Dustin Stitt, founder of ETMA, gained his passion for mentorship during his enlistment in the Navy as an Intelligence Specialist from 2011-2017. He was honored to work with and learn from outstanding leaders from each branch of the military and from related government agencies. Following his discharge in 2017, he leveraged his clearance to work for the Department of Energy as a subcontractor, managing multi-million dollar contracts in physical security, and ultimately, working in personnel security as an Assistant Facility Security Officer.
For Dustin, the job title never mattered. What always mattered was the human element. He was fascinated by his experiences with cultures in the Horn of Africa and Central America, spent time with a Filipino fraternity while stationed at Pearl Harbor, and more. He always loved understanding where people were from, where they were going, and helping them navigate the obstacles they might find in-between.
Dustin founded East TN Mentorship Association in 2021 on the idea that, when people aim for wellness, it may feel like an insurmountable goal, but when they aim for leadership and self-betterment…when they aim for healthy communication and selflessness, the wellness comes as a side affect.
Dustin is currently finishing his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at Middle TN State University, is the proud husband of Amanda Stitt (ER Nurse), father of Arizona (7 years old), and expectant father of Quillen Stitt.
He appreciates all the community support for ETMA and knows that our journey has only begun.
Regina began her journey with ETMA as a client. For six months, she participated in mentorship sessions twice per week, and she learned to truly embody the spirit of ETMA. She joined the team as a Client Care Coordinator in April of 2022, and because of her dedication and work ethic was shortly there-after promoted to Office Manager. She has shown with action that she understands the role that leadership, healthy communication, and community play in mental health.
Outside of that, Gina has worked as a program counselor for an in-patient facility, where she helped empower a diverse range of clients to deal with their obstacles. She has her Associate of Arts in Psychology and plans to continue her education under the same major.
Gina has overcome childhood traumas, homelessness, drug abuse as a teen, and more, and uses the lessons she’s learned through difficult experiences to encourage and educate her clients.
Gina is married to John Rodermund, veteran of the military intelligence community, and they have two children together. Her experience as a mother strongly informs her role as ETMA’s primary mentor for adolescents.
As of January 2022, we’re extremely blessed to welcome Alexis Doss to ETMA. Alexis has her bachelor’s degree in art AND in psychology from Lincoln Memorial University, where she is currently a graduate student working toward her master’s degree in mental health counseling.
Alexis has worked as a substance abuse counselor for Behavioral Health Group, and is currently working as a registered behavior technician at LBC.
She’s also a painting instructor, and offers one on one and group classes!
Alexis loves working with teenagers to be proactive rather than reactive in helping them transition successfully into adulthood. She’s open to both teens and adults. Her rate is $70 per session, which supports both her graduate education and the sustainability of ETMA.
