Leading with a people-first mindset, we serve our clients and their employees with a personable approach.

Ryan founded Renewal in 2016 with a goal to help employers establish and implement long-term strategies that reduce costs and improve their employee benefits plans. It didn't take long for Ryan to realize there had to be a better way—he is always challenging the status quo because benefits and health insurance is a broken system. He remains a forever student in our industry, staying on the front edge of industry trends and leading our clients to consider unique and emerging strategies for plan management. Ryan manages our consulting team, oversees marketing efforts, and helps set the course for Renewal to continue to lead in the market. He has deep expertise in helping companies transition from fully insured to self-insured, analyzing and implementing cost containment solutions, benchmarking benefit packages, and negotiating contracts, which comes into play at every renewal cycle.  

Outside of the office, Ryan stays busy spending time with his wife and 4 children, attending their sports matches or enjoying a warm day by the pool. He enjoys competing as an endurance athlete and follows a rigorous training schedule for running, swimming, and cycling. When he’s not training for his next triathlon or chasing his kids around, he’s cheering on the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Titans.

Dylan joined Renewal in 2018 after starting his career in Commercial Banking followed by a 4-year stint in manufacturing management in nearby Dalton, Georgia. At Renewal, Dylan oversees the operational and administrative aspects of our team while also spending meaningful time with our clients. From complex analytics and forecasting around self-funding strategies to helping clients redesign and deploy enrollment, payroll and audit process for their employee benefit plans, the more complex the problem the more he leans in. Dylan takes the role of “agent” seriously—his role and how he leads our team goes beyond simply facilitating interactions with insurance carriers, he wants to help optimize the entire process.

As a husband and father of 4 young children, not much slows down for Dylan outside of work.  Moving to Chattanooga in 2011, he and his wife are active in their community and local church, youth sports teams, the Faith Co-Op, and Chattanooga Young Life. After over 15 years of playing competitive Disc Golf (he’ll still get out and play if you ask him!), Dylan now prefers the more traditional kind of golf as an outdoor activity as well as staying in shape on the Peloton bike and rower. While you won’t find Dylan on social media applications like Facebook or Instagram, he’s always open to getting to know new folks over lunch or coffee.

John manages our enrollment and technology team, configuring enrollment platforms and making sure employees understand the value of their benefits offering and have the right tools to make informed decisions on which selections make the most sense for them and their families. He also works diligently to maintain consistency between what employers are billed and their enrollment selections. With 23 years of industry experience, John has a deep understanding that navigating benefits can be confusing and overwhelming. This paired with a love of teaching and learning is what motivates him to simplify the process as much as possible for our clients’ team members, and he enjoys showing employees how to get the most out of their benefits options once helping them make strategic selections.

Our resident rock star, John spends his time outside of work playing guitar, bass, banjo and mandolin–you might even catch him on around town playing a music gig at a local spot with his band on the weekends! He’s a hometown fan of Chattanooga Football Club, but an even bigger fan of “the best dog ever,” his family’s labradoodle, Frodo.  

Lavonda is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day needs of her assigned clients—coordinating with the internal marketing, enrollment and service teams, and external carriers and service providers. Whether it be a question about billing, eligibility for coverage, or accessing a needed prescription, Lavonda facilitates quick and accurate solutions. Driven by an innate desire to help others and find solutions, it’s not difficult to see how Lavonda’s empathetic and honest nature translates well to her role as an account manager. With over 19 years in the insurance industry, Lavonda is not short on experience, and she infuses this expertise into her customer service approach.

If she’s not busy jumping into action to serve our clients and their employees, you might find Lavonda attending a yoga class, gardening, or cooking. A Chattanooga native, she knows everything there is to know about the Scenic City… and maybe even everyone there is to know, too.  When she’s not at the Sunday Market or enjoying a weekend adventure with her husband, Tim, she’s soaking up the occasional slow Sunday with her three furry feline friends, Sharpie, Sammy, and Stormy.

Our GIF wizard extraordinaire, Zack Sims joined Renewal in 2025 as Account Coordinator, assisting with account services, client retention, enrollment, and claims advocacy. Not only is he committed to excellence in all aspects of his work, he also boldly exemplifies our core mindsets when it comes to stepping in to solve our clients' problems—bonus points that he matches our energy by communicating with "The Office" references whenever possible.

In his free time, you'll probably catch him grilling out after a Saturday hike with his wife Megan, their daughter Ella, and Michael Keaton (his dog). Zack comes from a background in ministry, and continues to carry the torch through the non-profit ministry he runs called EnGedi Ministries, focusing on aiding ministry workers to find rest and resilience in their work.

Trish supports the success of our clients by coordinating compliance requirements, preparing enrollment documentation, providing customer service, and assembling in-depth benefits guides to help communicate complex coverage in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand and utilize their benefits. Guided by the philosophy that we are most successful when we work as a team, Trish finds deep satisfaction in helping others. She is quick to jump to the task at hand for both our internal teams and clients, and her strong work ethic shines through in each project that she collaborates on or leads.

Outside of work, Trish likes to scrapbook, complete puzzles, and volunteer at her church. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important to Trish–she is dedicated to her family and enjoys spending as much of her free time as she can with her husband, four children, and two grandchildren. When her grandkids aren’t keeping her on her toes, you’ll find her working on home improvement projects at her new house or watching Virgin River or medical dramas on repeat.

Nicole leads Renewal’s efforts in all things corporate brand implementation, business development, event coordination, and community outreach. The Chattanooga native graduated from Emory University with a bachelor's in economics, and began working in marketing and events, focusing on corporate branding, experience planning, and business development. She has a deep passion for building strong relationships and creating memorable experiences for anyone who happens across the Renewal brand. Nicole is active in the community through the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Young Professionals of Chattanooga, and as an alumna of her alma mater, Girls Preparatory School.

In her free time, you’ll find Nicole ride/rep/reviving at Spenga Chattanooga, trying out the new seasonal flavors at Clumpies, or trotting along the Riverwalk with her 8-year-old pup, an adorable golden retriever and border collie mix named Ollie. She is an avid Formula 1 fan and enjoys attending car and racing events. When it’s time to relax and recharge, you’ll find Nicole curled up with a book, or watching True Detective and Madam Secretary on repeat.

Jonathan brings a unique perspective and impressive professional background to the Renewal team, having worked as an attorney, nursing home administrator, and healthcare executive in prior roles. This diverse experience provides him with a frontline vantage point of the inner workings of benefits and the disarray of the healthcare system. Jonathan possesses a deep empathy for, and comprehensive grasp of, the hurdles our clients encounter day-to-day regarding their healthcare benefits. His ability to navigate complex legal waters, blend healthcare industry insights, and provide strategic leadership ensures that his clients and their employees receive the best possible value from their benefit programs while maintaining compliance with legal requirements.

In his free time, Jonathan enjoys family time with his wife and three kids and is an active member of his church. An avid runner, you'll often find him trail running or doing the occasional ultramarathon. He also enjoys golfing and cheering on his alma mater’s athletics–Roll Tide!

Bethany is Renewal's data management maven—she is responsible for organizing employer data and presenting accurate information to insurance carriers to get quotes, advocating for the client through negotiations, and crafting reports on rates for clients to help guide their renewal decisions. She works diligently to find the best benefit plans for our clients and searches for alternative options that oftentimes result in better benefits with additional savings to the employer. Bethany loves that Renewal focuses on helping bring clarity to our clients about benefits insurance so that it doesn’t have to be as big of a burden to them. Naturally detail-oriented, Bethany’s mantra is to check and check again, and she is undoubtedly the go-to expert in the office for all things Microsoft Excel.  

Outside of work, Bethany likes to spend time with her husband, Daniel, who she met during her time at Covenant College. On the weekend you may find her playing games with friends or trying out a new baking recipe. Some of her favorite TV shows include Only Murders in the Building, Loki, Parks & Recreation, and Castle. She is a native Florida girl, cheering on the Florida State Seminoles.

Sherri leads Renewal’s operations engine—overseeing staffing strategy while partnering with the leadership team to streamline workflows and align resources. With 25+ years in employee benefits, she’s known for building high-performing teams and strengthening key client relationships, especially for large organizations with complex plan needs. Her philosophy is simple and steady: lead with integrity, adapt quickly, collaborate deeply, and always make the value of an employer’s investment unmistakably clear. Sherri joined Renewal in 2025, drawn to the firm’s blend of innovation and boutique agility—and to a team that refuses to accept the status quo.

When she’s off the clock, you’ll find Sherri with the love of her life, Trey, enjoying time with their crew of adult kids and two grandchildren. A Cleveland, TN native she is a proud Vols fan. She also loves reading, traveling, painting, camping, playing Rook, and catching concerts—or a game at the Battery in Atlanta. At home, Katie and Prints (the cats) keep things lively, and Big Brother is her current guilty pleasure.

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As a Benefits Advisor, Mike helps employers turn benefits from a headache into a competitive advantage. He brings six years of insurance experience and a broader background in hospitality, ministry, marketing, and coaching—skills that show up in how he listens, follows through, and makes service personal. Mike specializes in ancillary benefits and relationship-driven account stewardship, grounded in a simple philosophy: do what you say you’re going to do. He joined Renewal for the team-first culture, transparency, and a shared commitment to disrupting the status quo with better service and smarter strategy.

Away from work, Mike and his wife—whom he met at Tennessee Tech (he played baseball; she played fastpitch softball)—are raising three student-athletes attending Chattanooga Christian School. If he’s not coaching CCS or travel baseball (or helping his wife coach fastpitch), he’s likely on the golf course or camped out watching college football on Saturdays—Go Dawgs.

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