ABOUT USOur Staff
Learn more about the staff of You Have the Power… the people responsible for its day-to-day operations.
Cathy Gurley
Chief Executive Officer
cathy.gurley@yhtp.org
Cathy Gurley has served as CEO of You Have the Power (YHTP), a nonprofit that empowers victims of crime, since 2012. Additionally, Cathy was a founding board member of the Nashville T.J. Martell Foundation. She has worked with Friends of Warner Park, McNeilly Center for Children, and StandUp2Cancer in addition to serving as a mentor at Tennessee Achieves and an adjunct professor at Middle Tennessee State University and Belmont University. Her writing brought her several national accolades including the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.
Cathy is currently a member of the Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Sexual Offender Treatment Board, Domestic Death Review Team, ACES of Nashville, and the Domestic Violence Death Review Board.
Cathy’s communication skills have expanded YHTP’s community impact with programming and collaboration. During her tenure she has helped launch the Voices from the Garden, remembering the children lost to violence in Davidson County. During 2022, she coordinated the committee for the dedication of the Children’s Memory Garden of Nashville. As CEO, Cathy supervised the renewal and addition of Resource Guides, including one on Sex Trafficking, used by schools and agencies throughout the state including the TBI. She spearheaded the development of two new curriculums, the YHTP Youth Impact Curriculum, a cognitive-based workshop series designed to prevent further delinquency in at-risk youth, and, Succeeding Through Support: Responding to Domestic Violence. In addition to rewriting the adult victim impact program to insure more accountability and understanding for the participants. The program is currently used by the Davidson County Sheriff.
Additionally, over the last 25 years Cathy has served on several committees to raise funds and awareness for local DV shelters.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Cathy Gurley to You Have the Power. Her in-depth experience and knowledge of not-for-profits, coupled with her exceptional leadership, creativity, and energy will strengthen our mission of victim advocacy and prevention of violent crime.”
– Andrea Conte
Darlene Williams
Director of Operations
darlene.williams@yhtp.org
Darlene is responsible for the day-to-day operations as well as working with the CEO in developing and expanding the impact of the agency in Tennessee through programming. She started with YHTP in July of 2017.
A former entertainment industry executive, Darlene’s previous employers include: What A Trip! Entertainment, CBS Cable/The Nashville Network, Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc., The Brokaw Company, The Moon Mullins Company, and AristoMedia.
Abbie Bayless
Agency Communications Coordinator
abbie.bayless@yhtp.org
Abbie Bayless joined YHTP in July 2023 as the Agency Communications Coordinator. In this role, Bayless develops and executes strategic communications efforts to further the mission of YHTP. Bayless will also be responsible for the agency’s communications with agency partners, stakeholders and constituents.
Bayless graduated from Union University with a Bachelors in Business Administration and a minor in Political Science. She has previous nonprofit experience working in legal aid in West Tennessee as well as acting as the Event Coordinator for the nonprofit, Heaven’s Cradle, in Jackson, TN.