Thistle Farms Announces New Board Members and Staff

Thistle Farms is excited to announce appointments to the Board of Directors and Global Advisory Council and the expansion of its leadership team aligned with its mission of supporting women survivors of human trafficking through comprehensive services, resources, and advocacy.

“Our Board of Directors, Global Advisory Council members, and staff embody the spirit of service, diversity, and justice that Thistle Farms stands for,” said Tasha Kennard, CEO of Thistle Farms. “Their collective expertise and passion will foster greater collaboration with individuals and organizations who share a commitment to challenge systems that commoditize, criminalize, and exploit women.”

Thistle Farms recently welcomed new board members and officer appointments. Jennifer Hutcheson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Ryman Hospitality Properties, has been named President of the Thistle Farms Board of Directors. Additional Board Officer appointments include President-Elect Brooke Schiferle (US Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Tennessee), Treasurer Maeve McConville, and Secretary David Thompson (Neal & Harwell).

Thistle Farms is proud to welcome three new board members whose experience will enrich the organization’s governance and strategy:

• Karen H. Thompson, Assistant Vice President of Regional Community Engagement at HCA Healthcare, brings over 30 years of leadership experience, focusing on health equity and community impact.
• Heather Meshell, attorney and founder of Capitol Hill Advocacy, is a leading voice in public policy and justice reform with a deep commitment to victim advocacy.
• Peter Macdonald, a retired District Judge who has advanced domestic violence prevention practices, has spent his career advocating for survivors of interpersonal violence.
• Heidi Hayne, Corporate Development Manager from Nashville Diaper Connection and board intern from Young Leader’s Council.

To further its global mission, Thistle Farms has also added five new members to its Global Advisory Council, which supports the Shared Trade program. This initiative connects 40 artisan enterprises in 24 countries, providing marginalized communities of women artisans with economic independence and dignity. New members include Mike Kinman (Los Angeles, CA), Renee Clinton (Orvis), John Westman (Harvard University), and two Shared Trade partners, Pearl Ncube (Ratong Center, Botswana) and Joy Reyes (New Hope Girls, Dominican Republic).

Joining Thistle Farms’ Leadership as Vice President of External Affairs is Ally Parsons, where she will lead the organization’s newly formed External Affairs department. Parsons brings over 13 years of experience from her previous role as Chief Development & Marketing Officer at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. In her new position, she will oversee Thistle Farms’ Marketing, Fundraising & Development, Communications, and Advocacy teams, aligning these efforts to further drive the organization’s mission and expand its reach.

In addition, Thistle Farms welcomes Kara Holzer as Director of Marketing and Eric Owings as Executive Chef of The Café at Thistle Farms. Holzer notably served as Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications for Conexión Américas, driving the organization’s brand strategy and content needs, and helping launch fair trade consumer brands, including Honest Tea. Owings, a longtime member of the Thistle Farms community, has cut his teeth in the kitchens of Husk and Rolf & Daughters, bringing his talents and culinary vision back to The Café to elevate menu offerings and the Café experience for guests and team members. 

About Thistle Farms

A Nashville-based, international justice enterprise, Thistle Farms has been on a mission since 1997 to change the way people see, understand, and support systems that exploit women - including addiction, incarceration, poverty, and trafficking. Thistle Farms does this by ensuring access to safe and supportive housing, meaningful employment, and a lifelong community of support. For more information, visit thistlefarms.org.