The NNH Announces New CEO as Jessica Whatley
Chattanooga, August 8, 2024 – The Northside Neighborhood House Board of Directors announces its decision to name Jessica Whatley as the next CEO to lead the organization into its next century. Whatley will assume the role on September 3. NNH’s current CEO, Rachel Gammon, will remain at NNH in an advisory role during the transition.
Whatley comes to the NNH following an 11-year
career with Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she has served as Chattanooga’s CEO since 2019.
Under her leadership as CEO, BBBS has experienced substantial growth, adding E-mentoring programming and expanding the agency's service model
to begin serving young adults past 18 for the first time. In addition, Jessica and the BBBS team successfully completed a capital campaign to remodel and expand their facilities in order to serve more students and mentors.
"I am thrilled to join Northside Neighborhood House as CEO and to work alongside such a dedicated team and Board committed to empowering individuals and strengthening our community. The Northside Neighborhood House has a rich history of making a positive impact in the northern part of Hamilton County, and I am eager to build on that foundation,” said Whatley. “Together, we will continue to create opportunities and foster growth to support our neighbors, students, and families in meaningful ways," she added.
“The (NNH) board is excited about hiring Jessica as the new CEO of Northside Neighborhood House,” said Josh Cropp, President of the NNH Board and member of the search committee. “We believe in her vision for growth and are confident that her experience and community relationships from her time as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga will help lead us into the next 100 years of service to Chattanooga and Hamilton County.”
Whatley will be the NNH’s seventh leader in the organization’s 100-year history, replacing Gammon, who announced her retirement earlier this year. “Throughout NNH’s history, the organization has been built upon responding to the needs of the neighbors we serve,” said Gammon. “NNH’s work is focused on relationships with the neighbors we serve. Jessica has a keen understanding of this NNH key core value, demonstrating her commitment to strong relationships with her staff, board, volunteers, and those served through Big Brothers Big Sisters.”
The Northside Neighborhood House has been focused on empowering residents north of the Tennessee River to create thriving communities across northern Hamilton County since 1924. From ensuring individuals are housed with working utilities to supporting students in achieving academic success through its CommUNITY School model, the NNH focuses on creating relationships and connecting individuals to supports that aid them in creating stability for themselves and their families.