Fifth Wednesday In Person Meeting

Sheila Calloway, originally from Louisville, KY, moved to Nashville in 1987 to attend

Vanderbilt University, earning her Bachelor's in Communications in 1991 and later her

Juris Doctor in 1994. Afterward, she dedicated herself to a career in law, starting at the

Metropolitan Public Defender’s Office before becoming a Juvenile Court Magistrate in

2004, appointed by Judge Betty Adams Green. Sheila served until November 2013, when

she ran for Juvenile Court Judge, winning the election and assuming office in 2014.

Recognized for her integrity, she was re-elected in 2022. Alongside her judicial duties,

she teaches Trial Advocacy at Vanderbilt University Law School, Juvenile Law at Belmont

College of Law and Understanding Cultural Diversity at Cumberland University, fostering

the next generation of legal professionals. Sheila Calloway is known for her innovative

approach to justice, blending humor, passion, and wisdom to challenge norms in the legal

system, leaving a lasting impact on her community.

Judge Calloway uses her unique combination of humor, passion, and judicial wisdom to

change the way we look at justice in the United States. On May 17, 2017, Judge Calloway

was a featured speaker with TEDxNashville on “Can Forgiveness Transform the Criminal

Justice System.” She was a featured storyteller on “Flirting with Disaster: The Moth in

Nashville” at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on August 10, 2017, and “Blinded by

The Light: The Moth Members’ Show” at Lincoln Center in New York City on November

8, 2017.

Judge Calloway serves the legal community and the juvenile justice community through

her service as the Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the Tennessee Council

of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (TCJFCJ). She is also a member of the Board of

Directors of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), and on

the Judicial Leadership Council of the National CASA/GAL Association. She is also

involved in the community, donating her time to organizations such as Leadership

Nashville, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Napier Looby Bar Association, Nashville

Public Education Foundation, and the Nashville Repertory Theater. Judge Calloway has

been recognized by various community agencies for being a leader in her field.

She is a member of the Temple Church under the Pastorate of Darrell A. Drumwright. At

Temple, she is an active member of the Music Ministry, the Women’s Ministry, and a

regular volunteer at the Second Harvest Food Bank. She is married to Paul Butler

Calloway, Jr. and the proud mother of one son, Paul Calloway, III.

The Honorable Lonnell Matthews, Jr. stands as a transformative force in Nashville's civic  landscape—a leader who understands that true progress requires both vision and the courage to  act. Since his historic election in 2018 as Davidson County's first African American Juvenile  Court Clerk, Lonnell has redefined what it means to serve justice with both precision and  compassion. 

His journey began at Tennessee State University, where he earned his foundation in Accounting  and Business Law, but his real education came from fifteen years with the YMCA of Middle  Tennessee. Rising to District Executive Director of Youth Outreach, he learned that lasting  change happens one young person at a time—a lesson that would shape everything that followed. 

At 27, Lonnell made history as the youngest African American elected to Nashville's Metro  Council, representing District 1. But age was never a barrier; it was fuel. Over eight  transformative years, he didn't just hold positions—he wielded them. As Speaker Pro Tempore,  Budget & Finance Chair, Education Chair, Parks & Recreation Chair, and Black Caucus  President, he authored legislation that moved Nashville forward: the city's first Procurement  Nondiscrimination Program, Nashville’s first Small Business Incentive Program, and Domestic  Partner Benefits. Through his leadership on the Nashville After Zone Alliance’s Leadership  Council, he ensured that opportunity for youth didn't end when the school bell rang. 

When Mayor Megan Barry appointed him Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods &  Community Engagement in 2015, Lonnell transformed how Nashville listens to its people. He  architected hubNashville, revolutionizing the city's 311 system, and orchestrated critical  conversations through the 2016 Youth Violence Summit and Race, Equity, and Leadership  (REAL) Dialogues. His fingerprints are on the P.O.W.E.R. Youth Internship Program and the  Juvenile Restorative Diversion Program—initiatives that prove justice and healing can coexist. 

As Juvenile Court Clerk, Lonnell has reimagined what's possible when data meets heart.  Working alongside Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway, he secured funding for the  groundbreaking Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment—a trauma-informed ecosystem  featuring a Juvenile Justice Center, 24-hour Youth Assessment Center, and Family Services  Center. Currently serving as 2025 President of the Middle Tennessee Division of the Tennessee  State Court Clerks Association, he's not just reforming Nashville's approach to youth justice— he's modeling it for the state of Tennessee. 

Beyond the courthouse, Lonnell co-founded the My Brother's Keeper Nashville Partnership,  extending the Obama Foundation's mission to lift up Black and Brown boys right here in Music  City. His board service spans Leadership Nashville, Book 'Em, Metro Health’s Community  Safety Initiative and the Nashville Public Library Foundation—because he knows that strong  communities require strong institutions.

When he's not reshaping justice or mentoring the next generation, you'll find Lonnell behind the  DJ booth, in the kitchen perfecting his latest recipe, or planning the next family adventure with  his wife Johari and their children, Ari (11) and Pilar (9). His commitment to Temple Baptist  Church and the Nashville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity reflects a man who  understands that leadership is about service, not spotlight. 

Lonnell Matthews, Jr. isn't just making history—he's making tomorrow better for every young  person who walks through Davidson County's neighborhoods seeking justice, opportunity, and  hope.