2025 Speaker Series: Building Solutions - Tackling Housing & Homelessness Together

The chamber's Speaker Series events provide an opportunity for businesses and the public to hear from speakers on specific topics or issues that are of importance to them, their business, and our community. Members receive discounted pricing as a benefit of membership. Attendees from the community are always welcome. 

Housing and homelessness (particularly the rise in homelessness many have noted in West Knox) is a complex and challenging topic—one that many of us find difficult to discuss. Yet, it is vital for the well-being of our community, businesses, and the future.

Join us as we dive into the key factors contributing to these issues, how we arrived at this point, and what is being done now to address them. Local experts from a variety of sectors will join the conversation to explore how we can work together toward solutions. Our panel will include Tracey Williams, CEO of Volunteer Ministry Center, Katie McIlwain, Fig Tree Connection Center Director at at Cokesbury Church in West Knoxville, Erin Read, Executive Director for Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability and law enforcement from both Knoxville Police Department and Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

Our emcee and discussion leader, Hallerin Hilton Hill, will guide the conversation, bringing three decades of experience in tackling tough topics and facilitating meaningful dialogue.

This luncheon is an opportunity to better understand the homelessness crisis and housing challenges in our area, and it will provide businesses and individuals with practical insights on how to help, or at least be more informed, so they can engage respectfully and constructively with our homeless community. It will also provide updates on the strategic planning being done to bring together partners from across the county for a more cohesive approach.

We invite all local business owners, residents, and community leaders to attend and be part of this important discussion.