Lunch + Learn: Practicing Friendship At Work
Description
Practicing Friendship At Work
We spend a large portion of our time each week working alongside other people, yet we often think of friendship as something only to be pursued in our life outside of our profession. Being known at work can feel too messy or complicated. But what if the people we spend those hours with hold more possibility for friendship than we usually imagine?
In our lunch conversation on December 3, we’ll explore what friendship at work can look like and how it shapes our personal, professional, and spiritual lives. We’ll hear from two pairs of friends (Jessica Whatley and Rachel Gammon, and Travis Lytle and William Bryan) as they share how their friendships began, how those relationships shape the way they show up in their work, and how they have come to know more of who God is through one another.
We invite you to join us and bring a friend! Together, let’s consider how friendships can be reminders of God’s presence in our work, even in the most unlikely moments or ways.
About the Series
Over the past year, we’ve heard from people across industries and career stages who share a common challenge: staying connected to God in their daily work. The pace and demands of our lives both within and outside of our jobs can make it difficult to pay attention to God’s presence in the everyday.
This series is an invitation to just do that. Over the next few months, we’ll hear from people across professions about the challenges they face, the spiritual practices they lean on, and the biblical truths that help draw their attention back to God. From entering our workspace to starting a meeting, sending an email, updating a spreadsheet, or talking with a colleague, God is already present—and inviting us to do our work with Him.
Lineup
Jessica Whatley
Jessica serves as the CEO of Northside Neighborhood House, working to uplift and empower our neighbors north of the river. She came to the NNH following an 11-year career with Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she has served as Chattanooga’s CEO since 2019 and facilitated substantial growth, adding E-mentoring programming and expanding the agency's service model to begin serving young adults past 18 for the first time. Jessica is a proud mom of three boys and she values people and relationships above all else.
Rachel Gammon
After over 25 years of service to the Northside Neighborhood House, Rachel shifted careers in 2024 to serve as the Executive Director of the Brock Center. She does research supporting the Philanthropy team at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. During her time at the NNH, Rachel led the Children’s Program and served as the CEO for 18 years. She enjoyed mentoring several leaders who were new to CEO/Executive Director positions. Rachel also serves in various volunteer roles supporting her family’s church and children’s schools and sports endeavors.
William Bryan
Faith Co-Op's own William Bryan is a purpose-driven leader who enjoys building strong relationships, helping people grow, and creating meaningful results through thoughtful execution. William serves as Faith Co-Op's Director of Strategy & Networks, but he has worked in talent acquisition, community engagement, workforce development, operations, construction, real estate, and entrepreneurship, which gave him a broad perspective and a deep appreciation for both people and performance. Alongside William’s professional background, he is a business owner and partner in several ventures, and continues to be motivated by opportunities to serve, solve problems, and build with purpose. At his core, he cares about people, values excellence, and believes the best outcomes happen when trust, service, and vision work together.
Travis Lytle
Travis Lytle serves as the Community Development Director at SmartBank. In his role, Travis has a talent for empowering and encouraging both clients and his community, coaching underperforming teams to reach the top quartile. His career and heart for service has spanned from negotiating contracts between general contractors and homeowners to delving in to the desires and personalities of a couple looking to plan their perfect wedding day. Most of all, Travis values building relationships through networking and community outreach with a focus on meeting the needs of underserved communities.
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