Alexis Shumaker, Residence Manager
She has over 12 years experience in Social Work working with children, adolescents, families, and adults. She has served youth in foster care, provided trauma focused interventions to child sexual abuse victims, and facilitated educational workshops to the populations she serves. Alexis earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Mississippi State University and a degree in Social Work at Rust College. She is a Licensed Social Worker in Mississippi. She believes that her life’s calling is to serve humankind from all walks of life.
Ali Papp Chesney, Social Enterprise Director
Ali was initially intrigued by our team of female beekeepers, motivated by the ability of empowering women to find their individual strengths. Her secondary education background created the foundation for her professional experience - leading teams through educational and program development, and now our social justice business director role.
Bethany Hanczor, LPC-MHSP, Clinical Program Director
She dedicated her professional career to empowering people through hope and healing, particularly at-risk populations, and specializing in trauma-focused treatment. She is also skilled in advanced program development and in fostering community partnerships throughout the city of Memphis. Bethany’s role at Thistle & Bee is to develop and oversee the daily operations of the residential program and to coordinate the care and services of the residents. She is there for our women survivors as they undertake their healing journey, helping them become grounded in their newly birthed and powerful identity.
Eli Cloud, Executive Director
Before joining Thistle & Bee, Eli co-founded Sister Supply, an organization that provides menstrual products in an effort to eradicate period poverty in the Mid-South. She is also the Director of Development for the RiverArtsFest. Eli graduated summa cum laude from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree in Behavioral Science. She and her husband, Eric, have two girls: one human (Lily) and one perpetual puppy (Sausage).
Rev. Eyleen Farmer, Founder
She is an Episcopal priest and entrepreneur. She holds academic degrees from the University of Memphis and Vanderbilt University and has worked in multiple professional settings including Methodist Alliance Hospice and Calvary Episcopal Church. Toward the end of her tenure at Calvary, she founded Thistle and Bee, a multi-faceted ministry grounded in her belief in the power of love to change the world.
Jessica Harris, Innovative Solutions Manager + Volunteer Coordinator
She has over 10 years of experience in customer service and administrative work. She is efficient in developing organizational systems and processes to enhance an organization’s functionality. Jessica is a native of Memphis and a proud mother of a 9 year old daughter. Her hobbies are reading when she has free time.
Martin Jellinek, Accountant
Martin has worked for Thistle and Bee almost since the beginning, maintaining accounting records and providing tools to ensure financial stability. He has a Master of Science in Accounting from Memphis State University and worked at FedEx for 27 years, mostly in accounting. He retired in 2010 and went back to school, earning a Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary. He enjoys reading and walking and has a passion for social justice. Martin lives in Cooper Young with his husband Bill and their dachshund Roxy.
Oriana Holmes, Special Projects Manager
As an advocate for domestic violence victims, Oriana provides various services to empower survivors, facilitated training within the community and for collaborating partners to raise awareness of gaps in services as well as advocate regarding barriers to safety and self-sufficiency for survivors. She holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Marketing Management from The University of Memphis and is nationally certified as a Victim Advocate. As the Special Projects Manager, Oriana works closely with the Executive Director to accomplish shared agency goals.
Board of Directors
Brooks Terry
President
Robert Miller
Vice President
Susan Lattimore
Treasurer
Madge Deacon
Secretary
Martha Boyd
Director
Teresa Exum
Director
Ashley Finch
Director
Ashley Haynes
Director
Penelope Huston
Director
Mitzie Jenkins
Director
Barbara King
Director
Siripong Malasri
Director
Lacey Mauk
Director
Robert O'Connor
Director
Maria Rindosova
Director