Pam Russo moved to Middle Tennessee in early 2017 after accepting the position of Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Tennessee, and she has brought a lifetime of social service and Catholic social teaching to the job.

The former Executive Director of Catholic Charities/Diocese of Allentown, PA is no stranger to helping people in states of change. From those struggling with homelessness to refugees who have been forced to flee their homelands, Russo has dedicated her life to assisting these folks, and she has been doing so for almost 25 years.

Catholic Charities of Tennessee resettles hundreds of refugees from around the world every year during a time of uncertainty for the United States refugee resettlement program. An early challenge of her new position, she said, “is monitoring the refugee program and how we move through the next few months.”

We’re really known for the quality of our services,” Russo said. “We’ve built a fantastic reputation and we want to build on that.” She wants to continue to spread the message that “we serve everyone, not just Catholics. We’re here to serve the poor and vulnerable, our services are open to anyone.”

Before serving as executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Allentown, Russo worked with that agency in other capacities. She also served as Secretary for Catholic Human Services for the Diocese of Allentown, managing a $26 million annual budget.

She has also worked for Catholic Social Services in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including a stint managing a shelter for homeless women with mental health and substance abuse problems and their children. A licensed social worker, she holds Master’s degrees in Social Work from Temple University and in Administration of Human Services from Chestnut Hill College.

We’re honored to host Pam on November 9 as she speaks about Catholic Charities and its programs, her first year as a Middle Tennessean, and the importance of her faith in her personal and professional life.

Join us for coffee, pastries, networking and prayer as we listen to Pam’s story and start our day together.