Kelly Brenneman
Executive Committee Chair

Kelly has worked with United Way since April of 2015 and became the Executive Director in October 2015. As a former Executive Director of the American Red Cross, she has a strong understanding of community collaboration. Over the years, Kelly's community involvement has impacted the work of many local non-profit boards and committees.

Amy Smart
Community Committee Chair

Amy Smart has owned and operated Riverside Recovery Services in Lawrence County Ohio since 2015. Her dream of having her own agency came while incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women for charges related to her own substance use. Amy has served on several committees across the state relating to Addiction Recovery and Advocacy.  In 2017, she attended her first Knox Addiction Conference and saw a need for services in Knox County that her agency could provide. Being a graduate of East Knox High School, this also opened a door for Amy to be able to give back to her hometown. RRS opened an outpatient office on East Chestnut Street in the fall of 2017 and has been providing outpatient as well as residential and sober living services to residents of Knox County since then. Amy has become actively involved in KSAAT sitting on the Community Committee and helping plan the 2019 Knox Addiction Conference. Amy also volunteers with several other community organizations as well.

Emily Morrison
Communities Coming Together Conference Coordinator

Emily Morrison is the coordinator of the Communities Coming Together Conference.  A compilation of the previous Knox Addiction Conference and Focusing on Youth Issues (FYI) Conference.  CCT is a 2-day conference offered in June that provides opportunity for professional development and community collaboration. 

Sheriff David Shaffer

Shaffer rose through the ranks from deputy to patrol sergeant, to lieutenant, to division commander in charge of patrol, records, and civil process.  His next step was serving as captain before being elected Knox County Sheriff. Shaffer is a past recipient of the National Sheriff's Association Medal of valor and the Ohio Attorney General's Distinguished Law Enforcement Group Achievement Award.

Dr. Jeffrey Northup

Dr. Northup is the Chief Medical Officer at Knox Community Hospital. Prior to becoming CMO, he practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Arizona for 30 years including working closely with the Indian Health Service regarding prenatal substance abuse.

Joshua Gutridge

Josh Gutridge received an Associate Degree of Applied Science, Criminal Justice Technology from the Central Ohio Technical College in June 1999. Upon graduation, he worked for 13 years at the Licking-Muskingum Community Correctional Center in Newark, Ohio serving the majority of his time as a case manager. In 2011, he began working for the Knox County Court of Common Pleas as a probation officer and, in 2017, was named Deputy Chief Probation Officer in charge of the Alpha & Omega Probation House. He has had a significant role in teaching cognitive behavioral therapy classes and organizing programs available at the probation house through various county agencies which include counseling, group therapy, educational opportunities, and job skill training. He has also connected with volunteers to provide basic hygiene products and clothing for those in need. Current projects Josh is working on include mentoring programs and a curriculum designed for female offenders. In addition, Josh serves on the Metropolitan Housing Authority Board and is a member of KSAAT.

Mayor Matthew Starr

Matt came to Knox County in 1991, then to the city, in 1995.  Originally, from Indiana, Matt graduated from Manchester University and entered graduate school at Kent State University, where he received his Master’s Degree.  He started in Knox County working for the Mount Vernon Developmental Center, then as a part-time instructor for Central Ohio Technical College, an Assistant Football Coach for Kenyon College, and then started a corporate film and video production company where he is the Executive Producer.  Matt is also an actor in various platforms such as TV, film, and the stage.  He has served on many non-profit boards and volunteer agencies in the community, as well as, Mount Vernon City Council.  He and his wife, Joanne, have been married since 2004.

Capt. Scott McKnight

Captain Scott McKnight began his career in law enforcement as a graduate of the North Central Technology in 1995. He graduated from Basic Police Academy in 1996, receiving the Commander's Award from Academy Class #95-110. After serving with the Richland County Sheriff's Office and the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, he began his service with the Mount Vernon Police Department in 1998. He was the recipient of the Mount Vernon Police Department Officer of the Year award in 2003. Captain McKnight began his tenure as Captain in 2015, after being promoted through the ranks of the Mount Vernon Patrol Division . 

Debbie Ruggles

Debbie joined the Chamber in April 2018 and is the Program Coordinator. Debbie serves as the Chamber's representative to the Knox County Safety Council, is a member of the Kiwanis International and serves on several committees in the community. Debbie resides in Mount Vernon with her husband, Cliff.

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Julie Miller

Julie Miller, R.N., M.S.N., became Knox County Health Commissioner in September 2010. She has over 30 years of experience in the health field including working as an administrator, nursing educator and as a public health professional. She is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in nursing.

Prior to coming to Knox County, Julie was the director of nursing at the Union County Health Department in Marysville. She has also been the director of nursing at the Morrow County and Richland County health departments and was a public health nurse at the Delaware County Health Department. Additionally, Julie has worked as the health services director with the Community Health Access Project (CHAP) in Mansfield, an assistant professor at MedCentral College of Nursing in Mansfield and a nursing clinical instructor at Otterbein College in Westerville.

Tina Cockrell
Drug Free Communities Grant Coordinator

Tina Cockrell is the Drug Free Communities Grant Coordinator working with the KSAAT coalition.  She handles all of the planning as well as the coordination of KSAAT's legal fees and grants. Tina is involved in all of KSAAT's committees and communicates regularly for the coalition.  Tina is an alumna of the 2013 Leadership Knox class, a recipient of the 2015 Chamber of Commerce Chair's Award and a graduate of Franklin University with a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Administration.

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