The Mountain Tough Recovery Team has named its new executive director.
Long-time Sevier County tourism leader and volunteer, Barbara Joines, will start as executive director on Oct. 30.
Back in July, the former executive director Janice Hendrix stepped down immediately with no explanation. Jeff Conyers, a member of the board, took over on an interim basis.
Recently, Joines served as Senior Vice-President/Chief Operations for Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment. According to the MTRT release, she also worked for The Dollywod Company for 30 years and retired from the company as the Vice President and General Manager of the Dollywood theme park.
She has also been a strong volunteer and chairperson for Alzheimer's Tennessee and serves on the board of the Dollywood Foundation.
”Since the wildfires last year, I am aware of so many friends and community leaders who have worked tirelessly with so many of the relief efforts,” Joines said. “My husband Gary and I have witnessed the heartbreak of others who have lost their homes and personal possessions."
Joines believes joining the Mountain Tough Recovery Team is an opportunity to lend her expertise and be of help to others who are still in need.
"Transitioning from my employment with Fee/Hedrick and resigning my board position with The Dollywood Foundation will enable me to focus on MTRT efforts and the challenges ahead. I look forward to October 30 and being involved with a team who is working to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve.”
Since the beginning of July, Mountain Tough said the case management program has delivered $150,000 of financial assistance to approximately 250 families.
She will lead the team in providing case management services and resources to those impacted by the fires. An effort to clean up 100 sites where a family's primary residence was lost will launch soon, according to Mountain Tough. MTRT also assists Appalachian Service Project’s program to rebuild 25 homes through its volunteer efforts.
The Dollywood Foundation's My People Fund contributed $3 million to the Mountain Tough Recovery Team in May.
The Mountain Tough Recovery Team broke ground on the first new Gatlinburg home in its effort to help those still recovering from the wildfires in Sevier County in April.
