Staff
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Administration
Pamela Reed Phipps
Executive Director
Pamela Reed Phipps became the Executive Director at Grace House in 2010. At Grace House she is responsible for managing the day to day operations as well as raising awareness and funds to support the ministry. Pamela served as the owner and etiquette consultant of NsideoutEtiquette; conducting business, church and youth etiquette seminars throughout Alabama. Prior to joining Grace House, Pamela worked in executive level administrative positions at several companies including the Birmingham law office of Constangy, Brooks and Smith, AmSouth Investment Services and Girls Incorporated of Central Alabama. Notable is her 10 year professional modeling career, which was the key that unlocked her passion for mentoring young girls. The Birmingham Business Journal featured Pamela in the class of 2014 "Top 40 Under 40" and she was a member of the 2016 Leadership Birmingham class. Pamela currently serves as the Vice Chairman of Board of Directors of Creative Montessori School. A Birmingham native, Pamela and her husband Bennie live in Hoover with their three sons: Douglas, Stuart and Reed. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Clark Atlanta University. Pamela will always be an advocate for girls and is committed to empowering and equipping young ladies to be confident and Godly women.
Katherine Connell
Development Director
Katherine Connell joined the Grace House staff in May of 2016. She graduated from UAB in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and graduated in December 2017 as a Master of Public Administration. Katherine is a member of the Psi Alpha Alpha, the Public Administration Honor Society. Prior to Grace House, Katherine worked in marketing and administration at The Red Barn. She enjoys spending time with her husband Jeremy and her two cats (Pepper and Kitty). Katherine is passionate about spreading the word about the amazing work the Lord is doing at Grace House.
Andy Bishop
Ministry and Volunteer Coordinator
Andril Bishop, also referred to as Andy, came to Grace House spring of 2014 as the Clinical intern. With a Bachelor's in Family and Consumer Sciences from University of Montevallo, Andy possesses a heart that longs to see individuals and families thrive. During her time at Montevallo, she participated in a service learning honors program called Falcon Scholars in Action and that is when God revealed to Andy his plan for her life. Andy also has obtained her Masters of Science in Counseling at Faulkner University so that she can make an even deeper impact in the lives of others. Andy thinks of the girls at Grace House as her little sisters and loves watching them blossom and come into their own. Andy's hobbies include arts/crafts design, theater and music.
Residential Program
LaTonya Young, PhD
LaTonya Young is our Residential Program Director. She is responsible for supervising the house parents and the well being of all of the girls. LaTonya has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Alabama, a Master’s degree from the University of West Alabama in Counseling Psychology, and a PhD from Capella University in General Psychology. She is a family oriented person and cherishes every moment she gets to spend with her two nieces.
Catherine Shelby,
Residential Program Coordinator
Catherine Shelby graduated from The University of Alabama with both an undergrad and master's degree in Social Work. Her areas of clinical concentration are Behavioral Modification, Mental Health and Substance Abuse. In her free time she loves to participate in animal rescue, volunteer work, family gatherings and church events. She is passionate about service and sharing God's love with others.
Japonica Davis
Transitional Living Program Life Skills Coach
Japonica Davis is a Social Worker from Montgomery, Alabama, who obtained her Bachelor's Degree from Alabama State University in 2007. She hopes to soon pursue her Master's Degree in Social Work. Japonica has always had compassion for all people even as a young child. But it was after personally dealing with issues of bullying and depression in grade school, that it became a passion to work with young people to uplift them and be sure that they valued their self-worth. She is a strong believer that God has given us all a purpose in life. Her favorite quote is: "God would not have planted dreams in our hearts, if he had not given us the tools to see them come to pass." When she is not working, she enjoys being a wife, a (fur)mother to three Dobermans and travelling to new places with her husband and family.
Education Program
Devin Lewis
Education and Outreach Director
Devin Lewis joined the Grace House Staff in October of 2012. She received her B.A. in African American Studies and Secondary Education in 2007 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She comes to Grace House from the Education Department at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute where she worked with one of the city's largest 21 Century Community Learning Centers, Birmingham Cultural Alliance Partnership (BCAP) and the Legacy Youth Leadership Program in partnership with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. Her prior experience also includes program coordination for Sisterbration’s special programming and health education initiatives. She currently serves as a Birmingham Ambassador for Sisterbration. As a wife, mother, and educator, she strives to inspire, cultivate, and positively influence those whose lives she encounters. She is passionate about educating girls and believes that education is the key to breaking generational curses and changing lives. Devin lives in McCalla with her husband Demetrius and daughter, Sadia.
Cassandra Helms
Campus School Math & Science Teacher
chelms@grace-house.org
Cassandra (Cassie) Helms has a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Emory University, a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Biology from Agnes Scott College, and a Master of Divinity from Boston University, with focus in International Missions and Ecumenism. Cassie comes to Grace House from Anniston Community Education Foundation in Anniston, AL, where she served as Executive Director. Cassie can often be found watching New England sports with her cat or playing board games with friends.