Katja Russell, director of Youth Villages' Mississippi programs, joined Youth Villages in 2001 as an Intercept family counselor in the Nashville office after completing a successful internship at World Relief, a refugee resettlement organization.
After serving in the counselor position for two years, she was promoted to clinical supervisor. Russell was later named senior clinical supervisor and oversaw the development and operation of the CHOICES team in Nashville. In 2005, Russell became regional supervisor for Intercept in Cookeville, Tenn. A year later she moved back to Nashville where she served in various regional management roles in Intercept, foster care and transitional living.
Russell holds a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University.