Administration

Director of Community Engagement

Paige works collaboratively to design, implement, and evaluate innovative corporate, individual, and civic engagement strategies. She also oversees Club Blue, the young professionals organization that supports BGCMT. Prior to this role, Paige served Governor Haslam as a Tennessee Governor’s Management Fellow and worked at the Department of Education where she created and managed the Read to be Ready Summer Grant Program. During her tenure leading this program, $22 million dollars were administered to more than 110 school districts, benefiting over 9,000 striving first through third grade readers.

Paige holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and a Master’s of Education from Lipscomb University. She loves golden retrievers, ice cream, children’s books, and doing her part to ensure that all youth reach their full potential.

To contact Paige: email patchley@bgcmt.org or call (615) 983-6833

Director of Resource Development

Denise Carothers joined the Boys & Girls Club movement in 1996 as a Girl Scout troop leader for the Franklin Unit. After three years of volunteer service in 1999, she began working professionally with the Club. A native of Franklin, Denise is a graduate of Franklin High School, Tennessee State University, and holds a Master’s in Education from Lipscomb University. Denise devotes time to a variety of local causes. She was the first African American President of the Franklin Rotary Club at Breakfast, serves as Assistant Governor of 5 Rotary Clubs in Williamson County and serves on the executive committee of the non-profit Hard Bargain Association serving the neighborhood in which she grew up. She is also a graduate of the 2007 Leadership Franklin Class, Community Service Day Chair for Youth Leadership Franklin, serves on the boards of United Way’s Patricia Hart Society and the Williamson County Public Library Board of Trustees.

Denise currently serves as Director of Resource Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, where she oversees fundraising and community relations for all Williamson County Boys & Girls Clubs including grant proposal preparation, strategic planning, and special events. Annual events Denise oversees such as Wine Down Main Street and the Steak & Burger Dinner have become staples for the Williamson County community. She has worked professionally with Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee for 19 years and continues to make a significant impact on the Williamson County community and the youth served in the Clubs.

To contact Denise, please e-mail her dcarothers@bgcmt.org or call 615-628-8188.

President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, (Ex-Officio Board Member)

There is a saying that one is a product of one’s environment. Such is the case with Dan Jernigan. Having grown up in Northern Indiana Dan is a product of what a Boys & Girls Club/Salvation Army Community Center type of environment can do for a young child, a child who grew up in the heart of housing projects.

As the President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, Dan is the leader of a nine Club operation. In addition to his role he is also the chair of the Middle Tennessee Consortium Group which consists of all the Boys & Girls Club organizations throughout our Middle Tennessee Region.

Prior to arrival with BGCMT in February 2011, he served as the Chief Professional Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County in which he was a part of an extensive capital campaign project to build a new state of art Boys & Girls Club in Smyrna as well as a Teen Center in Murfreesboro. In addition, he helped establish a new Club operation in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Other Boys & Girls Club leadership stints include serving as the Chief Professional Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia from 2001-2007, and as the Executive Director for the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs in Anderson, South Carolina from 1997-2001. He is a retired combat veteran in which he proudly served his country with the United States Army for 21 years (active and reserve).

Dan did his undergrad education at Asbury University and his graduate work at Webster University with an emphasis on Management and Leadership. He is married and has three lovely children.

To contact Dan, please e-mail him: djernigan@bgcmt.org

Chief Operating Officer

Fun Facts about LaQuinta from her childhood:

What was your favorite movie? Lean on Me
What was your favorite book? Super Fudge
What was your favorite food? Pizza
Who was your favorite superhero or cartoon character? Wonderwoman
What was your favorite activity or place to visit? Playing Kickball call me “The Kickball Queen”

To contact LaQuinta please e-mail her: lmcghee@bgcmt.org

Chief Financial Officer

How many ways can beans be counted? This is a question that Louie Orman asks himself daily as he works diligently to steward the finances of our organization. Louie spends the majority of his day handling critical issues that keep Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee a debt-free organization, enabling us to focus on our Mission to serve young people who need us most.

Prior to joining the team at Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee in 2011, Louie had been with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County for 8 years. He thoroughly enjoyed the relationships that he developed with the children and staff. Previously, he was with Ingram Distribution group in various roles in their accounting and finance departments. He is enjoying his new opportunities serving the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee.

To contact Louie please e-mail him: lorman@bgcmt.org

Executive Assistant

Patty joined the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee in October 2015. She is on the Administrative team as Dan Jernigan’s executive assistant, board liaison, human resources, office manager, and volunteer coordinator.

Patty’s background includes 25 years in the financial services sector with 13 years at J. C. Bradford & Co. where she was a Partner. She also spent several years as Director of Marketing for a national healthcare company.

Joining the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee is a natural fit for Patty who has been an active volunteer since she was a teenager.

Patty is mother to three children, grandmother to five grandchildren and has three canine kids.

Resource Development Coordinator 

Kirstin supports the Resource Development team by logging donations, producing and managing social media content, and assisting with other creative/administrative tasks. She began her time at BGCMT in January 2019 as an HOD Capstone Intern from the Peabody College at Vanderbilt.

Kirstin is a rising Senior at Vanderbilt University pursuing a B.S. degree in Human and Organizational Development and B.A. degrees in Communication Studies and Spanish. She is a cheerleader for the Commodores and loves sports, Thai food, reading, and TV. She is excited to contribute to BGCMT’s efforts to help youth reach their Great Futures!

 To contact Kirstin, please email ktaylor@bgcmt.org or call (615) 983-6842.

Chief Development Officer

Jennifer Wheeler Buhrman joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee as chief development officer in 2016. To this key role, she brings with her more than twelve years of experience in fund development, donor relations, event planning, communication strategy and organizational leadership.  She oversees the resource development team and efforts, as well as community relations.

Prior to joining Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, she served in development and corporate client roles with top organizations, such as Renewal House, the Nashville Humane Association, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and Ski West, Inc.

A native to Nashville, Jennifer lived in Coral Gables, FL, Park City, UT and Bangkok, Thailand prior to returning “home” in 2005.  Since, she has dedicated her strengths and passion to making a difference in the nonprofit community by connecting donors’ interests to the needs of her agency.

Jennifer holds a Master in Education Nonprofit Leadership degree from Belmont University, as well as a Fund Development Certification from the Center for Nonprofit Management. In 2016, she was recognized by the Center for Nonprofit Management and Tennessean as one of Middle Tennessee’s “30 in their 30’s,” an honor for excelling nonprofit leaders.

In her spare time, Jennifer lends her support to AWAKE (Advocates for Women and Kids Equality) and enjoys time with her husband, Steven Buhrman, and their two rescued dogs: Eleanor (Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix) and Alister (Terrier/Dachshund mix).

To contact Jennifer, please email her at jwheeler@bgcmt.org or call 615-983-6804.