Habitat’s New Executive Director Reflects On First Week

Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity’s new Executive Director celebrating a week under his belt.

Dr. Jeremy Byrd said the week had gone by fast, but he was learning a lot. He said the team at Habitat has helped him through that learning curve and working to achieve his goals.

“Just to do a good job of learning Habitat and how to represent the organization,” Byrd said. “And how to do the best that I can at my role and the role that I play on our staff.”

Byrd said he spent 20 years as a pastor with a local church and felt he was being called to try something different. He said as he went through the process of trying to find his next opportunity, he was presented with the opportunity to send in his resume for Habitat.

Byrd said the work appeals to him because it is a ministry and it is rooted in the concept that every person has value. In addition, he grew up in the Upper Cumberland and the work now allows him to make a difference in his hometown.

“And number three, being from this area and seeing the poverty I grew up around, that was actually what I spent most of my time in my doctoral studies researching, is how Christians should take care of the poor better around them,” Byrd said. “And then all of those things just kind of lined up.”

Byrd said he wants the community to be aware of all of the good that Habitat does int he region. He said there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.