About Us
Strengthening leaders and organizations for greater impact.
Mission Impact Middle Tennessee strengthens and supports Christian ministries, nonprofits, and churches by providing a community of learning, connection, training, coaching, assessment, accountability, and practical organizational development resources.
Our Mission
We equip, strengthen, and connect Christian nonprofits, ministries, and churches in Middle Tennessee for the flourishing of the communities they serve.
Our Approach
Healthy leaders and healthy organizations are better equipped to serve with clarity, wisdom, and endurance.
Through workshops, coaching, small groups, convenings, and practical tools, we strengthen the leaders themselves, the missions they carry, and the systems that support their work. Our approach helps Christian nonprofits, ministries, and churches grow in practical capacity so they can serve their communities with greater focus, resilience, and faithfulness for Kingdom impact.
All Mission Impact programs are offered at no cost to participants, made possible by the generosity of donors who believe in the work of Christian nonprofits, ministries, and churches across Middle Tennessee.
Our Team
The people behind the mission.
Anne Calton
Director of Programs and Partner Engagement
Anne brings more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit, ministry, and educational institutions, with expertise in development, fundraising, and capital campaigns. She previously served as Area Director of Mission Increase Middle TN, leading the Nashville chapter of the national Mission Increase organization from its launch in 2015. Her nonprofit and ministry experience includes work with Christian Women’s Job Corps of Middle Tennessee, Fannie Battle Day Home for Children, Scarritt-Bennett Center, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Franklin Road Academy, Vanderbilt University, and the Center for Nonprofit Management. She holds an M.Ed. in Institutional Advancement from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, a Christian Coaching Certification, and is trained in Mission Centered Governance, Journey of Generosity, Multiplying Hope trauma healing, and biblical storytelling. Anne considers it a privilege to serve the Lord by equipping leaders and organizations to deepen their missional impact. She and her husband, John, enjoy their adult children and families and their church home, Grace Community Church.
Christy Singleton
Fractional Executive Director
Christy Singleton brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, including serving as CEO of Mercy Multiplied, where she helped guide the organization through significant growth in the U.S. and globally. Prior to her work in nonprofit leadership, Christy worked in long-term care administration. For the past several years, Christy has continued serving mission-driven organizations through her coaching and consulting practice, Leadership Sanity, partnering with nonprofit and ministry leaders, boards, and teams in areas such as leadership development, organizational clarity, governance, team health, and transition planning. Christy holds an MA in Executive Coaching and Consulting from the Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine, an MA in Gerontology from the University of South Florida, and a BA in English from Davidson College. She is a certified GiANT 5 Voices Guide and an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. Christy and her husband, Steve, live in Nashville and have three adult children. She also serves on several boards, teaches indoor cycling, and enjoys spending time with her two beloved Australian Labradoodles.
Alexis Butcher
Program Coordinator
Alexis has spent the last 14 years working within the nonprofit and church space. During this time she has spent most hours in administration, IT, and counselor/pastoral roles as well as being a worship leader and speaker. She enjoys volunteering at her church in kids and music ministry. Most of all she loves talking the ears off of her husband Carson and playing with their two daughters. If you catch her alone she may be reading and having dark chocolate. Alexis is eager about the work at Mission Impact as she sees great value in equipping the people of God to do His work.Our Board
Guided by committed leaders.
Paul Rutledge
Board Chair
Paul Rutledge brings more than 40 years of executive leadership experience in healthcare, business, and civic service. He has served in senior leadership roles with HCA and several healthcare organizations, including as President of HCA Central Group, where he managed facilities across 10 states and London, England, and as President of TriStar Health System. Paul currently serves on corporate boards through Shore Capital Partners and previously served as CEO of Chinaco Healthcare Corporation. He holds a Master of Health Administration from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia. Paul is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has served in leadership roles with the Tennessee Hospital Association, Federation of American Health Systems, and American Hospital Association. He is a co-founder of Mission Increase Middle Tennessee and is committed to helping local ministries grow through transformational giving and leveraged grants.
Jon Salmon
Board Secretary
Jon Salmon is retired from a career in the aerospace industry, and consults on demand. His work experience includes advanced programs development, strategic planning, and technology management in the fields of military space, missile, sensors, and lasers. He has supported the Mission Increase local board of Middle TN as a volunteer and then board member since retiring. A former MK, he served on church mission leadership teams, and volunteers with his church and local ministries. He lives with his wife in Franklin, TN, near children and grandchildren, and enjoys old friends, travel, piano, and writing.
Carole Peterson
Board Member
Carole Peterson brings more than 30 years of experience across legal, academic, and nonprofit leadership. She currently serves as Executive Director of Uprise Nashville, where she leads a holistic career and community development program for unemployed and underemployed individuals, helping students pursue education, financial independence, and long-term upward mobility. Before joining Uprise, Carole worked as a litigator and federal prosecutor, including serving as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California. She later taught law at Concord Law School and the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Carole holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and is passionate about helping people gain meaningful work, provide for their families, and contribute to their communities.
Rachel Bedenbaugh
Board Member
Rachel Bedenbaugh brings more than 35 years of nonprofit and fundraising leadership experience, with a strong focus on mission-focused growth, donor stewardship, team development, and faith-based ministry operations. She most recently served as Senior Director of Engagement and Development Strategy at Mercy Multiplied, where she led development, treasury, and marketing strategy. She is now a consultant with Seed Fundraisers. Her experience also includes serving as Vice President of Development for YWCA of Nashville, senior development roles with the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, and executive leadership roles focused on community development, senior services, and ministry fundraising. Rachel holds a Master of Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from the University of South Carolina, as well as a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech. She is passionate about helping nonprofit ministries approach fundraising as ministry, inviting both donors and organizations into biblical generosity, faithful stewardship, and Kingdom impact. Christy Singleton
Non-voting Board Member
Christy Singleton brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, including serving as CEO of Mercy Multiplied, where she helped guide the organization through significant growth in the U.S. and globally. Prior to her work in nonprofit leadership, Christy worked in long-term care administration. For the past several years, Christy has continued serving mission-driven organizations through her coaching and consulting practice, Leadership Sanity, partnering with nonprofit and ministry leaders, boards, and teams in areas such as leadership development, organizational clarity, governance, team health, and transition planning. Christy holds an MA in Executive Coaching and Consulting from the Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine, an MA in Gerontology from the University of South Florida, and a BA in English from Davidson College. She is a certified GiANT 5 Voices Guide and an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. Christy and her husband, Steve, live in Nashville and have three adult children. She also serves on several boards, teaches indoor cycling, and enjoys spending time with her two beloved Australian Labradoodles.Our History
Our History
Mission Impact Middle Tennessee began in 2015, when Scott Harris, then serving as Missions Pastor at Brentwood Baptist Church, and Paul Rutledge, a Brentwood Baptist member with a heart for strengthening Christian nonprofits and ministries, helped bring Mission Increase to Middle Tennessee. Together, they helped establish a local community of nonprofits, ministries, and churches committed to learning, connection, and organizational growth, and soon after hired Anne Calton as Area Director.
For the next decade, Anne faithfully led the programs and shepherded the community with warmth, wisdom, and care. Under the Mission Increase umbrella, the work grew significantly, offering quarterly workshops, coaching, consulting, and focused learning experiences in gospel conversations, disciple-making, storytelling, and impact measurement, including three Project Impact cohorts designed to help nonprofits go deeper in measuring and communicating the impact of their work. Since 2015, MI Middle TN has held over 450 training events, worked with more than 500 organizations, and engaged over 2,000 leaders, staff, board members, and volunteers across Middle Tennessee. In October 2025, the community celebrated 10 years of learning, encouragement, strengthening, and growth.
In 2026, with gratitude for Mission Increase's pioneering work, strong foundation, and continued investment in online tools and resources for faith-based organizations, the Mission Impact founding board established Mission Impact Middle Tennessee as an independent 501(c)(3) to continue this good work locally for years to come. The founding board — Paul Rutledge, Jon Salmon, Rachel Bedenbaugh, Christy Singleton, and Carole Peterson — has been connected to the work almost from its inception as funders, advisors, volunteers, and ministry leaders who participated in the programs. Together, they bring a deep commitment to the mission, strong local relationships, and the experience needed to help guide this newly formed organization with wisdom, continuity, and care. Christy Singleton has been appointed by the board as Fractional Executive Director of the new organization.
Anne will continue leading the programs and shepherding the community, ensuring the same relational, practical, and pastoral approach that has shaped the work from the beginning. Mission Impact Middle Tennessee now carries this legacy forward as a locally rooted organization committed to equipping, strengthening, and connecting Christian nonprofits, ministries, and churches in Middle Tennessee for the flourishing of the communities they serve.