UT Department of English Roundtable on Careers in Nonprofits
University of Tennessee English alumni Taylor Phipps and Chrystal Armstrong Brown join Dr. Erin Smith for a roundtable discussion on careers in nonprofits including types of nonprofit jobs, internships in the nonprofit space, how to prepare for the job market, and more. This online discussion took place on Tuesday, March 26th, please enjoy the video below.
This event was sponsored by the English Department’s Career Development program. Find out more about how our department supports its students and grads with career support on our Careers and Internships webpage.
Chrystal Armstrong Brown is President & CEO of the United Way of Greater Knoxville (UWGK), where she leads efforts to strengthen community well-being across early care and education, economic mobility, and healthy communities. Chrystal brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofits, educational institutions, and federal programs. Her career path has been shaped by personal determination and a deep sense of purpose – culminating at the intersection of strategy, service, and storytelling for community transformation. Before joining UWGK, she served as Vice President of Program Development at Emerald Youth Foundation and Director of Education and Community Impact at United Way of Southwest Virginia. She is a 2025 Leadership Knoxville graduate, a “50 Under 50” honoree, and proud mom to her daughter, Keris.
Taylor Phipps is the Executive Director of A Step Ahead Foundation of East Tennessee (ASAFET), where she leads efforts to remove barriers to contraceptive access across a 16-county region. With more than 17 years of nonprofit leadership experience, she is known for building strong grassroots partnerships and driving measurable community impact. Under her leadership, ASAFET has expanded both its budget and programming to meet growing demand. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Taylor is a Leadership East Tennessee alumna, a current member of the UTK Chancellor’s Associates, serves as Secretary and Immediate Past President of the Knoxville Volunteer Rotary Club, and was named to the Knox News 40 Under 40 Class of 2026. She is married to a fellow UTK alumnus, Jordan Phipps, and is the proud mother of two children, Laney (10) and Baker (4).
This event is sponsored by the English Department’s Career Development program. Find out more about how our department supports its students and grads with career support on our Careers and Internships webpage.