The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.
Summer Githens
Grace Wellness Company is a story very dear to me that actually dates back about 8 years. In 2017, I walked through a season of what would be one of the most challenging time of my life. After just graduating nursing school with a new kindergartener, I unexpectedly suffered lower extremity paralysis from transverse myelitis, a cervical lesion from C2-C5 caused from an autoimmune response. Read more>>
Shawna McConnell and Lisa Yount N/A
Deeply affected by the tragic event in their small community, co-founders Shawna McConnell and Lisa Yount prayed for a safe option for the next desperate mother and her unplanned newborn. As longtime friends, they frequently discussed heartbreaking news stories, including the one from Townsend, and both shared a strong desire to find solutions to such situations. Read more>>
Stacy Whitworth
I’m a third generation owner. My grandfather started the business in the Medical Arts building in 1962 and I took over in 2006. Read more>>
Melissa LaRue
Hi, I’m Melissa, and my journey into the beauty industry began in the most unexpected way—while working for an eye doctor fitting contact lenses. One day, a woman walked in wearing eyelash extensions, and something in me lit up. I was instantly curious, inspired, and ready to learn more. Read more>>
Todd Thiele
The Norris Lake Protection Alliance ‘NLPA’ was founded to preserve the natural beauty and health of Norris Lake. The NLPA is a 501c3 tax exempt organization, and our Team members are all volunteers. Our early activities focused on water testing in predetermined locations of the Norris watershed. Read more>>
Paul Ragone
Shortly after college, I started working at a financial services company in Alcoa, TN that mostly focused on personal loans and 12 month same as cash options for retail businesses. I worked there for a couple of years before being offered the management position at another branch in Marietta, GA. Read more>>
Stacey M. Handel
This enabled us to reach more men and women in need. Garde Bien is proud to help women and men with alopecia, effluvium, FFA, and Trichotilomania; Knoxville Hair and Scalp Clinic, staffed with highly trained experts, offers solutions for hair thinning, scalp issues, and many hair loss concerns. Read more>>
Andrew Verdon
I do custom leather gear, if I had to say I specialized in something in that avenue I’d say it’s historical reproductions. One piece I’m most proud of is a holster I make that I patterned off of the only surviving original from the civil war. I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to think outside of the box at times, I’ve built many pieces that began life as literal sketches on a napkin! Read more>>
