Knoxville Christian Arts Ministries is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization supervised by a Board of Directors. It is comprised of 120 dedicated volunteers who give their time and hearts to a myriad of administrative, logistical, creative, and shepherding tasks to enable us to function in ministry.
KnoxCAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lee Coffman (Board Secretary): As a mom who wanted to be in ministry with her daughter, Lee joined KnoxCAM in 2013. They made up one of several family teams in KnoxCAM. Lee loves the vitality and creativity of being in a group of singers, dancers, instrumentalists, and actors. But she is especially moved when she is privileged to see the Holy Spirit at work in the prisons where KnoxCAM ministers. Lee sang and danced her way through college and continued until her third child was born. Then, in 2013, she fell and broke her neck. She feels that God has spared her and has allowed her to sing again, to minister to His children, and to help bring His Word to them. These are the verses that she found during the KnoxCAM trip to Memphis prisons in 2014: “With gratitude in your hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” She is especially glad to be able to carry His Good Tidings through the ministry of KnoxCAM.
Jeff Fokens: Jeff spent his professional life in the medical field as a physician, mostly in urgent care and emergency room settings. Before that, however, he completed an undergraduate degree in music at Peabody College in Nashville, and his love for music has found him in singing groups over the years, and has also led him to write music, some of which has been performed by KnoxCAM. His wife is a home health social worker for Tennova, and they together have 3 children and 10 grandchildren.
R. Michael Green: Although Michael has been interested in acting since high school, his work as a physician has not allowed him much time to explore this side of himself. Over the last couple of years his involvement in KnoxCAM has been a blessing and an awakening. Michael started following the Lord in high school and has been involved in several ministries including elementary, middle, and high school kids at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. He also is an elder at Cedar Springs and serves on the Knoxville Young Life committee. Michael loves how truth, grace, and mercy are shown through the music, song, and story of KnoxCAM.
Melanie Leach: When Melanie joined KnoxCAM, it reignited a love for choral singing and set a flame in her heart about using the arts to bring beauty and encouragement in unlikely places. Melanie is married to David and has two young adult sons, Caleb and Aidan. She works at Paideia Academy in the office and as a drama teacher. She is a member of All Souls Church.
Tomi Robb: Tomi has been so blessed by the opportunity to minister through KnoxCAM and to see how it impacts people’s lives over the years. She was invited to join while she was actively pursuing prison ministry, and the Lord has been ever faithful in his leading. Tomi is presently finishing up law school at the University of Tennessee and working for the Knox County Public Defender’s Office. She plans to pursue reformation in the criminal justice system to better reflect the dignity of all human beings, and the redemption modeled by our Lord. Tomi is also volunteer with Deeper Still, is performer and board member of WordPlayers, and is the worship director of Mosaic Church.
Jill Lagerberg (Board President and KnoxCAM Director): Jill is excited to use the unique and powerful medium of the performing arts to glorify God and share the beautiful good news of salvation in Jesus. She has a background in choral and vocal music and college teaching and is grateful every day to be able to serve KnoxCAM at this time in her life and to see God’s faithfulness to the ministry since its inception in 2009. Jill is inspired by the dedication, generosity, and spiritual wisdom of the KnoxCAM volunteers and rejoices that KnoxCAM is able to be a small part of the work God is doing in prisons and in other forgotten parts of our culture.