MEET OUR TEAM
As founder and executive director of St. Alexius Outreach Ministries, Susan Chill, together with the Alexian Brothers, seeks to show Chattanooga’s elders that they are cared for and valued.
With a lifetime of interest in social services, Susan’s passion for serving older adults developed at the early age of seventeen while working for the Alexian Brothers at the Inn on Signal Mountain. It was an Alexian Brother who first recognized her passion and encouraged her to pursue social work, which led her to earn a BSW with a focus in gerontology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
After obtaining her degree, Susan gained invaluable experience as a medical social worker with Hospice of Chattanooga providing case management for patients and their families in both the home and acute care setting. After serving with Hospice of Chattanooga for five years, Susan returned to work for the Brothers as the Director of Social Services at the Alexian Village Health and Rehabilitation Center on Signal Mountain. This provided her with the experience and support needed to accept an offer from the Alexian Brothers to discern new outreach ministries for the congregation.
In 2014, she began working to identify unmet needs in the Chattanooga community and it did not take long to recognize that many older adults were quietly struggling with isolation and loneliness which was slowly eroding their quality of life. With the permission and support of the Alexian Brothers, St. Alexius Outreach Ministries, Inc. was founded in 2017 and started its first program, Hospitality at Home using a “boots on the ground” model of care. The ministry offers opportunities to provide ongoing friendship and supportive services to vulnerable older adults experiencing isolation and loneliness. Meeting people where they are, Susan recognizes that true change happens through ongoing relationship. Today, with the service and presence of the Alexian Brothers, our dedicated volunteers and committed staff serve nearly forty program participants who have blessed the ministry with their friendship.
Executive Director
Susan W. Chill
As our Care Coordinator, Jennifer Schultz serves our program participants by providing reassurance and connection to community resources to improve quality of life. Jennifer came to St. Alexius Outreach Ministries from the State of Tennessee where she began her career as an Interpretative Park Ranger in 2006. After leaving the State Parks, she spent several years working with the TN Department of Children Services and the TN Department of Education before serving with TN Adult Protective Services (APS) for seven years. She began serving the Elderly and Vulnerable Adult population in 2011 and immediately felt that she had found her calling. Jennifer came to St. Alexius Outreach Ministries with a desire to continue working with older adult while also having the resources and support needed to provide ongoing services to those who need long-term support.
At APS, Jennifer spent 4 years in the field as an Investigative Specialist receiving reports of alleged abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults and completing investigations as well as connecting victims to resources. In 2016, she was promoted to the position of APS Hamilton County Investigative Supervisor where she managed a team of 5 Investigative Specialists.
As part of her role at APS, Jennifer has completed trainings with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation including Sexual and Domestic Assault Interventions, Critical Incident Response Team (CIT) interventions as well as multiple trainings with the Financial Industries Regulatory Authority (FINRA) covering Elder Financial Exploitation. She has also completed trainings by the Tennessee Vulnerable Adult Coalition (TVAC) regarding Elder Abuse Identification and Interventions.
For many years, Jennifer, has been a part of the Hamilton County Sexual Assault Response Team as well as the SARAH (Safety and Resources and Help) project, which was designed to assist vulnerable adults who were victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Jennifer is also active on the Senior Health and Aging Committee and has worked with the Hamilton County Family Justice Center as an initial member of the Elder Justice Committee. Jennifer has assisted with the development and delivery of Advanced Law Enforcement training for Elderly victims of crime as well as Provider training to multiple local provider agencies and law enforcement agencies in Hamilton county. She also assisted with the initiation of the VAPIT (Vulnerable Adult Protection Investigations Team) in Hamilton county while working with APS.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance with a concentration in Public Health and Programming from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. When Jennifer is not at work, you can find her with her husband and two children camping, hiking or canoeing around the Southeast TN area.
Care Coordinator
Jennifer Schultz
As Program Coordinator for St. Alexius Outreach Ministries, Sidney Barham is focused on program development and evaluation, community partnership, and volunteer recruitment and training. Sidney believes that developing leadership within communities through volunteerism is critical in making sure that our elders know they are cared for and valued.
As a middle and high school student, Sidney's parents offered a home to several foster children, which is when she was first drawn to social services. In college, Sidney was provided coursework, employment, and volunteer experiences focused on community and program development, which led her to pursue social work. During graduate school, she served as a case manager for an employment training program and served as part of an interdisciplinary team to develop curriculum and counselor training for military and first responder couples.
Most recently, Sidney spent a year working as a site coordinator for a ministry serving individuals and families in crisis. In addition to her current role at St. Alexius Outreach Ministry, she is a part-time faculty member at Lee University. Sidney holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Lee University and a master’s in Social Work from Baylor University. When Sidney is not at work, you can find her spending time with friends, reading, and exploring Chattanooga – almost always with a cup of coffee (or ice cream) in hand!
Program Coordinator
Sidney Barham
Bob Liers is a dedicated driver who has been a part of the Shopping Shuttle program for over seven years. Bob agreed to remain in his position when the program became part of St. Alexius Outreach Ministries in 2018 and his expertise as a CDL driver is an asset to our team! All of the shuttle riders recognize Bob and appreciate his consistency and care.
Shopping Shuttle Driver
Bob Liers
Penny’s owner was referred to St. Alexius Outreach Ministries by TN Adult Protective Services for self-neglect. She loved her pets but, due to her deteriorating health and home, she was no longer able to provide proper care for them, Penny was crated for long-periods of time without fresh water or exercise. After her owner was placed in a long-term care facility, Penny was adopted by Susan. Her original owner receives weekly visits from her beloved dog and we have a new friend.
Mascot
