Meet The Board

Markill is a native of Chattanooga, he spent over 20 years of his life addicted to drugs and alcohol. He experienced homelessness firsthand, living in shelters with him his church home (Church of the First Born) giving back to the homeless from 2014-2019. Covid-19 hit, and everything was at a standstill while the homeless community was affected in a massive way which led Markill and his wife to create Vision of Mercy.

Candis resides in Chattanooga, TN and is a single mom.  For the past eight years, Candis helped with ministry work alongside her mother and stepfather. She closely aligns her actions with the Executive Director and assists with event planning and coordinating food distribution. Ms. Bradley possesses wonderful leadership skills while working with the community and schools in the area with her job to help as many people as she can.

Krystal Wilds possesses over 15 years of extensive experience in nonprofit organizations across various roles, significantly impacting the communities she serves. As a dedicated advocate, she has led initiatives aimed at providing essential resources, support, and empowerment to individuals and families in need. In her current capacity as a Shelter Advocate, Ms. Wilds assists individuals encountering housing instability by connecting them with vital resources, securing safe shelter, and guiding them through complex systems to restore stability and independence. Her compassionate methodology and steadfast commitment to advocacy ensure that every individual she serves feels both supported and valued.

Barabara Billing has worked in the service industry for the past 23 years. She attended Ashford University where she graduated with a Bachelor of associate in real estate and a minor in Human Resources. Barbara is a recovering alcoholic and addicted and knows from firsthand experience from being homeless without food and shelter. Barbara has a deep compassion for helping others because someone helped her.

Abigail Calloway Hammonds is a Registered Nurse and currently performs work in mental health institutes. For the past 37 years she has dedicated her time and services to the nursing field. Additionally, Abilgail dedicates her time to ministry work. Her favorite motto: Matthew 4:4 "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God"

​Connor McPherson commenced his volunteer work at Vision of Mercy in 2021. His commitment to assisting the homeless was cultivated during his college years, where he volunteered at the Community Kitchen through Campus Crusade. Following his affiliation with the Church of the First Born, he received specialized training in evangelism from the church's evangelistic director, Dr. Henrik Krabbendam. Additionally, Mr. McPherson has undertaken two missionary trips to Uganda to contribute to the church's outreach initiatives in that region.