History
Bo and Sarah Bartholomew gathered a group of folks in Nashville who all had some experience with the model of the Fellows program. Together we developed a vision for a program in our city that would build relationships between churches that hold common core beliefs but are part of different denominations.
The original Fellows Program was begun by The Falls Church in Falls Church, Virginia, and there are now more than 24 Fellows programs hosted by churches around the country. The Fellows Initiative is the umbrella organization that brings these programs together and helps churches launch new programs.
John Allen, Nashville Fellows Executive Director
John shepherds the Fellows program with over twenty years of leadership experience in the helping sector and a passion for helping young adults be formed in the way of Christ at a critical development stage in their lives. John's background as an employee relations professional includes a ten-year tenure as the Employee Assistance Program Director for the St. Thomas Health system and six years as Director of Behavioral Health Services for Tennessee's largest employer-sponsored health plan. John and his family spent a year in Gulu, Uganda, as a Senior Fellow with the International Justice Mission (IJM). While there, he created and implemented a leadership training and development program for IJM employees. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, John is passionate about helping individuals and organizations create rhythms of sustainable emotional health. John and his wife, Kendra, have a daughter, Caroline, and a son, Wilder.
Bo Bartholomew, Board Chair, St. george’s episcopal church
Samuel “Bo” Bartholomew is CEO and co-founder of PharmMD, a leader in medication therapy management services. Prior to forming PharmMD, Bo incubated a health advocacy company and a telemedicine physician access start-up company. He spent four years with HCA’s Executive Development program, where he helped build one of HCA’s newest hospitals and then managed HCA’s oldest hospital. Bo earned his MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen School of Management and has a Masters in Christian Studies from Regent College in Vancouver, BC and his undergraduate from Davidson College in North Carolina. Sarah Bartholomew is a graduate of the University of Virginia. Bo is married to Sarah who spent her childhood in Northern Virginia with the Fellows Program at Falls Church. Sarah has chaired the International Justice Mission banquet and the Antiques and Garden show in Nashville and currently works as an interior decorator while caring for their four kids, Samuel, Lilly, Charlotte and Thomas.
rose Wynne Brooks, Board Vice Chair, community at large
Rose Wynne joined the Nashville Fellows Board in 2022. Her professional work encompasses experience in strategy, business development, marketing, and sales in financial services, healthcare services, and medical devices. She graduated from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville with continuing executive education from Columbia University, School of Business, and Harvard School of Business programs. She and her husband moved to Nashville in 2017 and are grateful for spending over five years in one city after many corporate moves. She grew up in the church, separated from religion after college, and then felt a strong need for faith and purpose. After moving to Nashville, she enrolled in the Gotham Program through the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work and then succeeded the founder as Executive Director. She is the co-organizer of the Racial Justice Resource Group of Nashville and a few other projects. Her focus is for Nashville, in Nashville, and beyond. She and her husband, Ken, are members of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church.
pam morris, board member, west end community church
Pam grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. After graduating from the University of Virginia, she joined Procter and Gamble as a sales manager in Florida and next moved to Nashville. In Nashville, she met her husband Russ and changed careers, becoming a financial advisor for 20 years with Prudential Bache Securities and Legg Mason Wood Walker. After time off to enjoy her 4 children, she joined the Charis Foundation as the grants manager. Over the years, Pam has enjoyed serving on school boards and working with many non-profit organizations. She is currently a member of West End Community Church where she serves as a Stephen Minister. In her spare time, she loves to travel to visit her children in Idaho, California, North Carolina and Alabama. She also enjoys daily walks in Percy Warner Park and playing pickleball with friends.
Julie knestrick, board member, West end community church
Julie Knestrick is a Nashville native and member at West End Community Church. She previously served on staff with West End's youth ministry. Julie first learned of and fell in love with the Nashville Fellows when asked to mentor a Fellow six years ago. The following year, she and her husband, Jim, served as host parents. Julie loves people and is passionate about the outworking of faith in work and life. She earned a B.A. in History from Vanderbilt University and a M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Colorado Christian University.
Rev. David Barr, board member, St. George's Episcopal Church staff
David is an Associate Rector at St. George’s and prior to that was a PhD student at the University of Toronto. He has an MA in theology and ethics from the University of Virginia and a BA in English from Covenant College. He loves teaching about the church, scripture, and our shared life in Christ. David and his wife Caroline are both from South Carolina and love being in Nashville.
Chris calton, board member, St. George’s episcopal church
Born in Nashville, Chris is a member of St. George's Epsicopal Church. He currently serves as the Director of Group Practice Integration at Emergency Care Partners as well as President of Morosini Advisors, a consulting and advisory practice that enables corporations to achieve their strategic and growth objectives. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA and a Masters in Business Administration from Columbia University in New York. Prior to joining ECP, Chris spent 28 years in the investment banking industry where he focused on mergers & acquisitions in the healthcare and technology sectors.
jeana medlin, BOARD MEMBER, alumni
Jeana Medlin is the Director of Production at GoEpps, a Nashville-based digital marketing agency. She is a former Nashville Fellow, having participated in the program's inaugural year in Music City. Her time with the Nashville Fellows helped her start out well in her career and hone her leadership skills, and she continues to be a vocal advocate for the program and its mission.
Dawn Looney, board member, Covenant presbyterian church staff
Dawn Looney serves as the Hospitality Coordinator for Covenant Presbyterian Church, where she and her husband Evans and their three sons have been members for 13 years after moving here from Memphis. She is heavily involved in the Young Adults Ministry of Covenant, which makes joining the board of the Nashville Fellows an exciting venture for her. Dawn has served as co-chair of the Annual Fund and the Spaghetti Supper, the largest mother’s club fundraising event at Montgomery Bell Academy, Middle Tennessee’s only all-boys school. She has volunteered for many years at the Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville, which fuels her love of homemaking, hospitality, and gardening. Dawn occasionally enjoys traveling, reading, and listening to many genres of music, yoga, and fly-fishing, but her happy place is around her kitchen table with her family. Dawn was born and raised in Mississippi and graduated from Ole Miss.
bobby freeman, board member, WEst end community church staff
Bobby Freeman has served on the West End Community Church staff for 18 years as Director of Youth, Director of Emerging Generations, and now as Director of Missions. He is the husband of Adriene and the father of Charlie, Ellie, Miles, and Henry. He loves to run the woods and backwaters with his three boys, eat Chick-fil-A with his daughter, and love his wife well. Bobby loves to explore God’s creation with his family. Bobby has been around the Nashville Fellows Program since its beginning, serving as the church coordinator, youth director, and now a board member.
betsy wright, BOARD MEMBER, community at large
JB Murphy, BOARD MEMBER, community at large
JB Murphy attends Midtown Fellowship (West), where he met and married his wife, Dylan. They have two children, Caulder and Rivers. As a family, they are self-proclaimed sports fanatics! They also love traveling, cooking, and hosting friends in their home. A South Carolina native, JB has lived in Nashville for over nine years. He is a market leader for the Cason Group and a wholesaler in the insurance industry based in Nashville. He serves clients nationwide with group benefits, financial services, and individual medical insurance. JB got connected to the Nashville Fellows through former board member and friend Sarah Hughes. He also has several close friends who are former Fellows.