About
Our Mission
The mission of Tranquility House is to provide a continuum of services and emergency shelter to victims of domestic violence and their children. Our services are centered on safety, advocacy, and empowerment. We strive to eliminate cultural acceptance through coordinated community response, prevention and education.
Our Philosophy
Our advocacy philosophy includes being victim centered and trauma informed. To provide services based on best practices and focus on safety. Embrace diversity in all we do. Work together with collaborative and volunteers in getting victims needs met and changing our community to value a person’s right to be safe and free from intimate partner violence.
Our Vision
We envision a community that values a person’s right to be safe and free from intimate partner abuse.
Our Staff
Teresa Millsaps is the Executive Director of the Christian League for Battered Women DBA Tranquility House Domestic Violence Center. She has been an advocate for survivors of domestic violence since 1995 when she began working for a sister domestic violence program, Cherokee Family Violence Center. In the past 28 years she listened to over 4000 survivors share their stories and receive assistance from her. Prior to her position as Executive Director, she has filled the roles of: Support Group Facilitator, Shelter Director, Housing Program Director, and Community Specialist. Served on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and assisted with the creation of the Justice for Incarcerated Women project. Ms. Millsaps testifies as an expert in both Civil and Criminal cases throughout the State. She is passionate about the safety and wellbeing of victims in their relationships and continues her education in trauma, motivational interviewing, and client centered services. Her mission is to increase services provided to victims in Bartow County and promote a community standard of zero tolerance for violence in the home. She is the mother of 4 children, grandmother of 12 and great grandmother of 3, soon to be 4. She loves to hike and spend time with her family.
Zanett began her journey as a volunteer with Tranquility House and found her passion for social work. She joined the team in 2011 and has served in several positions at Tranquility House. First volunteering with children’s activities, to assisting with administrative duties then getting to know the community while in the Community Outreach position. She is now the Assistant Director and appreciates this new challenge in her life. She believes that to whom much is given much is required. She enjoys spending time with her family and strives to do this work with an ocean view one day.
Melissa enjoys spending time with family and friends, shopping, decorating, helping animals get rescued through H.E.A.R.T, watching TV, and going to new places. Melissa says her greatest accomplishments are; her children, she is in awe of her oldest son’s accomplishments and the youngest son beginning to get there. Going to college and doing well (she was the first in her family to go to college). She cherishes the times she helps rescue fur babies and gets them to a forever home to be loved and cared for. Melissa says, one of her greatest accomplishments is being able to have peace in her life. Being a domestic violence survivor in her 20s and then putting up with all the drama it can intel in her 30s (trying to raise children with your abuser and to move forward with your life) and finally having peace in her 40s makes her feel like she made it to the other side and is blessed to be in a position where she can help others make it to the other side where they can have peace also. These are just a few accomplishments she has made in her life; she plans on having many more!
Amber was born and raised in Cartersville Georgia. She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Services which brought her to her work with survivors and their families at Tranquility House. She loves helping others and making people smile. Listening to music, dancing, playing with her youngest son who is 4, and relaxing. Her goals in life are to enjoy the little things, dance like no one is watching, and be present for her family. She plans to grow in her career by successfully helping others through the many journeys of life.
Whitney grew up in the metro Atlanta area and is passionate about educating others about the impacts of domestic violence. She graduated from Lee University in 2012 with a degree in anthropology and hopes to finish her MSW soon. Whitney has been at Tranquility House since 2021. She has many talents and has grown in her journey with Tranquility House. Whitney is a Shelter Advocate, worked as a Child Advocate and currently splits her time as a Shelter and Community Advocate. Prior to joining the Tranquility House team, she interned at Safe Home of Augusta providing counseling. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her chickens, reading, and going to trivia with her friends.
Courtney began her journey at Tranquility House in May 2022 as a shelter advocate. She graduated from Kennesaw State in December 2022 with a bachelors in Social Engagement and Advocacy. She is now one of the Child & Teen advocates due to her love of working with children/youth. Her hobbies include fashion, listening to music, making art, watching movies, and dancing. Her goals are to impact as many people as she can and be the change she wishes to see. A few things she strives to live by is always being open to learning new things and being the role model she wished to have when she was younger.
Natalie is one of the youth advocates at Tranquility House and has been with the team since her internship in summer of 2022. Nat is a current student at Kennesaw State University working on her Bachelors of Human Services. She hopes to continue and earn her Master’s in Public Administration at Kennesaw State University after graduation. She enjoys being involved with her college and in her community and is always happy to lend a helpful hand. She is an advocate by heart and by trade. She hopes that her work in the field and onward will inspire change and impact in the future for herself and others. Her favorite activities include reading new books, spending time with her family and hanging out in the sun.
Sherry has worked at Tranquility House since 2008. She came to Tranquility House as a survivor wanting to help others. Sherry says, “I can’t think of another job that is as rewarding than when we have a broken woman come in and she leaves knowing how to fly”. She believes the impact she makes will last a life time for both herself and the families she works with. She has three children and three Grandkids she enjoys spending her time with. People enjoy conversations with Sherry because she’s not shy and says what she believes.
Denise was born and raised in NJ, she’s the six out of 10 children. She’s always had a love for helping others. She attended Union County College in NJ where she received her Degree in Drug and Alcohol Counseling. Denise worked for Union Hospital for clients who were Mentally ILL Chemically Addicted (MICA). She then moved on to work in the prison system for Department Of Corrections, before relocating to Georgia in 2004. Her first job here was working for Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter, Woodstock Assisted Living as a Medication Tech. Denise loves having fun, spending time with her husband, family and friends.
Haley was born and raised in Cartersville, Georgia. She began her journey at Tranquility House in June of 2024. She has always loved helping others and strives to make a positive difference that will leave a lasting impact on the world. As a survivor of domestic violence, Haley is committed to fostering a supportive environment that promotes growth, healing, and justice. She has four children, and 3 grandchildren who are her world! She loves to travel, and spending time with her family and friends.
Board of Directors
Meghann K. Humphreys practices Juvenile Law in Bartow County at the Cherokee Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office. She is an alumna of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (J.D., 2010) and the University of Central Florida (B.A., 2006). Meghann has resided in Bartow County for the majority of her life. She is excited to serve as a Member-at-Large for Tranquility House because she feels it is important to advocate for survivors in her community who need help getting their lives back together. Meghann is a member of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension and also serves on the boards of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Cartersville-Bartow County and Theatre Extreme, Inc..
Connie Timms Woods, RN, Certified Case Manager, Supervisor for GENEX Services – a nationwide worker’s compensation managed care provider for the past 15 years.
Connie is a Cartersville native, the only child of Huey and Syble Timms. She graduated from Cartersville High School in 1976 and attended Jacksonville State University. Connie has two adult children and four grandsons. She divorced in 2010 and returned home where she met and just recently married Rickey Woods of Taylorsville, GA where she now resides.
Connie is a survivor of domestic violence and after several years of questioning herself and searching God’s word…she has come complete circle from Victim to Survivor and she is ready to help others in their struggle with abuse.
Connie has been involved with the local Elks Lodge in their community support for the past 9 years. She has written and obtained grants to include working with Hickory Log Vocational School, providing our Veterans housed in local assisted living facilities with much needed personal supplies, organizing “First Kill” deer meat shared with the Good-Neighbor Homeless Shelter and the Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter, and many more activities where the local lodge gives back to Cartersville/Bartow County.
Madi Davis hails from Acworth, GA, and is an entrepreneur with a passion for helping others and being involved in her community. She graduated from Berry College in 2014 with a degree in Psychology, Sociology, and Family Studies, and worked in ministry, marketing, tourism, event planning, and customer service, before pursuing her dream of opening a coffee shop with her husband, Justin, in late 2017. When she isn’t serving coffee or baking muffins, Madi enjoys reading, crafting, hiking, and being a pet parent. She is very excited to be a part of the amazing work going on at Tranquility House, and can’t wait to grow and learn more about how to help and invest in the marginalized and vulnerable populations right here in our own community.
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