
VICE CHAIR/TREASURER
CAREER: Neil is the Community President at First Citizens National Bank with over 25 years of underwriting experience and over 11 years of experience working with auditors and examiners. He is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at TriStar Bank, where he led the company to a 15% and 30% loan portfolio growth, all while maintaining past-dues at under 1% and achieving a 1 in the CAMEL loan quality rating. He has also been named Mentor of the Year by Christian Community Services Inc. (CCSI).
COMMUNITY WORK: In addition to his service as OneGenAway’s board treasurer, Neil serves as treasurer on the CCSI board, and is a member of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce. Neil retired from the Tennessee Air National Guard after 34 years of service. He regularly attends Franklin Christian Church.
Neil Headden
Neil Headden
VICE CHAIR/TREASURER
CAREER: Neil is the Community President at First Citizens National Bank with over 25 years of underwriting experience and over 11 years of experience working with auditors and examiners. He is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at TriStar Bank, where he led the company to a 15% and 30% loan portfolio growth, all while maintaining past-dues at under 1% and achieving a 1 in the CAMEL loan quality rating. He has also been named Mentor of the Year by Christian Community Services Inc. (CCSI).
COMMUNITY WORK: In addition to his service as OneGenAway’s board treasurer, Neil serves as treasurer on the CCSI board, and is a member of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce. Neil retired from the Tennessee Air National Guard after 34 years of service. He regularly attends Franklin Christian Church.
Brian Ford
Richard Algood
SECRETARY
CAREER: Richard Algood is a Certified Public Accountant, and a Certified Global Management Accountant, with 35 years experience in healthcare finance and development. He has worked with hospitals and health systems across the country specializing in reimbursement, regulatory affairs and healthcare operations finance, serving in senior management positions for the nation’s largest healthcare companies including HCA, Quorum, Kindred, IASIS, and RegionalCare. He has also operated a successful consulting practice, assisting several early-stage healthcare services companies.
COMMUNITY WORK: Richard has served on the OneGenAway Board of Directors since its inception and has seen the nonprofit grow from a small community group to a staple nonprofit in the Middle Tennessee community. Outside of his passion for OneGenAway, he has served as board member and treasurer for Hands On Nashville, and board member and finance committee chair for The McNeilly Center for Children.
Dave Krikac
BOARD MEMBER
CAREER: Dave Krikac is the Regional Vice President of Adult Services at Health Connect America, where he connects adults who have disabilities with job training and employment opportunities throughout Tennessee and beyond. Over 16 years ago, Dave founded the GEAR Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing job opportunities for adults with special needs. Through the foundation, he founded and operated Our Thrift Store in Franklin, Tennessee, for 15 years, employing about 25 special-needs adults and 25 typically developed adults until the store closed in 2020.
COMMUNITY WORK: With a varied background in nonprofit, corporate, and creative spheres, Dave pursues his passion of connecting people in all walks of life, bringing communities together for the benefit of all. He has a special heart for helping people with disabilities find a path to independence, sparked after his daughter, Sara, was diagnosed with autism. Using their experience with the GEAR Foundation, Dave and his wife, Sandy, travel throughout the region helping other communities launch thrift stores that employ adults with disabilities. Dave also serves on the boards of the for-profit IHL Consulting Group, nonprofit RetailROI (Retail Orphan Initiative) and WonderWoods Nature Program. He is also engaged at Grace Chapel on the elder board.
Dave Krikac
Daniel Hayes
BOARD MEMBER
Travis Lester
Daniel Hayes
BOARD MEMBER
Joeseph Jensen
Harriet Vaughan-Wallace
BOARD MEMBER
CAREER: Harriet Wallace is an award-winning multimedia journalist and media professional. She has served as co-host and producer of Nashville In Focus and the first African American to host a talk show at Fox 17 News. Harriet is also the lead host and creator of the popular talk show “Pumps & Politics.” The show and movement has been a pivotal voice in Nashville, hosting courageous conversations about issues impacting families, women and the African American community. She also created the Pumps-IN-Politics internship program for high-school girls and college women. Harriet has emerged as a sought-after voice in the Nashville political industry. When she is not practicing journalism, she’s teaching it on the collegiate level or learning it as she pursues a PhD in public administration with an emphasis in public policy.
COMMUNITY WORK: Harriet and her husband, Scott Wallace, own Wallace Media Group and have helped put dozens of kids through college and helped place athletes on semi-pro and professional football and basketball teams.
Christina Christiansen
Kevin Anderson
BOARD MEMBER
Kevin Anderson
Kevin Anderson
BOARD MEMBER
Bree Barnett
Daniel Hayes
BOARD MEMBER
Daniel Hayes
Harriet Vaughan-Wallace
BOARD MEMBER
CAREER: Harriet Wallace is an award-winning multimedia journalist and media professional. She has served as co-host and producer of Nashville In Focus and the first African American to host a talk show at Fox 17 News. Harriet is also the lead host and creator of the popular talk show “Pumps & Politics.” The show and movement has been a pivotal voice in Nashville, hosting courageous conversations about issues impacting families, women and the African American community. She also created the Pumps-IN-Politics internship program for high-school girls and college women. Harriet has emerged as a sought-after voice in the Nashville political industry. When she is not practicing journalism, she’s teaching it on the collegiate level or learning it as she pursues a PhD in public administration with an emphasis in public policy.
COMMUNITY WORK: Harriet and her husband, Scott Wallace, own Wallace Media Group and have helped put dozens of kids through college and helped place athletes on semi-pro and professional football and basketball teams.
Todd Bowman
Lauren Toner