Lisa Mantooth
That is what she does full-time now and has for a number of years. Lisa Mantooth is the case manager supervisor for the Bradley County Long-Term Recovery Organization and is responsible for helping hundreds of victims affected by the tornadoes earlier this year.
Mantooth is a proud mother and wife as well ... and a busy one at that.
Mantooth’s days are filled with working with the victims of the tornadoes, but her evenings are generally filled with family activities such as sports.
Lisa and husband Chris have two boys who keep them busy with baseball, wrestling and other sports. She even finds time to cook between all these activities.
“That is one of my favorite things to do,” Mantooth said.
“I am always cooking for friends and family, especially in the summertime when we can entertain,” Mantooth added. “I don’t like to bake, but I do love to cook.”
Mantooth graduated Bradley Central High School in 1988 and then began her college education at Cleveland State Community College.
She worked hard and obtained an associate’s degree. In 1995, Mantooth worked toward getting her bachelor’s degree in Applied Organizational Management. In 1997, Lisa Green became the bride of Chris Mantooth, but her studies weren’t finished.
In December 2006, Mantooth worked hard and achieved her master’s degree in Business Administration from Regis University.
The associate’s degree in Applied Science as a legal assistant landed her a job with the Juvenile Court Grant and eventually, as a program coordinator with Family Friends.
But her passion was helping people.
The next phase of her life was possibly setting her up for that challenge.
During the next seven years, Mantooth worked as the chapter executive at the Hiwassee Chapter of the American Red Cross. She began her work there in 2000. The next year would be filled with learning as well.
Mantooth would fill her days with business as well as learning about emergency response.
This is one of the many elements Red Cross organizations offer across the country, and just around the corner awaited her opportunity to serve as local chapter director. She had been helping people at the local level, but that was about to change. Sept. 11, 2001 brought her the challenge.
During the next few months, the Hiwassee Chapter worked to train volunteers to respond to the New York devastation following the tragic terrorist attacks that took 3,000 lives. Some had experience, according to Mantooth. Others didn’t and it was her job to make sure they received good training for a safe return.
After seven years with the Hiwassee Chapter of the American Red Cross, Mantooth moved on and became the chief operations officer for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
But helping people was her calling.
“This is the way I was raised,” Mantooth said.
“My family parented us as well as foster children. My mother was always helping with our church and neighbors. That’s where I learned to help people,” she said.
Shortly after the April 27 storms that struck Bradley County and barely missed the Mantooth home in the Blue Springs valley, the LTRO was formed. Mantooth saw the opportunity to help the community rebuild.
“I feel honored to serve our community as case manager supervisor. It is a blessing for me to work with our families and assist them as they recover to their ‘new normal,’” Mantooth said.
“I truly believe that God has given me the opportunity to be a support for our survivors. I give Him praise for the accomplishments that are being made in Bradley County. This is a remarkable, resilient community and much of that is attributed to the faith our community has in God.”
Just after five months, the LTRO has begun to rebuild, recently announcing the first total rebuild. It will assist tornado survivor Tim Garrett who felt Mantooth is even more excited than he is — and he is overwhelmed with excitement — about getting his new home.
“This is just one of the many rewards of working to help people,” Mantooth said. “I will always work to do the best job and reap these type of rewards.”
