Meet Our Team

Caitlin Ensley is the Senior Director of Education and Outreach, responsible for the 16-county East Tennessee region including Knoxville. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Social Work with concentrations in child welfare and organizational leadership. Caitlin has worked for MHAET since 2014. Her favorite parts of the job are educating youth, decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and practicing self care. She is also passionate about creating a workplace environment focused on wellness. She lives in Knoxville with her partner, Spencer, their two sons, Oliver and Elliott, and their two kittens Luna and Matilda, and dog, Jackson.  

Sarah Miranda is the Southeast Regional Coordinator, responsible for the 10 counties in the Southeast region of Tennessee. She has Bachelors Degrees in Global Development Studies and Psychology from Mercer University. Sarah’s passionate about working at MHAET because she wants to promote and educate on the importance of mental health and early intervention. Sarah most enjoys building a strong community network, and hearing the stories from students that she gets to teach. She lives in Chattanooga with her husband, Nate, their son Asher and their two dogs, Brodie and Bella. Sarah practices self-care daily through fitness and quality time spent outdoors with her family.

Casey Caudill is the Northeast Regional Coordinator for MHAET, and she is responsible for the 8 counties in the Northeast. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Civic Innovation and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, both from Emory & Henry College. She enjoys promoting self care, educating youth, and making connections within the Northeast TN community. She lives in Mount Carmel, TN with her husband, Jake and their 2 kids, Acadia and Elias. Her hobbies include hiking, camping, kayaking, playing board games, and traveling to new places.

Mental Health Educators

Elise has a bachelor’s degree in public health and loves working with children. Her passion is to empower kids to make healthy choices for both their physical and mental health. She and her husband are foster parents have 5 teenage sons who keep them busy! Elise speaks Spanish, and through her multicultural household, she has learned about the stigma around mental health in central American cultures and wants to change it. Elise enjoys gardening, hiking, and traveling to new places.

Jacqueline is a graduate of East Tennessee State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She has a background in teaching mindfulness-based stress reduction and trauma-informed movement. Jacqueline is passionate about holistic mental health and the importance of empowering our youth through mental health education and skill building. Through MHAET she hopes to increase awareness and share information about mental health and wellness with students of East Tennessee

Janet Hertzog is a Mental Health Educator in Northeast Tennessee. She is a Dean’s List graduate of Milligan College with a B.S. in Elementary Education; certified in grades 1-8 with a minor in Sociology. She earned National Board Certification and enjoyed 25 years as a classroom teacher with 7 years’ experience as an interpreter for deaf students. She is happy to be serving students once again in the role of Mental Health Educator. Janet is married to the wonderful and talented Keith Hertzog. She has two adult children and one adult grandson. She enjoys sewing, reading, walking in area parks and trails, and traveling to places near and far with her husband of 47 years and their feisty dog Gus.

Jennifer is an East TN native, raising her two young boys. Jennifer received her Bachelor’s from Carson-Newman in Family and Consumer Sciences Education and is now pursuing her Master’s in School Counseling K-12 with Capella University. Jennifer is passionate about helping children and adolescents understand their mental health to build resilience. She is grateful for the opportunity to connect with youth through curriculum delivery. In addition to her academic pursuits, Jennifer is a published author of adolescent poetry and has coached competitive cheer for 10 years. Her diverse experiences have shaped her dedication to supporting young people in their mental health journey!

Keith is a Mental Health Educator for the Northeast Region. Keith received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in addition to earning his teaching certification from Milligan College, Tennessee. Keith completed a very successful and gratifying career as a classroom teacher for the Johnson City School System. He then extended his professional leadership skills by serving as a TEAM evaluator for Johnson City Schools and as a Supervisor of Student Teachers and Interns for Milligan University. As a Mental Health Educator, Keith is now enabled to combine his lifelong passion for teaching with his deep desire to increase awareness of mental health issues while promoting mental wellness. Keith lives in Watauga, Tennessee with his wife Janet and his beloved dog, Gus. He has two adult children and one adult grandson. Keith Hertzog is an accomplished photographer who especially enjoys nature and wildlife photography. Keith, Janet and Gus enjoy being outdoors. They can often be found exploring the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee in their RV camper.

Kelly comes to MHA with over ten years of experience in 1:1, small group coaching, speaking, writing and workplace wellness programs. She’s thrilled to be able to use her experience to help youth in the Southeast so that they have the self-care and coping skills she wishes she would have been taught when she was younger. Kelly and her wife are empty nesters, built their own country home, love to hike and dream of starting a second family… of chickens and maybe a goat. 

Laila is a graduate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology. Laila is passionate about improving mental health outcomes in youth. She believes in the power of education to break stigma surrounding mental health. When she is not working with the Mental Health Association, she is working on other initiatives in community wellness, such as food justice and affordable utility access. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, puzzles, spending time with family and friends (and of course, her cat, Juni).

Meg worked as a middle school counselor in Chattanooga, TN after receiving a Master’s in School and Guidance Counseling from New York University. As a Mental Health Educator through MHAET, she enjoys connecting with more students, faculty, and parents throughout southeastern Tennessee. When she isn’t visiting schools, Meg creates illustrations, combining her love of art with mental health advocacy. She spends her free time at the library, practicing yoga, and thrifting. Meg lives with her husband and their rambunctious puppy, Lefty.

Peter Goodacre has lived in Knoxville, TN for the past 10 years and has absolutely loved it. He has an extensive background in youth development – in both group and one on one coaching. He has also been a member of the Army National Guard for 4 years now, and is pursuing his undergrad of Sports Management at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His passion for martial arts helped lead him in to his love and dedication for helping our next generation grow. Peter believes that everyone’s story matters, and it’s our job to support each other as a community. He loves to do/teach martial arts and ride his motorcycle in his free time. Peter is hoping to provide support and guidance to our youth, and to show them that they are never alone. He is excited to be with MHAET, and is looking forward to all the change this community can provide!