What is the Ready by 6 Council?
The Morristown Hamblen Ready by 6 Council (Rb6) is a collaborative of approximately 25 local, regional and state organizations working together to ensure families with children birth to 6 years of age have the resources needed for their children to succeed. From the moment a child is born, his/her brain is developing – children are, literally, born learning! Throughout a child’s life, each positive experience that engages their brain strengthens it and prepares them to enter and succeed in school.
Ready by 6 Council Members
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee Pregnancy Help Center-Knoxville: Karen Davila, Coordinator for TN Strong Families | Child Advocate Center: Misty Graham | Douglas Cherokee Economic Authority: Curt Amos, Head Start | Hamblen County Health Department: Jennifer Gilbert, Director; Kim Smith; Carrie Farris | Hamblen County Dept. of Education: Tony Dalton, Early Childhood Specialist; Dr. Christine Hogan-Young, Federal Programs | Healthy Habits: Whitney Myers | HOLA Lakeway: Betsy B. Jimenez- Hurst, Executive Director | Isaiah 117 House ; Ashton Tincher, Location Leader | Lakeway CASA: Natoisha Hager, Director | McNabb Center: Melissa Cupp | MomCo: Sherry Delay | Morristown Hamblen Central Services: Ashley Hux | Morristown Hamblen Imagination Library Advisory Council: Darlene Smith | Morristown Parks & Recreation: Jennifer Gentry, Recreation Program Manager; Jason Phipps, Talley Ward Center Manager | Morristown-Hamblen Library: Amanda McNally, Children’s Librarian | Nurse Family Partnership: Rachel Linden, Client Community Outreach Coordinator | Pregnancy Crisis Center: Lanette Breeden; Carrie Rodgers; Alisha Johnson, Translator | Ready by 6: Barbara Simmons, Family Resource Center Coordinator | Ready by 6 and HC*EXCELL: Tish Jones, Ready by 6 Coordinator & HC*EXCELL Interim Executive Director | Stepping Out: Laura Moore, Director | Strong Starts Program, Ballad Health, Niswonger Children’s Network: Meagan Meisenzahl, Director | Tennessee Institute of Public Health (TNIPH): Virginia Kidwell, Executive Director | Tennessee Valley Housing Services (TVHS): Constance Hansen, Resident Coordinator | TN Department of Children Services: Brent Ward | TN Justice Center: Shana Watkins, Health Advocacy; Crys Riles, Nutrition Advocacy | TN Voices: Freda Nester | Walters State Community College: Whitney Jarnigan, Dean Social and Behavioral Sciences | Wellpoint: Patricia Cox, Regional Representative