NASHVILLE, TN — Tiffany Patton has worked on behalf of youth for nearly 15 years, with her experience spanning from direct service delivery as well as training, fundraising, volunteer management, partnership development and board participation. Her accomplishments include recruiting over 1000 potential volunteers to serve as mentors for children from single parent homes, training over 6000 youth service provides in suicide prevention techniques in the state of Tennessee and training youth with severe mental health challenges to become their own advocates, culminating with their invitation to speak at the national Federation of Families Conference in Washington D.C.
She has a personal passion for seeing youth reach their full potential and that passion has permeated her work. Whether working with youth with severe mental health challenges, training adults that work with our most vulnerable youth, or securing mentors and funding to support youth from single parent homes, she has seen how evidence based best practices truly change outcomes for youth.
Tiffany’s dedication to youth is informed by her own experiences growing up in a single parent home with a hard working mother in an urban city. While issues like teenage pregnancy, incarceration and school failure plagued many of her peers and family members, she was able to avoid those outcomes because of positive adult influences in her life. She credits strong mentors, community programs and a strong faith community for her accomplishments and believes if all children were given these same supports, they all can activate their limitless potential.
Through her work with youth she has learned that honesty, compassion, integrity, and a listening ear will gain much ground with youth who just want to be heard and know that someone cares. Tiffany attended Vanderbilt University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Minorities and Institutions in American Society and Cumberland University, earning a master’s degree in Public Service Management.
Mrs. Patton serves on the Founding Board of Directors for Intrepid College Preparatory Charter School, Alumni Advisory Board of the Vanderbilt University Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center and was the past Membership Chair for the Urban League Young Professionals of Middle Tennessee. Mrs. Patton is also involved in her community through her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. She is married to John Michael Patton and they have one daughter, Amani Elise. They attend church at Born Again Church in Nashville and reside in Antioch, TN.
Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a program partner for Viva la Diva and will be running the 5K as their culminating race of the season. Viva la Diva will be held Sat., Nov. 15 at the Nissan North America campus in Franklin, Tenn. Tiffany Patton serves on the steering committee for the event. Proceeds from Viva la Diva support the work of FiftyForward, a nonprofit established in 1956, benefiting its health and wellness programs including Adult Day Services, Meals on Wheels, Conservatorship, Care Management and Victory Over Crime.
For more information about the race, visit www.vivaladivarun.org.