Our Team
Jeff founded Lighthouse Counsel in 2003 and leads the team.
Having worked with nonprofits for more than 20 years, Jeff is known for his integrity, broad expertise, keen insight and accurate strategizing. As senior vice president of development for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, he led one of the nation’s most successful YMCA fundraising programs, yielding annual giving of more than $3.8 million. He also served clients nationwide as senior managing director for Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners, one of America’s largest fundraising consulting firms. Jeff began his fundraising career as executive director of the South Georgia Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, supervising six offices and leading board development, grant making, communications, fundraising and programming. Then, as advancement director at Mount de Sales Academy, he established a comprehensive development program and directed student-recruitment and marketing. Before he entered the development field, Jeff was a human resources executive for a major medical center.
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. He also studied speech communication on the graduate level at UGA and holds a master’s in human resource management from Troy University.
Past president of the Nashville chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Jeff has held the certified fundraising executive (CFRE) designation for more than 15 years and has participated in AFP’s Executive Management and Executive Leadership institutes. Jeff is a member of BoardSource, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the National Council on Planned Giving, the Rotary Club of Nashville, the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Middle Tennessee Cedars Club.
In addition, he serves on the boards of the University of Georgia Alumni Association, the Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center, the Siloam Family Health Center, and the alumni board of the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is a member of New Hope Community Church.
Susan’s 20 years of experience in the field of market research and business writing serves Lighthouse Counsel clients well in the areas of development analysis, feasibility studies, board development, research and publications.
Prior to joining Lighthouse, Susan worked as senior account executive for Equifax Inc. in Chicago. There she earned numerous promotions and distinctions for her work in the market research division.
Susan earned her bachelor’s in marketing and economics from The Ohio State University School of Business.
Believing that true fulfillment comes through giving, she serves in ministry alongside her worship-pastor husband at New Hope Community Church in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Joan brings to the Lighthouse team 20 years of leadership in strategic planning, implementing special projects, policymaking, problem solving, public relations, fundraising and communications.
She held key leadership roles at Fisk University in Nashville including executive director of Alumni Affairs and Development, executive director of the General Alumni Association, vice president for Institutional Advancement, and dean of student affairs. She began her career as a biology instructor at Fisk University and later worked as a special events coordinator and special assistant to the president for protocol at Meharry Medical College in Nashville.
Joan earned a bachelor’s in biology at Fisk and a master’s in biology at Tennessee State University.
She has served on the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) as a member of the CASE International Board of Trustees, as one of the first members of CASE National Commission on Alumni Relations, and as international chair of the committee on Opportunity and Equity. She has chaired CASE District III and received two honors: the first CASE District III Opportunity and Equity Award (2006) and the CASE District III Distinguished Leadership Award (2008).
Diane Black brings an extensive record of professional and community leadership to Lighthouse Counsel, serving our clients through feasibility studies, campaign counsel, strategic planning, board development and communications.
Diane is in her third term as Tennessee State Senator for the 45th District and was a member of the 2002 class of Leadership Middle Tennessee. As senior development director for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, she led the organization's capital campaign efforts. Prior to joining the YMCA, Diane was executive director of the Sumner Regional Health Systems Inc. Foundation. She has worked in health care in nursing and education, as well as serving as an associate professor at Volunteer State Community College.
She graduated from Anne Arundel College with an ASD in Nursing and earned a BSN from Belmont University.
Diane has distinguished herself as a community leader, having served as chair of The United Way of Sumner County and on the boards of the Sumner County Family YMCA, the American Cancer Society, and Leadership Sumner. She is a member and past president of the Hendersonville Rotary Club. She attends St. Timothy Lutheran Church.
Kaylyn brings valuable experience in marketing, communications, fundraising and special-event coordination to benefit Lighthouse Counsel clients.
She began her career as marketing and communications director for the United Way of Southern Kentucky. She also has led the YMCA of Middle Tennessee's donor relations program, where she provided support for annual and capital efforts.
A graduate of Western Kentucky University, Kaylyn remains a Y volunteer and also serves as president of Moms Club of Franklin Southeast. She attends Fellowship Bible Church.
Allison Cobb draws on the experience of her nonprofit, foundation and corporate success to offer innovative and resourceful approaches to fundraising. She serves Lighthouse Counsel clients through consulting, project management, research and grant writing.
A graduate of Western Kentucky University, Allison has worked for both philanthropic and corporate foundations, giving her the distinctive experience of both the giving and receiving sides of philanthropy. Prior to her work with Lighthouse Counsel, she was most recently with the YMCA of Middle Tennessee where she was involved in capital, annual fund and endowment efforts.
She has served as a volunteer for a number of organizations, including New Hope Academy, Christ Community Church, Against the Grain, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Child Protection Agency and the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center. Allison is a member of Christ Community Church in Franklin.
Lou Anne brings more than 20 years of experience in management and fundraising for nonprofits, community development organizations and universities to the Lighthouse team.
Most recently, she served as director of development for Siloam Family Health Center in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was part of the first capital campaign in the organization’s history. The campaign was completed in less than six months, after the goal was increased by 25%. Previously, she managed a statewide development initiative for the Tennessee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and worked on the consulting staff for a comprehensive campaign at the University of Central Florida. Lou Anne worked in alumni relations, donor recognition and stewardship events at Western Kentucky University and Auburn University. She managed convention and visitors bureaus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Statesboro, Georgia. In addition, she managed the Chamber of Commerce in Opelika, Alabama, and is a graduate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organizational Management.
Lou Anne has a BS from Auburn University.
Lou Anne is passionate about adult literacy and has tutored adult learners since 1996. She and her husband Scott recently moved to Singapore for his job and she has become actively involved with seniors at Bethany Methodist Nursing Home. She and her husband, Scott, worship at Covanent Community Methodist Church in Singapore.
Kathy joined Lighthouse Counsel after serving 20 years as director of development at The Oak Hill School in Davidson County, Tennessee.
While at Oak Hill, she led two capital campaigns that raised more than $9 million, directed all volunteer activities, and shepherded the annual fund. She is a regular presenter at national conferences of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education/National Association of Independent Schools. She received the Circle of Excellence Award from CASE for overall improvement in educational fundraising and is the founder of the Nashville Area Development Directors Association.
A graduate of North Georgia College, Kathy began her career as an elementary school teacher in Dekalb County, Georgia, later working in the juvenile court system in Atlanta and Nashville.
She has served on and chaired a number of nonprofit boards in Nashville and founded the Families Supporting Families support group with The Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee.
Emily brings valuable business administration experience to the Lighthouse Counsel team, assessing client needs, overseeing the design and writing process, and editing materials for specific clients.
Before joining Lighthouse Counsel, she worked at McLemore Auction Company where she organized, photographed, researched and grouped items for auction. She also spent a year teaching dance at Dance In Bloom and the Renaissance Center.
Emily received her Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship from Belmont University. Emily attends Midtown Fellowship Church.
Grant supervises all aspects of internal and client-related product development, ensuring that Lighthouse Counsel maintains the highest standards in every product detail.
He brings a range of management and sales experience to the Lighthouse Counsel team.
Grant earned a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
He is a board member for House of Mercy, a nonprofit ministry in Nashville.
Grant resides in Nashville with his wife, Beth. He enjoys reading, watching old movies and spending time with friends.
Dave is known as an enthusiastic leader, superb communicator and savvy strategist. He brings nearly 30 years’ experience in university advancement to serve Lighthouse Counsel clients. Dave was named special assistant to the athletic director at the University of Georgia in October 2005 after serving one year as acting associate athletic director for external operations. He began his professional career at the university in 1975 as a field representative for the Georgia Alumni Society.
He was promoted several times within the university’s external affairs division and served as director of annual giving, director of development, and later as executive director of the UGA Alumni Association, a position he held for 16 years. Under Dave’s leadership, the Georgia Alumni Society evolved into the UGA Alumni Association, a dues-based organization that attracted tens of thousands of alumni members worldwide through a wide variety of program offerings.
Dave is a UGA graduate with a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in education.
He is the father of three: a son and daughter who are UGA graduates, and a son who is a student at North Georgia College.
Phil brings two decades of communications, public relations and writing experience to Lighthouse Counsel. His areas of expertise include communications planning, PR and media relations, publication writing/editing, executive communications, and faith-based content creation.
Phil most recently served for six years as vice president of communications for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee. His career spans newspaper journalism (the Nashville Banner), editing/writing for multiple publications (Whittle Communications, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Bonnier Corporation), PR-agency account leadership (McNeely Pigott & Fox LLC), for-profit healthcare (Hospital Corporation of America), and nonprofit health-and-wellness.
Phil earned his bachelor's in news-editorial journalism from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, with highest honors.
He serves on the community relations subcommittee of the Franklin Special School District’s Board of Education and as an enthusiastic YMCA youth-sports coach. Phil and his family attend New Song Christian Fellowship.
Lauren brings a wealth of nonprofit experience to the Lighthouse team.
She most recently served as regional development director for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, overseeing multiple annual and capital campaigns. Prior to that, Lauren coordinated membership for the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and was a major-gifts specialist with WGBH in Boston, focusing on the annual campaign and planned giving.
Lauren received a bachelor’s in education and sports management with a minor in business from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and a past member of the Junior League of Nashville. She attends St. Henry Catholic Church.