Randy Ratliff, Esq.
Executive Director
Licensed in Kentucky and Tennessee, Randy Ratliff began practicing law in 2000. Until his appointment as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program, he was in private practice focusing on estate planning, probate, trust administration and elder law. Prior to founding his own law firm in 2011, Randy served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program for the Kentucky Bar Association. Randy has extensive experience in general civil litigation. Randy has also served as general counsel to a mid-sized national healthcare firm, one a tech start-up, and a foster care agency. Randy received his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Kentucky in 2000, and his M.A. in International Political Economy from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce in 1998. He is a 1994 graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky. A life-long learner, in January 2019, Randy was certified as an Exit Planning Advisor by the Exit Planning Institute.
Email: Randy.Ratliff@tncourts.gov
Emily Lacey, CRS
Program Manager
Emily Lacey was hired as the full-time Program Coordinator in October 2005. She is responsible for conference planning, expenses and reimbursements, random urine drug screening, and compliance management of TLAP Monitoring Agreements. She also manages repayments for the Cain Fund and is on call after hours to answer TLAP crisis calls. She was promoted to Program Manager in 2016 and is a certified mental health first aid provider and Certified Recovery Specialist.
Email: Emily.Lacey@tncourts.gov
Kim Williams, CRS
Head Of Office Operations
Kim Williams is a Nashville native and studied education and mass communications at Austin Peay State University. She was hired part-time for TLAP in April 2015 and proved she is a great communicator and self-motivated team player, which led her to a full-time position in July 2016. Since then, Kim has provided many strengths to TLAP and has taken on many responsibilities. She is an experienced professional responsible for cultivating strategic outreach activities. She is a certified mental health first aid provider, a QPR suicide prevention gatekeeper, and a Certified Recovery Specialist. Kim is on call after hours to answer TLAP crisis calls. She interfaces regularly with the clients and the leadership of the Commissioners of TLAP.
Email: kim.williams@tncourts.gov
Lindsey O'Connell, LMSW
Mental Health Clinician
Lindsey O'Connell joined the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program in November 2018 and currently serves as a full-time clinical case manager. Lindsey is a Licensed Masters Social Worker with a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Tennessee. Prior to coming to TLAP, Lindsey worked in clinical settings spanning the entire continuum of care for behavioral health including: acute psychiatric hospitalization, residential treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, community mental health, and outpatient counseling. Lindsey's clinical specialties include somatic and attachment focused EMDR, trauma and addiction treatment, and mindfulness-based therapies. Lindsey is also a certified Veterinary Social Worker, focusing on animal assisted therapy and utilizing the human-animal bond to promote healing. Lindsey came to the mental health field with extensive experience in advocacy and government relations, which informs her current work in educating legal communities about mental health. Lindsey currently serves as Vice President of the Middle Tennessee Employee Assistance Professionals Association and as Legislative Chair for the National Association of Social Workers TN Chapter.
Email: Lindsey.O'Connell@tncourts.gov
Vanessa Reinarz LPC-MHSP, MMFT, ACT II
Mental Health Clinician
Vanessa Reinarz is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Mental Health Service Provider (MHSP) in the state of Tennessee.She joined the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program in May 2019 as a full-time Clinical Case Manager.Vanessa holds a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy and has been certified as an ACT II in clinical adventure therapy.
For the past 10 years, she has had the joy of serving clients in various roles as a mental health and marriage and family counselor. Vanessa started her clinical internship at Virginia Baptist Hospital working with all ages in the acute psychiatric hospital. Vanessa worked at Mental Health Cooperative as an office-based therapist for two years before she began working with residential treatment facilities. She has worked with diverse populations in both the public and private sectors and most recently worked with professionals in residential treatment. Vanessa is skilled in providing acute crisis intervention and stabilization. She enjoys working collaboratively with clients to help equip and support healthy change throughout the continuum of care.
Email: Vanessa.Reinarz@tncourts.gov