YPK is proud of each and every award winner who was honored at the 9th Annual YPK Impact Awards, presented by 21st Mortgage Corporation. The way these individuals and organizations all strive to connect, develop, and serve within the community of Knoxville is inspiring and worth celebrating!

Congratulations to our 2021 YPK Impact Awards winners!

Connect Award: Individual

Grace Bennett

YPK member Grace Bennett won the 2021 Individual Connect Impact Award. Before moving to Knoxville, Grace put Young Professionals of Knoxville on her radar and planned to utilize the organization as a way to get connected in her new city. In turn, Grace is a welcoming face who creates meaningful connections for anyone who crosses her path at YPK events and through her involvement with other organizations. As Development Manager at Young-Williams Animal Center, Grace continuously works with the community in a variety of ways to ensure our furry friends at the shelter have a wonderful temporary home before finding their forever home.

Connect Award: Organization

Knox Brew Tours

The organization that was honored with our Connect Impact Award was Knox Brew Tours! Since 2014, Knox Brew Tours has created an experience to connect people to not only the Knoxville beer community, but Knoxville itself through the walking and bus tours. The tours provide an opportunity to connect to different parts of Knoxville while educating people on local breweries. One you complete a tour, you feel personally connected to the amazing establishments throughout our Scruffy City! Additionally, Knox Brew Tours partners with Small Breed Rescue of East TN for The Cuddle Bus and organizes Bike and Brews Adventures.

Develop Award: Individual

Andrew Hart

The winner of our Develop Impact Award was Andrew Hart! As the Associate Director of Employer Development at UTK, Andrew connects students with opportunities to foster their professional growth. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Leadership Knoxville, which connects a diverse network of community leaders to provide enhanced servant leadership skills and knowledge of current community issues in East Tennessee. Through this role, he is actively involved with Introduction Knoxville, where he shares the story of Knoxville with those new to the city and with those who want to support and contribute to all that Knoxville has to offer.

Develop Award: Organization

YWCA Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley

The organization who won our Develop Impact Award was YWCA Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley! YWCA has been dedicated to educating and enabling women to promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all members of the community since 1899. This year, YPK took part in YWCA’s 21-day social justice challenge, which provided the valuable opportunity to develop more effective social justice habits to address issues of race, power, and leadership. In addition to such social justice programs, YWCA also provides housing, educational services, crisis and trauma counseling, and fitness facilities to empower Knoxville women to achieve their highest potential.

Serve Award: Individual

Anna moseley

The winner of our Serve Impact Award was Anna Moseley! Anna serves as the Senior Marketing Associate for United Way of Greater Knoxville. With in-depth research and interviews, Anna greatly impacted the reform of our local United Way’s mission, values, and goals to best meet today’s needs. Her job duties go well beyond marketing, Anna also assists with fundraising campaigns and mobilizes volunteers for a number of efforts. Recently, Anna helped to spearhead a social justice-focused series with the Young Leaders Collective - The Great Conversation: An Uncomfortable But Necessary Series.

Serve Award: Organization

Battlefield Farm & Gardens

The organization honored with our Serve Impact Award was Battlefield Farm & Gardens! Founder Chris Battles is a native of Cincinnati, OH and has pastored congregations in Bowling Green, KY, Hackensack, NJ, Cincinnati, OH, and Knoxville, TN. In 2018 his life trajectory changed when he began a community garden and started to recognize the food disparity in his community. This led to the creation of multiple community gardens, The Eastside Sunday Market and Battlefield Farm and Gardens. Battlefield Farm & Gardens is actively working to serve the East Knoxville community by fighting food insecurity and disparity. Their motto is “Fighting Food Disparity, Building Community.” Their mission is to alleviate food deserts in East Knoxville, promote healthier eating, and advocate for accessible and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables for the community. 

First Horizon Impact Award Winner

Dr. Martha Buchanan

Dr. Martha Buchanan was this year’s First Horizon Impact Award Winner! Dr. Martha Buchanan first joined the Knox County Health Department in 2004 as assistant public health officer and was later promoted to public health officer. She was appointed director in 2009 and stayed in that role until October 1, 2021.

Under her leadership, the Knox County Health Department has partnered with the University of Tennessee to form Tennessee’s first academic health department and recently became the first health department in the state to be accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board. 

Dr. Buchanan served our community by leading the Knox County Health Department during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and served on the Board of Health. A graduate of Leadership Knoxville, she currently sits on the board of the Community Health Council, Metro Drug Coalition, and YWCA. She is currently working with community leaders to address access to mental health care and how to relieve the impact of mental health on the justice system. She also serves on the Naloxone Community Collaborative and various community coalitions aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic.

Thank you to everyone who attended this event. Because of your dedication to our health and safety protocols, we were able to gather safely in-person this year!