Meet Our Student Leadership Team

Kendall Davis 

Hi, my name is Kendall Davis! I am a sophomore at UTC majoring in Economics and Political Science. The Hope House has been so welcoming and helped me so much during my time at UTC, so I am super excited to have the opportunity give back and work with the amazing people behind the Hope House.  

Adams Diomande

Hey everyone, my name is Adams Diomande and I am a sophomore Exercise Science major here at UTC. Im grateful and excited to be apart of such a warm and welcoming team at the Hope House.

Ayub Farah

Hey guys my name Ayub, and I’m a sophomore Exercise Science major at UTC. I’m thrilled to be a part of a very accepting place in the Hope House.

Meet Our Interns

Internships sponsored by Rivermont Presbyterian, Second Presbyterian, and individual donors.

Adeola Ijiyode 

Intern: Spirituality

Hello, my name is Adeola! I am proud to be able to serve as part of a welcoming community such as the Hope House. Personally, the Hope House has been a safe haven and source of genuine fellowship. I have always felt safe and welcomed here and I hope you experience the same!

Dominique Malone

Intern: Anti-Racism Education

Hi! My name is Dominique Malone and I’m so happy to be apart of the Hope House. This unique place was my haven when I attended UTC and I hope it will be for you as well! 

Joshlyn Taylor

​Intern: Marketing/Social Media

Hello, my name is Joshlyn Taylor! I'm a Communication student at UTC. The Team at the Hope House has been so welcoming to me and I'm so excited to work with them as their Social Media and Marketing intern! 

Meet Our Staff

Rev. Tricia Dillon Thomas

Director  

Tricia is the Director of the Hope House. She graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in 2006, and before moving to Chattanooga, was a pastor at a new church development in Florida. Tricia was called as the Director to Hope in 2014. She also serves as the Co-Pastor of Renaissance Presbyterian Church where students at Hope partner in ministry. She loves to participate in the liberating and reconciling work of Jesus Christ. Tricia believes in Hope's mission of sharing God's love and hospitality to all God's children. Tricia loves to dive into the biblical text and encourages students to ask questions as well as listen to how the Holy Spirit is speaking through one another for our calling into the world . In her free time Tricia enjoys reading, eating, and laughing with her friends and family. You'll also find her standing around eating Terry's tasty meals and declaring each one her favorite.

Terry Paris 

director of hospitality

Terry is Hope House’s Director of Hospitality. Since joining the ministry full-time in 2013, Hope has experienced exponential growth in a big part to Terry’s warm heart, contagious laugh, and good home cooking. Terry is the epitome of a Renaissance Woman-if you look around the house, every room, from the furniture to the walls, have her touch- decoupaged cabinets, the addition of lights, and even refurbished furniture found on the side of the road. One of the ways Terry shares her love is through her cooking, and she feels like she is making a difference when she knows students are fed and know they can count on Hope for their next meal. Some of Terry’s best Hope recipes can be found on her Pinterest board. In her free time Terry enjoys working in her garden, taking on home­ improvement tasks, or finding her next project on Pinterest. But most of all, Terry enjoys being a grandmother.