Staff + Leadership

Webster Bailey, LADAC II, NCAC II, CPRS, RC

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Webster Bailey serves as the Executive Director for Metro Drug Coalition. After a 15-year career working in a residential addiction treatment center setting, Webster joined MDC full-time in April 2023. Webster’s career in the treatment field was primarily focused on business development, marketing, and admissions. As a person in long-term recovery, he has dedicated his career to helping others recover from the disease of addiction.

Jill Brown-Silvey, BSW

PREVENTION COORDINATOR

Jill serves on the primary prevention team as the Mental Health Coordinator.  She has worked in mental health and substance misuse services for 25 years and is passionate about raising mental health awareness and bringing mental health education to Knox and the surrounding counties.

Kevin Chadwick

LIFELINE COORDINATOR

Kevin Chadwick serves as the Region 2 Lifeline Coordinator, dedicated to supporting the community in any way possible. His mission is to educate and inform the region about drug and alcohol issues, and to foster a collaborative effort to help one another.

Pennie Cox, AEMT, CPRS, CIT, MHRO, BLS-I

Care Coordinator for First Responders

Pennie Cox serves as the Care Coordinator for First Responders. She has an extensive work history which includes Progression of Management Award I and II, Focus on Excellence Award, Spirit Medallion Award, and Top Performer Award from 2005 to Current. She also spent a short time in the military as a parachute rigger and squad leader with an honorable discharge.

Ashlee Crouse, CPRS, RCPF

REGIONAL FAITH-BASED COORDINATOR

Ashlee is the point of contact for the faith community in establishing recovery programs for the east region. She provides training and educational presentations, as well as coordination of special events.

Melissa Cunningham

MEMBERSHIP & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Melissa is the Intake Coordinator at for Metro Drug Coalition. She assists individuals seeking recovery services and connects them to the appropriate recovery specialist. She bridges individuals seeking sober living assistance, detox, treatment, recovery coaching or recovery meetings to the best possible resource.

Courtney Fuson

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & STRATEGY

Courtney is responsible for coordinating, developing, and executing communications for the organization. She assists with organization strategic planning and development to assure continuity of mission/vision/implementation activities.

Miria Galyon

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR

Miria directly supports MDC’s Executive Director. She performs clerical duties and organizes special event projects, schedules events and manages communications. Miria has over 20 years of experience in assistant management. Miria is a Knoxville native and has a passion for serving others.

Dustin Graham

INTAKE COORDINATOR

Dustin serves as the Intake Coordinator at The Gateway. He was born and raised in Knoxville and graduated from Halls High School.

Allison Havey

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Allison serves as the Social Media Coordinator for Metro Drug Coalition. She creates content for and manages MDC’s social media accounts.

Chaz Hodge

RECOVERY COACH – BRIDGE FOUNDATION PROGRAM

Chaz currently serves Knox County as a Recovery Coach for The Bridge Foundation Program at MDC. He provides peer support, stability and skills necessary in a safe, structed environment at MDC, to help members of this program gain the accountability, structure and empowerment needed to be successful in obtaining long-term recovery, long-term housing and stable employment.

Denver Johnson, CPRS

RECOVERY COACH

As a recovery coach, Denver promotes recovery and removes barriers and obstacles to a recovery pathway, offering strength-based support, connects recoverees with recovery support services, promotes optimism and wellness planning.

Amanda Kimbro, CPRS

RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Amanda is certified as a peer recovery specialist and recovery coach. Being part of the team at The Gateway at MDC involves her journey of over 40 years of combined recovery in mental health and substance use.

Bethany Lemons, CPS

PREVENTION COORDINATOR

Bethany Lemons serves as a Prevention Coordinator at Metro Drug Coalition (MDC), where she implements SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework to combat substance misuse and promote mental well-being across the community.

Angel McCaffrey, CPRS

PROBATION PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST

Angel serves Knox County as a Probation Peer Recovery Support Specialist with the Metro Drug Coalition, offering support services to participants that have been placed on county probation. She works with participants to identify areas of need and how to set goals and ways to achieve them.

Becky Paris

RECOVERY COACH – BRIDGE FOUNDATION PROGRAM

Becky currently serves Knox County as a Recovery Coach for The Bridge Foundation Program at MDC. She provides peer support, stability and skills necessary in a safe, structed environment at MDC, to help members of this program gain the accountability, structure and empowerment needed to be successful in obtaining long-term recovery, long-term housing and stable employment.

Elle Peeples, MA

DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY PREVENTION SERVICES

Elle serves Metro Drug Coalition as the Director of Primary Prevention Services. In her role, she leads the prevention team to provide effective, evidence-based programming to the East Tennessee community and connects with youth and families to prevent substance misuse before it even starts.  

Karen Pershing, MPH, CPS II

DIRECTOR OF GRANTS & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Karen Pershing serves as the interim Director of Primary Prevention Services. A 30 plus year veteran of public health, she has devoted her career to improving the health of families in Knoxville. Karen works with local and state policymakers to advocate for laws that help prevent substance misuse and its consequences.

Tony Pierce

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Tony is the Director of Finance for Metro Drug Coalition. He is responsible for providing financial leadership to the organization, as well as handling day-to-day activities, including accounting, reporting, and budgeting.

Bethany Redwine, CPRS

RECOVERY HOUSING PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Bethany is a CPRS and Certified Recovery Coach. She has been on her own recovery journey for almost 12 years & has worked in the field helping others on their own recovery journey for almost 6 years. Bethany is also part of the Opioid Abatement Committee for Roane County where she resides and is very passionate about bridging the gap for resources in rural communities.

Jessica Stanley, CPRS, RCPF

REGIONAL OVERDOSE PREVENTION SPECIALIST (ROPS)

Jessica currently serves Knox County as a Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist (ROPS). She provides educational trainings and distributes life-saving medications, such as Naloxone and Kloxxado.

Brandon Styles, CPRS, RC

REGIONAL OVERDOSE PREVENTION SPECIALIST

Brandon serves as a Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist with the Metro Drug Coalition and is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist in the State of
Tennessee. He supports others as they walk their own self-directed path of recovery.

Maria Valerio

Youth Prevention Coordinator

Maria serves on the primary prevention team at MDC. She works with Knox County youth to educate them on substance misuse and mental health. She makes an impact by connecting youth, families and school staff with resources and trainings that can help prevent substance use before it starts.

Katina Woods, SAC, CPRS

CCAR RECOVERY COACH

Katina serves as CCAR Certified Recovery Coach with the Metro Drug Coalition and is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist in the State of Tennessee.

Anne Young, MS, LADAC II, CAS

Director of Recovery Support Services

Anne serves the Metro Drug Coalition as the Director of Recovery Support Services. She has dedicated her professional life to addiction treatment and suicide prevention. Anne, graduated from the University of Tennessee with a BS in Education and a MS in Human Ecology.