Karen Metcalf
Academic Advancement Coordinator
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Karen currently serves as the sponsor of the BHEA Honor Society. She has been coach of the BHEA High School Science Bowl team for several years. During her 20+ years with BHEA, Karen has organized field trips, headed up the One-Book Blitz, and taught enrichment classes with BHEA. From 2014 to June of 2021, Karen worked with the Maryville Christian School home school program. Karen and her husband, Greg, have three sons and two daughters, all of whom are BHEA alumni. All of them were homeschooled from preschool through graduation. Karen and her family are active in Grace Community Church, Maryville. They enjoy leading and participating in community science through the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont, have fostered several puppies through Wilderwood Service Dogs, and love to help and serve their community.

Patti Smith
Activity Coordinator
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Patti and husband, Tim, have been homeschooling since 2003. They are parents to eight children (Amanda, Ryan, Lauren, Noah, Bailey, Sarah, Rebekah and Elizabeth); four of which have graduated. During their 15 years with BHEA, Patti has participated in many events with BHEA including leading and assisting in enrichment sessions for all ages, coordinating field trips and activities for BHEA, and is currently serving at the Troop Coordinator for American Heritage Girls which is chartered by BHEA.  Patti and her family have a heart for service and enjoy serving alongside their church family at Everett Hills Baptist Church as well as BHEA and AHG. The Smiths enjoy traveling, being outdoors and spending time together as a family.

Dana Rose
Communications Coordinator
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[email protected]

Dana, and her husband Josh, have been a members of BHEA since 2017. She has been a communications team member since 2019 and is now in the role of coordinator. They have been home educating their two children since 2015. The family's hobbies include: reading copious amounts of books, hiking, and board games.

Jennifer Thompson
Enrichment Team Coordinator
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Jennifer has been a member of BHEA since 2015 and a member of the Enrichment Team since 2021. She and her husband live in Maryville and have five children, two that are grown and three that are still homeschooling. The youngest three children have been homeschooled since kindergarten. Jennifer has a heart for serving our Enrichment Program and is happy to be a part of BHEA’s thriving homeschool community. Before becoming a homeschool mom, Jennifer attended ETSU where she majored in computer science. When not homeschooling or reading to her kids, she enjoys sewing, gardening, and hiking.

Jessica Fall
High School Events Coordinator
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Jessica and her husband, James, have two teenage sons. They have been BHEA members since 2019 when they began homeschooling, and she has also instructed enrichment classes. With a degree in Business Administration, her professional background includes banking, project management and coaching. She currently serves in a part-time capacity as the Dean of Admissions for a professional life and leadership training institute, and is a professionally-certified coach herself.

Fueled by a deep passion for helping others grow in their spiritual life, Jessica has many years of ministry leadership experience with both students and adults. She enjoys leading teams, planning events and connecting people. Jessica and James are southern-California transplants who relocated to Sevierville in 2009. The Falls are active members of City Church in Knoxville, and love traveling, reading, games, musical theatre and spending time with family and friends.  

Susan Barlow
Membership Coordinator
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[email protected]

Susan Barlow and her husband, Glenn, started homeschooling in 2002 and have been members of BHEA for 21 years. The Barlows have 4 boys, 3 of whom are BHEA alumni (Aaron, Ethan and Matthew). The youngest, Josiah, is a senior and member of BHEA Boy Scout Troop 442. Susan has taught several Enrichment sessions throughout her homeschool journey and is honored to serve on the BHEA Board.

Kaycie Smith
Middle School Events Coordinator
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Kaycie Smith is in her 12th year of homeschooling her four children, Julia, Ember, Riker, and Kairi. (All 12 years as members of BHEA!) Kaycie has a heart for serving children, receiving a degree in Youth Ministry and studied Early Childhood Education at Johnson University. She has served on BHEA's Communications Team, taught Enrichment sessions, and has planned many events over the years, including Kindergarten Graduations, Field Days, and Spelling Bees. Kaycie and her husband Joshua love spending time outdoors with their family hiking the many trails of the Smoky Mountains National Park.

Kaycie enjoys the opportunity to help our Middle School community connect with one another and have lots of fun in the process.

Nikki and her husband Samuel started their family’s homeschool journey in 2014 with their daughter, Della Ro, as a 4th grader. That first year at-home litmus test proved positive for their homeschool venture, and after what they considered a successful start, they brought their other daughter, Eliza, into it beginning with her 1st grade year in 2015. This is when BHEA became a beacon of hope and a source of friendships and learning ever since! Nikki and her girls have participated and enjoyed many years of BHEA’s member activities such as field trips, park days, member picnics, holiday parties, Mom’s Night Out events, dances, Spring formals, and clubs such as American Heritage Girls for a time. The best part of membership participation has been their involvement of Enrichment program days. Nikki has been a part of the Enrichment program since 2016 starting with serving at the Welcome Table where she realized how special BHEA was to the homeschool community, and how her service to others just felt right after being involved with other Moms just like her!

Nikki has been a Christian since childhood and was baptized at 8 years old. She has always had a heart for service to others where community service projects held center stage during her high school days as a leader in the JrROTC program at William Blount HS. The Lord continued to call her into various seasons of ministry in adulthood from serving at-risk inner city children with Emerald Youth Foundation for 8 1/2 years, and after she and Samuel started their family, she began serving the leadership of her church by watching their children while they worked. The most recent service that has just come to its end this year, has been to her own family by being a caregiver for both her parents in her home for over 14 years and then outside her home for 2 more.

Nikki is excited to begin her next service journey with BHEA as she has stepped into the role of Ministry Coordinator. She can’t wait to meet those in BHEA membership that she hasn’t yet had to opportunity to introduce herself, find out how best to pray and minister to the BHEA families and those in the community who want to know more about homeschooling, and plan fun events for all the BHEA Moms to grow in relationship and friendships this year and in the ones to come!