The 2026 theme for Black Philanthropy Month was “Many Voices. One Movement.” It honored the many people, communities, and forms of generosity that carry Black philanthropy forward.
The Gamechangers 2026 cohort reflect that range. Their work reaches across education, law, cultural preservation, youth development, recovery services, mental health, and spiritual life. Each has chosen a different path of service, but all are helping build a stronger and more connected Middle Tennessee. Over eight weeks, we will share an in-depth profile of each of our eight Gamechangers 2026 cohort, carrying the celebration from Black Philanthropy Month in August into National Philanthropy Month in November.
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Pamela Sessions – CEO, Renewal House
Pamela Sessions has spent her career helping women and children move toward safety, stability, and recovery. As CEO of Renewal House, she leads Middle Tennessee’s only comprehensive, family-centered residential treatment program for women with substance use disorders and their children. Her nonprofit career has centered on families affected by substance use, mental health challenges, domestic violence, and homelessness. In April 2026, Sessions celebrated 10 years as CEO, a decade marked by significant growth in Renewal House’s services, facilities, and ability to keep mothers and children together during treatment.
Her nomination begins with this direct statement: “Without a doubt, Renewal House CEO Pamela Sessions should be recognized as a Gamechanger.” The story that follows can be seen in the spaces where her leadership has helped numerous families. Sessions guided a $7.5 million capital campaign through the March 2020 tornadoes and the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing Renewal House to open a new residential facility in 2022 without taking on debt. The building doubled the number of families the program could serve at one time from 17 to 34. The move also allowed Renewal House to convert its former residential apartments and offices into recovery housing, increasing its affordable apartments from 16 to 37.
Sessions then helped address another barrier facing mothers in recovery by working on providing dependable childcare. In 2025, Renewal House opened the St. Mary Villa Child Development Center on its campus after raising more than $4.2 million to fully fund its construction. The center gives mothers a safe, reliable place for their children while they work, continue their education, and build greater stability. During Sessions’ tenure, Renewal House’s assets have grown from $3.7 million to $20.8 million. Those numbers tell a larger story about the families who now have room to recover together and the mothers who can plan for life beyond treatment.
Sessions’ Q+A offers a closer look at the women who shaped her commitment to service and the persistence behind Renewal House’s growth.The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How would you introduce yourself and the community you serve?
My name is Pamela Sessions. I’m the CEO of Renewal House, and Renewal House provides specialized addiction treatment for women who have children.
What brought you to the work you do today?
I grew up in a small rural town in West Tennessee. My parents had high hopes for me to go to college, so I went to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I received my master of science in social work and have always wanted to work with underserved populations. That’s what I’ve done my entire career.
Who showed you what taking care of people looked like?
I grew up around a group of very strong women. My mother, my grandmother, and my aunt all spent their entire lives providing services to people. My aunt was a schoolteacher, my mother was a cosmetologist, and my grandmother was a homemaker. I think I developed a love for helping others by watching them.
You’ve been chosen as a Gamechanger. What part of your journey do you think earned that recognition?
I tell people all the time, I’m a social worker by profession, but I’m a CEO by accident. I thought I would go to Renewal House and work a job. But shortly after I got there, it began to feel like a mission.
We have doubled the number of clients we’ve served. We’ve expanded our campus by building a 34-unit apartment complex where we serve families. Our recovery housing now includes 37 apartments, and we’ve recently built a child care center.
What does it take to be a Gamechanger?
I think to be a Gamechanger, you can never stop. You have to continue to push forward. Even when the answer is no, that doesn’t mean never. Maybe it means not now. It isn’t always the first time. It could be the fifth time or the 10th time or the 20th time. You just have to keep moving forward.
When I was raising money for Renewal House’s capital campaign, people were like, “How are you going to do that?” I wasn’t really sure, but I had a plan. I went to see 100 people in 100 days, and people thought I was crazy. Out of those 100 people, I got 400 names, and 175 of those names resulted in more than $7.5 million.
I never anticipated that, but I didn’t give up. I just kept working.
Why does keeping mothers and children together through recovery matter?
Healing a family changes everything because, collectively, they’re able to come together. As you heal a family, you’re able to heal generations at a time.
Is there a mother’s story that stays with you and reminds you why the mission matters?
There’s one mom in particular whose story I will never forget. She came to Renewal House shortly after I started working there. She was pregnant. She had a baby. She completed the treatment program and moved into our recovery housing.
She had some college experience, and she finished her master’s degree while she was there and started working on a Ph.D. She works for another local nonprofit in town and is doing exceptionally well. She would not have been able to do that without Renewal House.
This year’s theme is “Many Voices, One Movement.” What does that phrase mean to you?
To me, it means that collectively, we can do a lot. Collectively, we can go far. We just have to come together.
Finish this thought: I give because…
I give because I like to. I think it’s the right thing to do.
To learn more about Renewal House and the work that Pamela Sessions is doing, visit https://renewalhouse.org/.
Join us each week as we celebrate each of our 2026 Gamechangers. Keep an eye out for their stories and the many ways these leaders show up every day to help build a thriving Middle Tennessee.
About Black Philanthropy Month
Celebrated each August, Black Philanthropy Month is a global observance of giving to and by people of African descent. It recognizes Black generosity in all its forms while inviting individuals, families, organizations, and communities to invest in Black-led change.
The 2026 theme, Many Voices, One Movement, reflects the idea that the strength of Black philanthropy comes from the people who carry it forward. Giving may take many forms, but it is united by collective care, community-led investment, and a shared commitment to justice and opportunity for Black people everywhere.
The theme also reminds us that this work does not belong to one person or organization. It grows when people come together to give, build, serve, and share their voices in support of a common purpose.
Since 2019, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has celebrated Black Philanthropy Month by highlighting Black leadership, connecting donors with Black-led organizations, and creating space for conversations about the future of giving in our region.
This year, CFMT will bring community members together for conversation, connection, and recognition of Black leaders shaping Middle Tennessee. Guided by Many Voices, One Movement, we will consider how donors, nonprofit leaders, businesses, families, and neighbors can each contribute to a stronger and more connected future for Black philanthropy.
