Discovering Possibilities For Adults with
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
ABOUT US
Our mission is to provide possibilities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Our Purpose
Possibility Place provides:
-
job training and volunteer skills where the participant can contribute to society and find personal fulfillment
-
training for independent living skills
-
opportunities for further learning of basic reading, math, and computer skills
-
training for a lifetime of healthy lifestyle habits including recreation, exercise, and healthy choices.
-
opportunities to build friendships and learn strong social skills
-
opportunities for the participants to grow mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually
Our Philosophy
Possibility Place is a private pay, non-profit organization created to serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
We provide a unique environment that focuses on the participant's strengths and needs and we create an individualized program for each participant based on that focus.
We believe that with focused teaching in small groups, great love, and an encouraging environment,
our adults can make great strides toward independence.
Our Staff
Susan Wagoner
Social Skills and Life Enrichment Program Leader
Social Skills and Life Enrichment Program Leader
Susan feels incredibly blessed to have this opportunity to work with the students at Possibility Place. She worked many years as a Special Education Assistant with Rutherford County Schools and finds it very rewarding helping students achieve their goals.
Susan has lived in Middle Tennessee all her life and graduated from Nashville State Community College with an Associate of Science degree. Susan is very active in her church and enjoys camping, gardening and spending time with family.
Derek Prince
Creative Arts and Self-Advocacy
Program Leader
Derek is humbled and honored to be given the opportunity to work with our Pals at Possibility Place.
Having a nephew with Autism and an intellectual disability, Derek developed a heart and love for helping those with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Derek has a background working in Special Education as an assistant. . When offered an opportunity to work at Possibility Place he jumped at the chance, feeling this was where God wanted him.
Rosemarie Roan
Practical Academics Program Leader
Rosemarie’s life work and passion has been working in some capacity helping people with disabilities.
Rosemarie graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science Degree, a teaching certificate in education, with an endorsement in Special Education.
She was accepted into the Health Occupation Students of America program and earned her CNA and worked. She taught special education in a CDC classroom and with intellectually challenged adults.
Meagan Prince
Life Skills and Vocation Skills Program Leader
Meagan says she is excited to join the possibility place staff! She graduated from MTSU in 2009 with a bachelors degree in education. Since then she has taught in Murfreesboro and Nashville. She is excited to see what God has in store for her here!
Jessica Mark
Brian Lawson
Program Director
Brian says he is excited about the opportunity to work at Possibility Place. God blessed him with the opportunity of being a classroom teacher for many years in a lot of different settings and being able to help a wide variety of students. He is excited about joining Possibility Place where he can continue to help others with the skills and the experience he has gained and starting a new chapter in his life.
Brian grew up in West Virginia. He and his wife have lived in Florida, Ohio, and now settled in Tennessee to be closer to family. He and his wife are active with their church and enjoy traveling, watching sports (especially the Miami Dolphins), and spending time with family and friends.
Jessie Chewning
Media Coordinator
Jessie feels blessed to join the Possibility Place family as the Development Coordinator. Jessie has a heart for serving others and seeing everyone reach their highest potential.
After spending many years in corporate customer relations, Jessie is excited to use her skills to help Possibility Place grow and shine.
She and her husband are raising two young boys. In her spare time you can find her gardening, planning family trips, and trying new recipes.
Sonya Craig
Founder & Executive Director
Sonya attended both Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX and Middle Tennessee State University.
She was a Certified
Neurodevelopmentalist and co-founder of LEARN. She also serves as the Host-Site Coordinator for Best Buddies MTSU.
Her passion is to see children and adults with special needs have every opportunity to reach goals beyond what was predicted for them with any diagnosis or label. Her dream is to see them fully integrated into a society that sees their value, a society that shifts the focus to what they CAN do instead of what they cannot.
Program Assistant
"Jess" is a human services professional with a passion for serving clients however possible. She graduated from Purdue University with her bachelor's degree in Human Services while minoring in Psychology.
During her time in college, Jess was blessed with the opportunity to be chosen for an internship doing equine therapy with the IDD population. For there God gave her a passion to work with individuals with IDD and she transition to be direct care staff in group homes for several years.
Jess is passionate about sharing the love of Jesus, providing person-centered support, and empowering others. When given the opportunity to work at Possibility Place arose, Jess felt that this was exactly where God wanted her to be. She is excited to be joining the team, eager to learn more about non-profit work, and looking forward to making a lasting impact on our Pals and their families.
Jackie Miller
Director of Development
Jackie graduated from Western Kentucky University with a dual certification in both Regular and Special Education. After teaching for 15 years, she started working in the non-profit sector. She found her home at Possibility Place in March of this year. Jackie felt that God sent her out to learn about non-profit organizations and fundraising and when the time was right, He pointed her to where she could combine her passion for people with IDD and her experience in grant writing and fundraising to the perfect match at Possibility Place.
Scarlett Smith
Scarlett has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Education from MTSU. She has many years of experience working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as direct care staff, in management and support coordination. Scarlett believes in kindness as a core value and serving others is a fundamental calling. Scarlett enjoys spending time with her family, reading and trips to the mountains. She is excited to be joining Possibility Place and is looking forward to being a part of the team.