board of directors

Kammaleathahh Livingstone is the Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Tip It Forward, a federally qualified nonprofit since 2019. The concept began in 2014 with her idea to redirect her tips to provide therapeutic touch for clients with chronic pain and trauma who couldn’t afford care. A licensed massage therapist since 2007 and a board-certified Structural Integration Practitioner, she has over 17 years of experience collaborating with organizations in Kentucky and North Carolina, deepening her understanding of health equity and healing from trauma. 

Kammaleathahh was inspired to pursue her massage therapy training after experiencing personal trauma. She found relief through holistic practices like acupuncture, bodywork, prayer, and veganism. She has also seen firsthand the power of successful counseling, especially through public providers, and advocates for accessible counseling, recognizing its transformative power. In 2024, she was honored as a Health Care Hero.

Her commitment to community-driven care led her to become involved with organizations like POCA and NADA, where she advocates for the integration of collective care models. She believes that chronic pain and trauma require non-pharmaceutical interventions that are accessible to all.

Looking ahead, Kammaleathahh envisions Tip It Forward transforming healthcare, particularly at the intersection of chronic pain, PTSD, and trauma. She continues to expand her expertise in Nursing and Neuropsychology to further support those in need.

Ann Hagan-Grigsby is a highly effective and dynamic advocate for underserved communities in Louisville and passionate about equity in healthcare. Retired from her role as the CEO of the Park DuValle Community Health Center, Ann now spends her time enjoying her family, traveling, and as a valuable Tip It Forward board member. 

Besides earning her B.S. in Biology from George Washington University and attending medical school at the University of Louisville, Ann has a very intimate history of complex healthcare after her late husband had a traumatic brain injury due to uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension and when he unexpectedly became paralyzed due to unrelated causes. Ann was her husband’s caregiver for over ten years and was a fierce advocate for him throughout his health challenges. Whether in the role of the caregiver or throughout any of the adversity she faced in life, Ann has been blessed by the support of others and found unique resources to help her continue to let hope lead. She will readily tell you that she is a member of the TIF board because she was struck by the passion of our founder, Kammaleathahh, and she genuinely loves the mission of Tip It Forward where hope also leads.

Ann believes that the healing power of touch is so important to well-being and that what TIF gets right is how they meet the community where they are. Instead of trying to medicate every symptom of trauma, or normalizing trauma, TIF works with individuals to enhance their ability to cope by experiencing a model of healthcare that integrates whole body health with their mental health care. She knows that when a person receives services from TIF, they can feel wellness and hope as they find a path to health and healing.

As a long-time client of our founder, Kammaleathahh, Jeff has experienced firsthand the healing power of massage for his own chronic pain. He is a high-energy sports enthusiast who doesn’t hold back from taking risks. He admitted that even his wife teases him for how many times she’s heard him say “I can’t believe how fast I was going!” before he delivers the bad news that he has had yet another injury and needs a ride to the hospital. Regardless of the cause of Jeff’s chronic pain, he has seen how complex and financially draining medical care can become. He understands the disparity that exists in access and affordability of care and has committed himself to disrupting the systems which keep those who need healthcare the most from accessing it.

Jeff has had a long and successful career working for some of the largest corporations in the U.S. Now, as a semi-retired consultant, he has the freedom to dig into his work as a member of the TIF board. After decades involved in administering employee benefits, he has an in-depth understanding of the complex medical health systems in the US and across the globe.

Jeff was raised with the strong moral compass of showing compassion and care for those who need it the most. Whether in his personal life or in his time spent as a board member, he is manifesting these ideals in all he does for Tip it Forward.

Dr. Nadia Al-Dajani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Her research focuses on suicide prevention and health disparities, particularly in the mental health of minority communities. Originally from Canada, Dr. Al-Dajani gained early clinical experience in both public hospitals and private practices, where she developed a deep understanding of the barriers to accessible mental health care and the transformative impact of well-funded mental health services.

The goal is to create an adaptive, real-time intervention that reduces risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

As a Palestinian, Dr. Al-Dajani is aware of the unique stressors that can affect minority populations. She is passionate about exploring the connections between the mind, body, and environment.  She believes Tip It Forward’s work can advance equity in whole-body health by providing individuals with the access and knowledge needed to heal from mental and physical trauma. She knows that racism and poverty has a  profound impact on physical health, and is energized by the prospect of fostering healing that encompasses both body and mind. Dr. Al-Dajani has personally experienced the mental and physical benefits of practices such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and yoga. 

Dr. Sherrod has held roles in several boots-on-the-ground public health positions during her career, including the University of Louisville/Brown Cancer Center, and most recently, the Associate Vice President of VOA Health and VOA Justice at Volunteers of America Mid-States. Dr. Sherrod’s passion and everything that she has dedicated her life and her career to has been around reducing health disparities, fighting inequities, and advancing health equity and social justice in the Louisville community. 

A caregiver for 11 years, Dr. Sherrod has been the medical advocate for both of her grandparents and her mother until they passed away, all while obtaining three higher-ed degrees. Dr. Sherrod’s faith leads her and she feels resolute that she is walking in her purpose in life. She credit’s the strength and resilience of her mother with her own perseverance to advocate for black and brown people in Louisville. Originally from Chicago, her grandparents were activists who took part in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s activism, and they even took the chance of traveling to Louisville to be part of the rallies and activism which occurred during the 1968 Parkland neighborhood race riots. 

Dr. Sherrod has worked since 2013 to be an agent of positive change for black and brown individuals in Louisville and in 2021 joined the Tip It Forward Board of Directors.

Vice President, Principal Creative at Prolific Digital

Kaytie White is the Vice President and Principal Creative at Prolific Digital. An artist first, Kaytie brings to Tip It Forward a unique perspective as a visual artist as well as a passion for holistic care practices. Having navigated the mental and healthcare systems in her own journey of healing, she is deeply committed to empowering others and is excited to transfer her skills to an organization that is working toward balancing what is so out of balance in the healthcare system and make a positive impact in Louisville.

A strong advocate for a 360-degree approach to wellness, she is a firm believer that practices like massage, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are integral to finding a healthy balance to life and personally practices yoga and meditation daily. She has directly experienced the transformative power of these practices which have held new value as she has become a mother.

She serves as a valuable member of the Marketing and Communications Committee for Tip It Forward, lending her talents to help amplify the organization's story and expand its reach. Her work continues to focus on fostering connection, growth, and empowerment through design and storytelling.

Dr. Yara Mekawi is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and head of the Challenging Ongoing Legacies of Racism (COLOR) Lab at the University of Louisville and focuses on research related to racism and anti-racism. 

She is also the co-founder of the Dialectical Engagement in Anti-Racism (DEAR) Project which aims to help White Allies become more effective in their anti-racism work. During her postdoctoral training, Dr. Mekawi worked in the Level 1 Trauma Unit at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, providing care to patients experiencing PTSD due to physical, sexual, or accidental trauma.  Dr. Mekawi witnessed patients who had co-occurring physical health conditions as a result of their trauma, but did not have resources for holistic care practices that could serve their state of mind and ultimately, their health. 

In her time as a researcher, her academic career, clinical practice, as a mother, and even as a youth growing up in the Middle East, Dr. Mekawi has seen firsthand the profound effects of racism, trauma, and stress on the human body. She is excited to test and expand on the idea that the body and the mind are connected and how practices like mindfulness, yoga, massage, and other holistic practices can address physical and psychological wellness. Dr. Mekawi is particularly eager to co-design wellness pathways by and for Black women, focusing on solutions that center their unique experiences and needs.

Bruce Gillis is a resident of Louisville, Kentucky, and a member of the Tip It Forward Board of Directors.  As a member of the Board of Directors, Bruce serves on the Finance and the Development committees.

Bruce has extensive experience working with nonprofits and serves on multiple nonprofit Boards.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Bruce began a career in Employee Benefits administration, working for several firms in this space.  Bruce is currently serving as the Head of Compliance for Businessolver, a Des Moines, Iowa based employee benefits software and service firm, where he also serves on the board of the Businessolver Foundation - the Businessolver charitable and philanthropic support organization.  Bruce is dedicated to improving the lives of those in need - especially those in his hometown of Louisville, KY.