The Magnolia Harbor Board of Directors is composed of professionals who bring deep expertise across a range of critical domains. These include public policy development, legislative and grassroots advocacy, academic and applied research, ethical and philosophical inquiry, strategic non-profit leadership, organizational governance, and innovative fundraising strategies. Their collective knowledge and experience play a vital role in guiding Magnolia Harbor’s mission, shaping its initiatives, and ensuring its long-term impact and sustainability.
Dr. Bree Conklin, DSW, LCSW is the CEO of all things Magnolia Harbor Carefarm. The farm’s founder and idea-driver, Dr. Bree has a Bachelors and Masters from the University of West Florida, and a Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) from the University of Tennessee. She is a trained Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC) provider, a Certified Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) provider, and is trained in the following modalities of care: the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Circle of Security, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, and Play Therapy. When she’s not seeing clients, tending to the 53 (?) rescue animals at Magnolia Harbor, she is mentoring and teaching students as evidenced by her accolades: Awarded Excellent Teacher as a Community-Based Instructor with the University of Tennessee in 2022 and Awarded Educator of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers Northwest Unit of Florida in 2016. Bree was inspired for the vision of MHC in 2018 on a trip to Sedona, Arizona for Compassionate Bereavement Care training. She came home and told her husband, and MHC co-founder, Lyle Conklin, that they had to open the 2nd carefarm in the United States to treat traumatic grief and loss. Bree was inspired to hold space for traumatic bereavement after walking the end of her father’s life and his journey with dementia. As she often says about this work, there is a tragic magic in holding space for grieving hearts and Magnolia Harbor is her own heart turned external for the world.
Dr. Bree Conklin
Lyle Conklin is the co-Founder and Operations Director for Magnolia Harbor Carefarm, where he leverages a decade of high-level supply chain experience to ensure seamless organizational performance. Lyle spent eight years as a Navy Supply Corps Officer, followed by a successful 10-year career in Supply Chain Management for organizations including GE Renewable Energy and Kelvion. He holds an MBA from Auburn University, bringing a strategic, data-driven approach to his work. Lyle is passionate about his current work and enjoys winding down by working around the farm or playing sports.
Lyle Conklin
Laura Clabo, LAPSW, joined the Board of Magnolia Harbor Carefarm in August 2025 and remains actively engaged, volunteering weekly and supporting all facets of MHC’s mission. She also serves as co-facilitator for the MHC Parkinson's Care Partner Retreats, a therapeutic community initiative launched the same year. Professionally, Laura is the medical social worker and clinic coordinator at The Cole Center for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders, part of the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Her work focuses on providing education, connecting families to essential resources, and offering compassionate support to patients and care partners affected by Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease. Outside of her professional and volunteer roles, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband, Aaron, their son Evan—who proudly serves as co-director of volunteers at MHC (a title enthusiastically endorsed by Dr. Bree)—their two beloved dogs, Kylo and Emi, and a close circle of friends. Her favorite farm frens include Caleb and Ollie.
Laura Clabo
Dr. Kelley Hunter Ellis, LCSW, DSW has been in private practice in New Orleans for the past 20 years. She learned about Magnolia Harbor during her doctoral program at Tulane University, where she was studying widowed parents and their children. Kelley fell in love with the work, mission, and vision of the Carefarm. She has worked with Dr. Bree and Dr. Jordan on the Widows and Kiddos program for the past three years and is a member of the Board of Directors. Though she loves all the animals, Kelley has a special connection with Ollie and Ivy Kaye.
Kelley comes to her interest in grief work from her own childhood. When she was 6 years old, her brother died on Christmas morning. Her family’s grief dominated the remainder of her childhood.
Kelley spends her downtime with her 2 children, 2 stepchildren and 7 grandchildren. She enjoys reading, working out and playing Mah Jong.
Dr. Kelley Ellis
Hailey Goad, MSSW is a passionate advocate for mental health and community well-being. With a background in social work and nonprofit leadership, she is committed to creating spaces where people feel supported, connected, and cared for. Hailey’s connection to Magnolia Harbor Carefarm is rooted in her own story. After losing loved ones to suicide, she knows how much it means to have a place where people can gather, heal, and feel less alone. She first came to Magnolia Harbor through a community event and immediately felt at home. Since then, she has been grateful to be part of something so special - a place where animals, nature, and community come together to bring hope and restoration. Outside of her professional work, Hailey enjoys spending time with her husband, Devon, and their pup, Benny. She also loves a nice hike, trying new baking recipes, and visiting the farm—where Moose, Magnolia Harbor’s “dogtor,” has completely stolen her heart.
Hailey Goad
Jordan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and the owner of Harrold Counseling in Winston-Salem, NC. As a board member at Magnolia Harbor Care Farm, Jordan helps steward a space where people can find restoration through nature, animals, and community. The farm’s mission is personal to her: after experiencing young widowhood herself, Jordan discovered the profound healing power of being outdoors and connecting with others who truly understand loss. In her therapy work, Jordan enjoys supporting adults who are ready to lean into the hard stuff—those who want to understand how thoughts and emotions connect, explore their relationships with food and body image, or simply have a safe, nonjudgmental space to show up as they are. Her advocacy and research on behalf of young widows further deepens both her clinical work and her service for Magnolia Harbor. Outside of her professional and volunteer roles, Jordan cherishes time with her family and friends, carrying the same belief into her personal life that guides her work: healing is found in connection, authenticity, and community.
Dr. Jordan Harrold
Marsha Sliker has a heart for the mental well-being of children. She has a background with volunteering and working for non-profits, especially with those that center around the care for children. She brings to the board many years of experience with program development and organizing events with Boy Scouts of America. Marsha has worked to give support to clinicians in the non-profit world and now supports the development of clinicians with her work at UT Knoxville’s College of Social Work.
Marsha has had friends and family that have experienced trauma through the sudden loss of suicide which prompted her to pursue and receive her certification in Adult Mental Health First Aid. Marsha enjoys anything outdoors and spending time with her husband of 28 years.
Marsha Silker
Tony Murchison is East Tennessee Regional Director for the Tennessee Nonprofit Network. In this role, he works with all non-profit organizations from Bristol to Chattanooga to provide technical assistance, training, and access to resources such as partnership and funding opportunities. Previously, Tony served as the Director of Community Partnerships at the UTK College of Social Work. Through this role, he worked to develop relationships with key partners across the state and beyond, coordinated the Social Justice Innovation Initiative grant project, and supervised the college’s Continuing Education efforts including the annual eVOLve Conference. In addition to serving on the board for Magnolia Harbor Carefarm, Tony also serves on the boards of the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee and the Maryville College Alumni Association. Prior to UTK, Tony worked in Quality and Compliance at Helen Ross McNabb Center for nine years. Tony is happily married to his husband of 23 years, Jim Clement. They share 3 cats and 10 nieces and nephews. In his spare time, Tony likes to read, write books (none published yet), hang out with friends, eat, and do craft projects.
Tony Murchison
Dr. Christina Perkins, DSW, LCSW (a.k.a. Moosey’s favorite Aunt Tristina), is currently in her fourth year of service on the MHC Board of Directors. She is the Assistant Director of the UT Psychological Clinic and runs a small private practice, The Unburdened Self in Knoxville. She obtained her BA in Psychology from Brown University in 2008, her MSSW and DSW at UTK in 2013 and 2021 respectively. She grew up in Mountain City, TN (you'll have to look that one up). She practices primarily with LGBTQIA+ humans. Christina is openly neurodivergent and works primarily with ND clients. She is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing), IFS (Internal Family Systems), cognitive behavioral therapy, Liberation Psychology and practices from a feminist and relational perspective. She has an almost three-year-old son, Everett, and an almost four month old son, Atlas. She has two cats, a dog that was supposed to be but is decidedly NOT a dachshund, and is an avid fan of rewatching the same series over and over again. You can generally find her in an existential spiral, tending to small children, talking to Bree on the phone, weeding her garden, or blowing bubbles in the backyard.
