Dave Worland / 2014 photo provided by Lanie Coulter www.laniekay.comDave Worland, who has helped manage Christian foundations and leadership development groups for nearly three decades in Chattanooga, will head the Governor's new Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives in Tennessee.
Worland, president of Leadership Ministries Worldwide in Chattanooga for the past five years, will direct the new agency that the Tennessee General Assembly created at the urging of Gov. Bill Lee.
Lee told the Chattanooga Rotary Club Thursday he hopes the new faith-based initiative can encourage non-profit groups and volunteers to address needs of Tennessee.
"I don't believe that government is the answer to the greatest challenges that we have today," Lee said in his speech to the Downtown Rotary Club in Chattanooga. "There are people out in our communities who can have the greatest impact on what happens. The governor's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives will be a liaison between the non-profit community and the government to further enhance this idea and to give people an opportunity to be engaged in a more meaningful way."
The legislation creating the new office suggested the new agency could act as a collaboration between state government and faith-based and community organizations to improve public safety, reduce addiction, strengthen families and communities, and overcome poverty in the state.
The new office does not require any additional taxpayer money. It will be structured similar to the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation, a public-private partnership which has distributed over 35 million books to Tennessee children.
Worland could not be reached Thursday. Laine Arnold, a spokeswoman for Gov. Lee, said a formal announcement of his appointment is expected this summer.
"We welcome Dave's leadership in this role," she said.
Prior to joining Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Worland served for 15 years as the executive vice president for the National Christian Foundation and previously for seven years at the Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation. Worland began his career managing special assets at SunTrust Bank.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.