Assistant Professor
East Tennessee State University
FOCUS
Jodi is a lifelong resident of Northeast Tennessee. She uses her platform as a family caregiver to advocate for improved services for rural older adults and the individuals who provide them with care. Jodi is founder of Connections, a network of local organizations working together to transform Hawkins and Hancock County, TN through partnerships and placed-based health equity approaches. She is an inaugural member of the American Society on Aging Health and Well-being Council.
Jodi’s vision is to bring together community champions who can develop systems of supports for rural older adults aging in place. Strengthening partnerships with local change agents, and co-creating asset-based approaches to addressing inequities, is central to transforming rural Northeast Tennessee into an age friendly community. She seeks to create a world where older adults age well, where their voices are heard and valued, and where they thrive in their homes and communities.
MORE ABOUT JODI
Jodi is a passionate preserver of Appalachian traditions, food culture, and music, and operates an angus beef cattle farm with her spouse. She finds inspiration from her family having been raised in a farming community that modeled hard work, caring for the land, and helping others.
JODI’S WORK AND VISION
- Network to Address Needs of Older Residents in Hancock and Hawkins County
- New Website Makes Volunteering in the Community Easier
- Volunteer Connection
- Century Club of Northeast Tennessee
- A Spirit of Volunteerism: Committed to Service, Transforming Communities into Better Places
- Leveraging the Power of Connection: Demystifying “Social Determinants of Health” to Promote Healthier Aging in the 21st Century
- The Depth of Rural Health Disparities in America: ABCDE’s
- Case Studies of Community–Academic Partnerships Established Using the Give-Get Grid Model
- Increased Prevalence in Alzheimer Disease in the Northeast Tennessee Region of the United States