For Immediate Release
GALLATIN, TN—Welch College President Matt Pinson announced that this year’s Strong and Courageous Award will be presented to Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly at the college’s annual banquet celebrating Christian faith in the Sumner County community.
Mrs. Oglesby-Sutherly, a seventeen-year resident of Middle Tennessee, originally from Hope, Arkansas, is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Veranda Ministries, a faith-based respite program that ministers to adults living with dementia-related illnesses and their families.
Driven by a passion for relationship-based holistic care, Mary Anne earned triple certification as a trainer, consultant, and coach in Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care (PAC) and is a Certified Dementia Practitioner with specialized training from both the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
As the host of the acclaimed podcast “Aging, Angst, and Alleluias,” Mary Anne offers education, support, strategies, and interviews with field experts to help care partners who are navigating dementia’s complexities.
Mary Anne has strongly advocated for families living with dementia in the public arena and successfully lobbied for legislation that expands care and support to those living with dementia-related illnesses in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Welch College’s annual Strong and Courageous banquet is a scholarship event to raise funds for Sumner County students. Strong and Courageous has raised over $325,000 for student scholarships at Welch. Past Strong and Courageous award winners are Rev. David Landrith (posthumous), Congressman Diane & Dr. David Black, Bob & Karen Goodall, Dr. Charles Lea, Rev. Doug & Linda Varnado, Rev. Jerry Moll, and Mrs. Joi Wasill.
Strong and Courageous will be held in Celorio Hall on the campus of Welch College, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. To support this event, contact the Office for Institutional Advancement at Welch College (615-675-5255) or visit welch.edu/strongandcourageous.
