tnAchieves has unveiled the 2025 inductees into the tnAchieves Mentor Hall of Fame. These mentors are volunteers who go above and beyond in their contributions and partnership of tnAchieves’ work to Build Tennessee’s Future Workforce through holistic student support. 

tnAchieves deeply believes that community support matters. Data shows 84.7% of tnAchieves graduates live and work in Tennessee. Many of these students return to the communities that helped them in their pursuit of a post-secondary credential. The mentors honored in the Hall of Fame demonstrate firsthand how community engagement can open doors for students and secure a gainful future as a member of Tennessee’s workforce. These 16 individuals consistently answer the call to provide meaningful guidance year after year for students in their communities.

All tnAchieves volunteer mentors make a lasting impact, and we are thankful for their contributions. The mentors being inducted into the hall of fame today have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to the tnAchieves mission and have shown an unwavering dedication in the interest of student success. tnAchieves takes a holistic, community-based approach to ensuring every student has a college and career champion in their corner.

“tnAchieves has always been a student-first, workforce-driven organization that relies on robust community support,” shared tnAchieves President & CEO Krissy DeAlejandro. “The 16 volunteers being inducted into the tnAchieves Mentor Hall of Fame today have demonstrated time after time that when you invest in students, you open doors to a prosperous future and an enriching career. We are honored to recognize their volunteerism today and are tremendously grateful for their longstanding support.”

“We all can and should make a difference in the world however we can,” said 2025 Inductee Les Fout. “tnAchieves is often the difference between a young person going to college, getting a good job and being able to provide for themselves and their families. While I don’t have lots of time with my career, family, church, etc., maybe an hour a month can keep a high school student motivated to complete their community service, apply for the FAFSA, etc. It’s not rocket science, but mentors through the great resources provided by tnAchieves will help a student succeed as they pursue college and career.”

tnAchieves has introduced the following mentors into the Hall of Fame:

•     Terry Bubb – Sumner County – 11 Year Mentor

•     Walden Buttram – Knox County – 10 Year Mentor

•     Michael Dote – Shelby County – 11 Year Mentor

•     Melody Edmonds – Coffee County – 11 Year Mentor

•     Les Fout – Knox County – 15 Year Mentor

•     Loretta Griffy – Montgomery County – 6 Year Mentor

•     Holly Hanson – Cumberland County – 9 Year Mentor

•     Jerry Hendrix – Rhea County – 11 Year Mentor

•     Kirk Hunnicutt – Wilson County – 11 Year Mentor

•     Dean MaKinster – Shelby County – 10 Year Mentor

•     Stephanie Mascolo – Shelby County – 10 Year Mentor

•     Gisela Moore – Davidson County – 10 Year Mentor

•     Cathy Moran – Putnam County – 11 Year Mentor

•     Debbie Petree – Anderson County – 12 Year Mentor

•     Alex Rom-Roginski – Hamblen County – 14 Year Mentor

•     Mark Swientoniewski – Knox County – 11 Year Mentor

tnAchieves inducts mentors into the tnAchieves Mentor Hall of Fame annually. Previous inductees can be found at www.tnachieves.org/mentors/#halloffame.

In 2026, tnAchieves Mentors have the opportunity to serve students either as they begin their college careers or as they prepare to graduate from college and enter the workforce. New Workforce Mentorship opportunities provide volunteers the opportunity to impact the workforce success of students throughout Tennessee, offering industry-specific expertise for students as they navigate their journey to the workforce. However you prefer to give back, tnAchieves has a mentor program that fits your goals!

Those interested in learning more and applying as a 2026 mentor can visit www.tnAchieves.org/mentors. 

tnAchieves is a privately funded scholarship and mentoring program that seeks to provide an opportunity for every Tennessee student to earn a post‐secondary degree. If you have questions about the tnAchieves mentoring program, please contact Tyler Ford at (309) 945-3446 or tyler@tnAchieves.org.