Ebonè Colclough

Ebonè Colclough is an Extension Area Specialist with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) at UT Extension, serving the Central and Western Regions. As the nation’s first federal nutrition education program, EFNEP has helped low-income families and youth improve their food and physical activity behaviors since 1969 by adapting to changing community needs while maintaining its commitment to evidence-based education.

In her current role, Ebonè provides leadership, guidance, and training to nutrition educators who deliver research-based programs that help Tennesseans improve their health, strengthen their communities, and enhance their overall quality of life. Previously, she provided leadership and nutrition education through the Tennessee Nutrition and Consumer Education Program (TNCEP), Tennessee’s SNAP-Ed program, until the program ended in 2025.

Ebonè earned a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences with Teacher Certification from Tennessee State University in 2008 and a Master of Public Health from the University of Tennessee in 2023. Her connection to Extension began as an undergraduate intern in Wilson County, where she served two summers. After graduation, she taught Family and Consumer Sciences with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools before volunteering and later working with Tennessee State University’s Community Nutrition Education Program.

Since 2012, Ebonè has worked within Tennessee’s two land-grant institutions, developing extensive experience in public health and community-based nutrition education. She has cultivated strong community partnerships and designed and led impactful programs that promote the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities across the state.

James Griffith

James Griffith earned his Master of Public Health from UT in 2024, with a concentration in Community Health Education and minor in Epidemiology. He is currently a medical student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where he is interested in pursuing an Internal Medicine-Pediatrics or Family Medicine residency.

Outside of class, he enjoys volunteering with Hope Clinic at Church Health in Memphis, a student-led clinic serving uninsured patients in the greater Memphis area. He hopes to integrate his public health training with his future clinical practice to best advocate for patient health both inside and outside the exam room.

Gracie Hitchcock

Gracie Hitchcock earned her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, following her bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies with minors in Public Health and Nutrition. During her time at UT, she gained experience in communicable disease prevention, health education, research, and data analysis through roles with the Tennessee Department of Health, UT Student Health Center, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she completed her APEx.

She currently serves as a level 1 Epidemiologist in the Coastal Health District (Savannah, GA) through Emory University’s Rollins Epidemiology Fellowship, a two-year applied epidemiology training program. In this program, she focused on infectious disease surveillance, case investigation, outbreak response, and public health data analysis. Gracie is passionate about infectious disease epidemiology, emergency preparedness, and using data to strengthen disease prevention and protect community health.

Jeremy C. Kourvelas

Jeremy C. Kourvelas is a drug policy analyst and communications specialist working for several organizations that seek to improve the lives of Tennesseans through effective, evidence-based policy and practice. Jeremy now serves as Program Coordinator for the UT Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource for Tennessee (SMART) Initiative and conducts federal and state drug policy analysis and research, supports the SMART regional consultants in their work with county governments on matters related to the opioid settlements, and leads the statewide SMART Policy Network.

Kourvelas also manages communications for the UT SMART Initiative, which includes hosting and producing the SMART Policy Podcast, a monthly educational podcast that breaks down science and drug law for county leaders and the general public. In the summer of 2026, Kourvelas was elected to the Board of Directors of ONE Tennessee, a statewide nonprofit working to address chronic pain and opioid use disorder. Through its Academic Detailing program, ONE Tennessee trains clinicians to educate their colleagues on safe opioid prescribing, pain management, and screening and treatment for opioid use disorder. The organization also works to strengthen the system of care, including promoting certified peer recovery specialists who help people access evidence-based treatment and recovery services, as well as transportation, housing, job training and placement, food and clothing assistance, and other family support services to those in need.

Amanda Krueger

Amanda began her career in a health education center; providing nutrition education, diabetes education, and tobacco cessation services. Through hard work, dedication, and a strong commitment to her community, she advanced from administrative assistant to office manager. After returning home to Tennessee, she transitioned into a health coach role; supporting individuals in improving their well‑being through personalized guidance. While valuing the one on one coaching experience, Amanda’s true passion was rooted in community level work; helping communities thrive, not just survive, by strengthening health outcomes and ensuring access to essential preventive health education and resources.

As the Lewis County Health Educator, Amanda maintained a high standard of results through leading countywide outreach, programming, and health improvement initiatives. When the COVID‑19 pandemic surged, she felt a deeper calling to contribute in a more meaningful way. Witnessing the impact on her community, state, country, combined with encouragement from her support system, Amanda made the difficult decision to leave her health educator position and pursue a Master of Public Health, promising her team that she would return in someway to serve her region. She earned her Master of Public Health from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2023; building on her Bachelor of Science in Health Education from Western Kentucky University. The MPH program allowed Amanda to rejoin the Tennessee Department of Health as an intern; where she gained deeper experience in public health practice, contributing to regional efforts to address health concerns, and improving overall health and well-being of communities.

In January 2024, Amanda became the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Health’s South Central Regional Office. In this role, she worked to collaborate with county health councils, support health educators, and work with community partners; through identifying priority health needs, and advancing strategies that promote long term, sustainable health improvements. She later applied and was selected to serve as the Community Health Services Director for the South Central Region. In her current role as Community Health Services Director, Amanda provides innovative leadership techniques that help guide and assist improvements in community health education and efforts across South Central Tennessee. She is dedicated to empowering communities, strengthening local public health capacity, and championing evidence-based initiatives that advance meaningful and measurable health outcomes. Through resilient partnerships and a commitment to health equity, Amanda strives to create pathways that help communities meet their health needs and truly flourish.