2025-26 Chattanooga Fellows

  • A young man in a blue suit, white shirt, and patterned tie stands outdoors during dusk, smiling at the camera with trees and a bridge in the blurred background.

    Abdiel Medina

    Hometown: Cleveland, TN

    Alma Mater: Lee University

    Employer: Northside Neighborhood House

    Church Attending: Mission Chattanooga

  • A smiling woman with short, wavy brown hair standing outdoors in front of greenery with a large bridge in the background.

    Alison Hoekstra

    Hometown: Hudsonville, MI

    Alma Mater: Calvin University

    Employer: Bridge Outdoors

    Church Attending: Mission Chattanooga

  • Young woman with long brown hair smiling outdoors, wearing a black dress, with a cityscape and a bridge blurred in the background

    Carlisle Allen

    Hometown: Lookout Mountain, TN

    Alma Mater: Liberty University

    Employer: East Ridge Presbyterian Church

    Church Attending: East Ridge Presbyterian Church

  • A young man in a navy blue suit and striped shirt standing outdoors with a blurred bridge in the background.

    Charles Temple

    Hometown: Greenville, SC

    Alma Mater: Covenant College

    Employer: Erlanger Health

    Church Attending: North Shore Fellowship

  • Young man in a suit and glasses, smiling outdoors with blurred trees and a bridge in the background.

    Daniel Coley

    Hometown: Franklin, TN

    Alma Mater: University of Tennessee-Knoxville

    Employer: Card-Monroe Corporation

    Church Attending: Signal Mtn. Presbyterian Church

  • Young man in a suit smiling outdoors, with a blurred bridge and greenery in the background.

    David Stoner

    Hometown: Naperville, IL

    Alma Mater: Grove City College

    Employer: Southern Champion Tray

    Church Attending: Signal Mtn. Presbyterian Church

  • A young woman smiling outdoors with greenery and a bridge in the background.

    Eliana Ziman

    Hometown: Winfield, IL

    Alma Mater: Wheaton College

    Employer: The Chalmers Center

    Church Attending: Mission Chattanooga

  • A young woman smiling outdoors, wearing a red dress with ruffled sleeves, with greenery and a bridge in the background during early evening.

    Emma Wilson

    Hometown: Annapolis, MD

    Alma Mater: University of Georgia

    Employer: First Things First

    Church Attending: Signal Mtn. Presbyterian Church

  • A young woman with long wavy brown hair and glasses, smiling outdoors with trees and a bridge in the background.

    Hannah Evans

    Hometown: Irvine, CA

    Alma Mater: Grove City College

    Employer: Keel Point

    Church Attending: North Shore Fellowship

  • A young man in a navy suit and checkered dress shirt standing outdoors with a smile, with a blurry bridge and cityscape in the background.

    Levi Curlee

    Hometown: High Point, NC

    Alma Mater: North Carolina State University

    Employer: One-to-One Health

    Church Attending: North Shore Fellowship

  • A young woman with blonde hair and a pink blouse standing outdoors, smiling at the camera, with a blurred cityscape and greenery in the background.

    Liv Getek

    Hometown: Grasonville, MD

    Alma Mater: Grove City College

    Employer: Chattanooga Christian School

    Church Attending: North Shore Fellowship

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair, glasses, and gold earrings outdoors during twilight, with a cityscape and blurred traffic lights in the background.

    Makenna Mullis

    Hometown: Belmont, NC

    Alma Mater: North Carolina State University

    Employer: Big Brothers Big Sisters / The McBride Method

    Church Attending: Signal Mtn. Presbyterian Church

  • A young man with glasses, wearing a navy blazer and light blue shirt, smiling outdoors with city lights and a bridge in the background.

    Rivers West

    Hometown: Greensboro, NC

    Alma Mater: Wofford College

    Employer: Toldwell Studios

    Church Attending: Mission Chattanooga

Ralston Hartness, Chattanooga Fellows Executive Director, holding his daughter outdoors with a cityscape in the background.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHATTANOOGA FELLOWS

Meet Ralston Hartness

With a B.A. in Religion and a minor in Education from Washington & Lee University, and an M.A. in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Ralston brings both academic depth and a love for learning to the Fellows community. He and his family attend The Mission Chattanooga, where they are actively involved in local ministry. Before joining the Fellows program, Ralston worked as a teacher, cross country coach, Community Engagement Director, and adventure camp staffer.

Ralston loves anything outdoors—especially trail running and backpacking—and also enjoys cooking, playing with his kids, reading both new and classic books, making music, and discussing theology and the arts around a good fire. His life verse is 1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”

A quote that’s been shaping his perspective lately comes from Robert Farrar Capon’s Supper of the Lamb: “Man’s real work is to look at the things of the world and to love them for what they are. That is, after all, what God does, and man was not made in God’s image for nothing.”

What do Chattanooga Fellows say about their experience?

At the end of the year, each Fellow shares their plan of intentionality. It’s a chance to show what they’ve learned and what they want to build into their life moving forward. Watch Fellows Alum Jessie Rieth share about her experience in the Chattanooga Fellows.

“Fellows taught me what it looks like to do things with God, not just for God.”

Watch Fellows Alum Evan Hokrein share about his experience in the Chattanooga Fellows.

Fellows Alumni

Watch the final presentations of recent Chattanooga Fellows Alumni to get to know them better.

A class of Chattanooga Fellows smiling and posing outdoors in a park with trees and a bridge in the background during the evening.
Group of Chattanooga Fellows standing outdoors in a forested area, smiling and posing for the photo.
A group of Chattanooga Fellows standing outside in front of green bushes, smiling and posing for a photo.

2022-23 Fellows Class

Group of six Chattanooga Fellows standing outdoors on steps with a government building in the background, smiling at the camera.

2021-22 Fellows Class

2020-21 Fellows Class

2020-21 Fellows Class

2019-20 Fellows Class

2019-20 Fellows Class

2018-19 Fellows Class

2018-19 Fellows Class

2017-18 Fellows Class

2017-18 Fellows Class

2016-17 Fellows Class

2016-17 Fellows Class

2015-16 Fellows Class

2015-16 Fellows Class

2014-15 Fellows Class

2014-15 Fellows Class

2013-14 Fellows Class

2013-14 Fellows Class