Staff

Gabe Horton, MDiv, Executive Director and President

Gabe Horton comes to Pawster Nashville with a passion for helping people and the pets they love. Prior to founding Pawster in 2020, Gabe brought eight years of leadership experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. He holds a Master of Divinity with a focus on organizational leadership from Vanderbilt Divinity School (2015), and a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University (2011). He has also earned a Revenue Development Certificate, a Program Leader Certificate, and a Board Fundamentals Certificate from the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, along with an Inclusive Organizations Certificate from People3 Diversity and Inclusion Benefit Corporation.

Isabel Derrick, Community Engagement Coordinator

Isabel Derrick is an animal lover who also has a strong desire to help people. She graduated from Belmont University in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, and she plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in Community Development and Action at Peabody College (Vanderbilt). After having fostered a few pets with Pawster prior, Isabel knew there was no better place for her to serve her community. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Pawster as it will prepare her for a life of service in the future.

Board of Directors

Chelsey Hedglin, Chair of the Board

Chaplain, Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital

Chelsey Hedglin brings 8 years of experience working in a veterinary hospital, including management of the boarding facility. She serves as chaplain at Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital and holds a Master of Divinity (2017) from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Arts (2013) from Millsaps College.

Nathan Yates, Treasurer

Senior Direct, Corporate Controller, Acadia Healthcare

Nathan Yates is an accounting and financial reporting professional with more than eleven years of experience in the fields of accounting and auditing.  He most recently spent three years at OneOncology, where he was Director of Financial Reporting and Technical Accounting.  Prior to joining OneOncology, he was an Assurance Senior Manager in EY’s Nashville office.  Nathan holds a Master of Accountancy (2012) and Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science (2011) from Vanderbilt University and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Tennessee.

Trice Gibbons, Secretary

Audience Development Editor, Christian Century

A native New Orleanian and thirty-plus year resident of Nashville, Trice Gibbons is Audience Development Editor at the Christian Century magazine. He has held positions in strategic business planning, product management, and marketing. Trice holds a Master of Divinity (2013) from Vanderbilt Divinity School, a Master of Health Administration from Washington University School of Medicine (1986), and a Bachelor of Science from Rhodes College (1983). An ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he served as national board member of More Light Presbyterians for six years including two years as board co-chair.

PJ Cowan

Senior Program Manager, Musicians On Call

PJ Cowan is a native of the Gulf Coast who has called Nashville home for over 5 years.  One of PJ’s earliest memories is of being woken up Christmas morning by a puppy that would soon become his first childhood friend.  PJ has worked in the nonprofit world for nearly a decade in both program management and fundraising roles.  He is passionate about reimagining social systems to support all members of society, including maintaining these crucial relationships with our loyal and incomparable pet companions.

Christina Griffin

Program Manager, Interise

Christina is a life long animal lover and graduate of the University of Kentucky – College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with minors in Neuroscience and Biology as well as a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science with a research certificate. She serves as a Program Manager at Interise, an economic development non-profit that serves small businesses across the globe. Additionally, she has served the beauty and women’s empowerment industries as a Pageant Coach and Consultant for women and children within her own minority-owned small business for over seven years. In her philanthropic life, she enjoys spending time volunteering as an active member of the Junior League, where she serves as Parliamentarian on the Board of Directors and on the Done In A Day Committee. Christina also serves on the Board of Directors and Events Committee for Tennessee Justice Center. She spends her time volunteering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention with their annual Out of the Darkness Walk in Tennessee and annually at 911 Day. In her free time, she enjoys doting on her five-year-old epileptic dog, Wilbur, researching new methodologies for epilepsy awareness and seizure prevention in pets, volunteering with her church and attending Nashville based sporting and food events.

Taryn Hibbitt

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Bridgestone Americas

Taryn Hibbitt is a Nashville native who originally began volunteering for Pawster as a foster in 2021. Having pets of her own throughout life, she finds joy in helping others by providing refuge to their beloved animals during tough times. She has her BBA in International Business Management from Lipscomb University and is a Sourcing Manager for Bridgestone Americas. Taryn has been involved with many local nonprofits such as Meals on Wheels, Welcome Home Ministries, People Loving Nashville, and Second Harvest. In 2022, Taryn was able to give a permanent home to a Pawster pet she was fostering at that time. In her spare time, Taryn enjoys coaching group fitness classes at F45, international travel, and exploring Nashville’s food and beverage scene. 

Dr. Brian Issac Marshall

Founder and CEO, MashUp! Nashville

Dr. Brian Issac Marshall (he/him) is a distinguished leader, advocate, and public health strategist dedicated to advancing health equity through community-driven solutions. He is the Founder and CEO of MashUp! Nashville, the only Black-led and active 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Middle Tennessee focused on serving Black LGBTQ+ individuals, founded in 2017. Dr. Marshall’s most recent work was as a Senior Program Manager within the Office of Health Equity at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he led the development of education and training offerings centered on health equity and racial equality. He was also a Course Instructor for the Graduate Certificate in Health Equity at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and has co-authored a peer-reviewed publication in the Academic Medicine Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Dr. Marshall is the recipient of several awards for his outstanding work, including the 2019 TN Pride Chamber Community Service Excellence in Business Award, the 2022 Human Rights Campaign Equality Award, and the 2022 Nashville Black Pride’s Brothers and Sisters United (BASU) Legacy Award. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for Neighborhood Health as the Chair of the Quality Committee. Additionally, he is the Co-Chair of the Nashville Regional Ryan White Planning Council, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping policies and strategies to improve access to care for underserved populations. Dr. Marshall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media from Clark Atlanta University, a Master of Arts in Civic Leadership from Lipscomb University, and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Maryglenn Warnock

Founder, Paws to Remember

After losing her beloved Old English Sheepdog, Garcia, Maryglenn realized just how painful—and isolating—the loss of a pet could be. To help others struggling with the loss of a pet, Maryglenn founded Paws to Remember. Maryglenn is a certified pet bereavement counselor, pet chaplain, and pet celebrant. She has volunteered in animal rescue for nearly 25 years and currently serves on the board of the Nashville Humane Association, Pet Community Center, and has served on the advisory board of Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary. Maryglenn is a native of Munfordville, Kentucky, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and an avid angler who spends an inordinate amount of time pursuing, dreaming about, talking about, and thinking about the maddening but glorious “fish of 10,000 casts”—the muskie. Maryglenn and her husband Tim Warnock live in Nashville with their Old English Sheepdog, Butterbean.