The Teen Health Mississippi team is a group of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to promote the vision of Teen Health Mississippi.

Current Staff

Hope L. Crenshaw

Executive Director
hope@teenhealthms.org

Hope L. Crenshaw, PhD, directly interacts with all stakeholders, donors, partner organizations, and other policymakers interested in supporting the work of Teen Health Mississippi. She works with the Board of Directors to ensure Teen Health Mississippi is functioning according to its mission and goals and operating within its budget. Hope is also responsible for overseeing all Teen Health Mississippi programming and growth and supporting the Teen Health Mississippi staff. Hope is based in the Jackson, MS office.


Josh McCawley

Deputy Director
josh@teenhealthms.org

Josh McCawley, MPH, provides issue education and advocacy for local- and state-level policies related to teen sexual and reproductive health. He provides district advocacy for the CHART abstinence-plus policy in addition to providing teacher trainings on the CHART sex education curricula, grades K-5 human growth and development education curricula, and other professional development opportunities. He also works with local communities to improve teens’ access to general health services. Josh is based in the Jackson, MS office.


amber helsel

Amber Helsel

Director of Communications
amber@teenhealthms.org

Amber Helsel, BA, is the Director of Communications for Teen Health Mississippi. In her role, she is the keeper of branding and voice for the organization. She handles social media, communications strategy, marketing, and public relations. She also serves as a thought partner to program coordinators and administrators. She is based in the Jackson, MS office.


Whitney French

Director of Healthcare and Community Engagement
whitney@teenhealthms.org

Whitney French, BSW, works to help improve access to and quality of youth-friendly healthcare services for teens across the state of Mississippi.  Whitney engages with healthcare providers, clinical systems, and school-based health centers to provide training and technical assistance. Teen Health Mississippi’s LinkedUp, Youth-Friendly Healthcare, and More2Me are the primary programs that Whitney works with.  She is based in the Clarksdale, MS office.  


Patrina Williams

Director of Education & Training
patrina@teenhealthms.org

Patrina Williams, BA, is the Director of Education and Training at Teen Health Mississippi. Patrina specializes in youth-friendly healthcare and ensuring health centers offer the range of contraceptive health options to youth, that youth have youth-friendly spaces within clinical settings, and that clinical systems develop proper protocols to ensure minors’ rights and confidentiality. Her efforts supported sustained relationships between federally qualified health center staff and community members across three counties in north Mississippi. She is based in the Jackson, MS office.


Kimberly Massey

Director of Operations
kimberly@teenhealthms.org

Kimberly Massey, MSW, is the Director of Operations for Teen Health Mississippi. She manages the agency’s day-to-day operations, including fiscal management, human resources, and resource coordination. After serving as start-up consultant for THMS in 2019, Kimberly joined the team full-time in 2021. She is based in Jackson, MS.


Mariaha Amos

Project Mind Elevation Coordinator
mariaha2@teenhealthms.org

Mariaha Amos, MPH, is Project Coordinator for Project Mind Elevation, where she works with youth partners and community stakeholders to leverage resources to support mental and reproductive health for young people. Her work engages youth in healthcare via social media and on-the-ground campaigns and supports partnership with schools and community organizations. Mariaha travels throughout Mississippi to facilitate youth-friendly training to teachers, coordinators, youth, and other trusted adults. She is based in the Clarksdale, MS office.


Triuna Taylor

Director of Community-Based Education, Gulf Coast Expansion
triuna2@teenhealthms.org

Triuna Taylor, BS, is the Director of Community-Based Education, Gulf Coast Expansion for Teen Health Mississippi. She delivers trainings, both virtual and in-person, from our extensive catalogue of youth-centered trainings to our community partners. She spearheads our efforts on the Coast with Sexual Health for Adolescents Rooted in Equity (SHARE) and works on mental health policy. After spending the previous three years as a Board Member, Triuna became a full-time team member in 2022. She is based in Pensacola, FL.


Board of Directors

Jacqueline SmithBoard Chair
Marni von Wilpert
, Board Member
Kathryn Carroll, Board Member
Sanford Johnson, Board Member
Holly Smith, Board Member
Clay Morris, Board Member
Jermany Gray,  Board Member
Melanie Powell, Board Member