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Highlighting Our LGBTQ+ staff and allies on National Coming Out Day

October 11 is National Coming Out Day and in celebration, we asked #TeamCempa why coming out and being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community is important to them!

Scroll to see their responses and learn more about why our staff is dedicated to providing a safe and accepting environment for all people in need of quality healthcare.

Being an ally is important to me because I believe everyone should have the right to be comfortable in their own skin and embrace who they are. I want our LGBTQ+ clients to know that this is a safe place where everyone is welcome. Our main focus is your health and safety.

~ Amanda Paul, Prevention Specialist

Even in 2021, we must recognize that coming out isn’t easy for everyone. We must demonstrate compassion and understanding so that people will know we are there for them when the time is right.

~ Mario Forte, PrEP Navigator

Today is important to me because it’s a day to let others, who feel stigmatized with their identity, know that they are not alone. It is important to help those who may feel lost, and let them know that they matter and have an inherent right to be who they are.

The support that you will receive at Cempa is that of understanding, patience with allies who genuinely want to help people be the best that they can be.

~ Travis Smith, Medical Case Manager

Today is important to me, because someone, somewhere needs to know that they can step into their truth, and will be accepted and loved for who they are.

Cempa is a safe place for ALL people. You will receive the best care possible in an environment that embraces who you are without judgment or discrimination.

~ Miles Huff, Advocacy & Development Administrator

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Robert Morris

Robert Morris serves as Chief of Staff to the CEO at Cempa Community Care, where he drives organizational alignment, strategic execution, and a mission-driven culture. Since joining Cempa as a Senior Strategic Advisor in June 2025, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s future-ready structure, advancing leadership development, and guiding operational transformation. 

Robert brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across healthcare, aerospace and defense, utilities, and nonprofit sectors. His career includes senior roles at the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he served as Senior Strategic Advisor, Director of Communications Operations, and Senior Manager of Nuclear Materials, as well as Vice President of Program Management & Supply Chain at AAR Corporation. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for translating strategy into execution, leading large-scale transformations, and fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures. 

Deeply committed to service, Robert has dedicated his leadership beyond the workplace. He served as Chair of Cempa’s Board of Directors from 2019 to 2025, and has held leadership positions with the American Red Cross, Thrive Alabama, and the City of Huntsville’s Human Relations Commission. He is also a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga and currently serves as President-Elect of the Leadership Chattanooga Alumni Association. 

Morris earned an Executive Bachelor of Business degree from Faulkner University and has completed executive leadership programs with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce. 

Guided by his personal why—to approach each day with empathy, curiosity, and purpose, cultivating a culture where genuine belonging fuels excellence and empowers everyone to thrive—Robert lives out the Cempa values as a compass for every decision, action, and interaction. Compassion means meeting people with empathy, seeing them fully as they are. Empowerment provides patients and staff with the tools to thrive and grow. Excellence pushes the organization to raise the bar every day. Integrity calls leaders to do the right thing, even when it is difficult. Unity reminds everyone that Cempa is strongest when it stands together. These values are not slogans—they are lived commitments to the community and to every person Robert encounters.