Ben is an Owner and Agent at Boren and Hawkins, Inc. Boren and Hawkins is a licensed independent insurance agency with three locations in North Mississippi.  Ben’s successful insurance career has spanned 18 years.  His passion is being an agent to his customers and finding solutions to their insurance needs. Ben is a graduate of Mississippi State University.

In Ben’s spare time, he enjoys spending time with family and attending sporting events at his alma mater.  Ben is also an avid outdoorsman that enjoys hunting,  and competition sporting clays shooting. He and his family are active members of Hernando Baptist Church.

Ben and his wife Laura have been married for 20 years and have two daughters, Grace and Emma. They live on a farm just outside Hernando, MS.

I was invited to join the HH board by a business associate that I respect. Parts of me were reluctant to join the board but most parts of me were just ignorant of Healing Hearts and what a CAC does. So due to some other board members I recognized and what I knew those individuals stood for I decided to at least go hear what it was about. When I went to orientation, I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of HHCAC and what all it does, I left there honestly believing that the cause was more Noble than I was able. I went home de-compressed from what I had heard, spoke to my wife and from there with much prayer I decided God doesn't call the qualified (and he didn't) but he does qualify the called! I now have a better understanding of what HHCAC does, I better understand the mission and what the board and staff do. So, with that information it’s easy for me to talk and reach out as an advocate for children who do not have a voice sufficient enough for the world we created for them. HH hears their needs and provides that voice for the voiceless and knowing I have just a minuscule role there creates a fire inside me that I like telling others about!

Jennifer Musselwhite currently serves as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee in Memphis. She previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in Mississippi for the 17th Circuit Court District in Hernando and the 11th Circuit Court District in Clarksdale. She received both her Bachelor of Accountancy and Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi. She commissioned as an officer in the Mississippi National Guard in 2017 as a Judge Advocate (JAG) and deployed to the Middle East in 2023 as a part of Operation Inherent Resolve. She resides in Desoto County near her hometown of Southaven.

Kyle McCoy is Desoto County President for BankFirst Financial Services. He has been in the banking industry in Desoto County since 2005. A 2004 Graduate of Mississippi State University, Kyle is an avid bulldog fan.  Kyle and his Angie have four children: Jonah, Charlie, Ella, and Georgia. They attend Colonial Hills Church in Olive Branch.

Since joining the board in 2022, Kyle has  helped lead the Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center with very critical work in our community. Kyle has invested time and resources into Healing Hearts and return has given children the opportunity to feel safe in a bad situation.  He feel his time spend with Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center is time well spent.

George is retired from DeSoto County Schools after a career of teaching, coaching, school administrator and central office administrator for 32 years. His career began in Lee County Mississippi at Saltillo Attendance Center and continued in DeSoto County at Olive Branch, Horn Lake, Center Hill Schools and he completed his career at the central office.  George was named DeSoto County administrator of the year in 2003 while Principal at Horn Lake Middle School.  George and his wife of 31 years Jamie, attend Goodman Oaks Church of Christ in Southaven.  Having been a coach early in his career George is a sports enthusiast. 

He loves cheering on his Mississippi State Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves. George and Jamie have two grown sons Taylor and Blake.

When I was asked to be a part of the Child Advocacy Center Board it was an easy decision for me to say yes.  Having been in the children business for 32 years this gave me a chance to stay attached after retirement.  Children are our most precious commodity and our greatest resource.  We must protect them at all costs from abuse and mistreatment by those who prey on them.  Being able to support and  guide the work being done at the Child Advocacy Center is very fulfilling.

Ann Lamar a former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice who held the bench from 2007 until her retirement in 2017. Prior to her Supreme Court tenure, Justice Lamar served as a Circuit Court Judge in the 17th Circuit Court District, encompassing Desoto, Tate, Panola, Yalobusha, and Tallahatchie counties. Additionally, she served as the District Attorney in the 17th District until her appointment to the circuit bench in November 2001. “Having spent many years in the criminal justice system, I have seen firsthand the impact of child abuse and neglect on our children, their families, and our communities. The services provided by the Healing Hearts are extremely important to the victims of child abuse and to the community of law enforcement that work with our victims,” said Lamar. “I completely support the efforts of Healing Hearts in outreach, prevention, and intervention, which provide children a critical opportunity to recover and lead healthy, vibrant lives.” She and her husband John live in Senatobia where they enjoy their two adult sons, their wives, and three grandchildren.

A graduate of James Madison University, Michael is the District Execution Manager for Home Depot, Inc -- N. Mississippi/Memphis market. He also serves as both the company’s Political Action Committee and Community Outreach Captain. Although Michael was born in Richmond, VA, he has embraced Desoto County as home, contributing to the community by lending them both his voice and his experience. He is a proud graduate of Leadership Desoto, a program meant to nurture and connect community leaders, and the Olive Branch Citizen’s Police Academy. Michael is the President of the Horn Lake Board of Directors and is a founding member of the University of Mississippi’s Career Center Advisory Board. He also serves on the Board of Directors for APELAH, Inc, a non-profit that supports special needs foster children and the elderly and disabled in Mississippi. A member of the Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. Fraternity, he has been recognized on a national level for his motivational oratory.

Husband to Deborah Cobbs and father of three daughters, Michael Cobbs takes great inspiration from his family. They remind him every day to remain humble, to work hard, and to always strive for excellence. Deborah is the principal of Coldwater Elementary School and her good humor and discernment have been a joy to him throughout their 25 years of marriage. His daughters are all academically gifted, morally conscious, and spiritually connected. He is exceedingly proud of each of them.

Michael couldn’t be prouder to be asked to contribute to Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center’s mission. As the spouse of an educator, he is uniquely tuned in the concerns of children. He believes that children are our world’s future; we must invest in making sure that future is bright. Michael has the skill, knowledge, and most importantly, the drive to become a powerful opposition force toward those who wish to do children harm. He knows that working with the other members of the board will be extremely rewarding, professionally and personally.

Mike Pate is a former law enforcement officer and detective in Desoto County, MS. During his 14-year career, he served in several divisions including Patrol, Traffic, and Criminal Investigations. As a detective, he specialized in crimes committed against children and was a member of the U.S. Department of Justice's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. He also became a child forensic interviewer and the cases that he investigated led to the conviction of dozens of child abusers. In 2017, Mike received a Citation for Valor for his actions on the scene of a shooting incident involving a child victim. After being injured in 2019, he made a decision to leave law enforcement. Mike has served on the Healing Hearts Board of Directors since January 2022. He now works as a real estate agent and real estate investor in the Desoto County area.

Deputy Iniguez has been with DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department since 2022. He is described as a model school resource officer (SRO) and a deputy who leads by example and is always ready to lend a helping hand.   His commanding officer, Lt. Antone Curtis, describes him as someone who shows love and care for each person he encounters.  Not only is Deputy Iniguez an SRO, but he is also an active member of the DeSoto County Cadet Program and an active board member of Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center (HHCAC).

Brandon Paulsen is the owner/operator of two Chick-fil-A restaurants in Mississippi. Brandon has been married to his wife Alina since 2008. They have two beautiful children Harper and Hayes. Brandon and his wife Alina moved to Mississippi in 2011 to take on the Olive Branch Chick-fil-A. In 2019 they opened their second Chick-fil-A location on Getwell Road in Southaven.

Brandon’s history with Chick-fil-A started in 2002 in Florida. He began his Chick-fil-A career as a dining room host at the age of 17. He worked for 5 years taking on more responsibilities and developing a leadership structure with his Operator. In 2007, he did two internships with Chick-fil-A in Atlanta before he was selected for his first restaurant in Clearwater, FL in 2008.

Brandon is actively involved in the community.  His community involvement spans Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce from 2014-2016 and past President of Young Business Leaders, an organization that works with emerging leaders in the community.

 Brandon and his Chick-fil-A team have countless events that his restaurant provides to children and families throughout the year. Brandon is very active in the schools in Olive Branch, providing 6 schools with the opportunity to have the Chick-fil-A leader academy, where they teach leadership principles that students put into action each month. Brandon enjoys speaking to organizations about what he has learned over the years about servant leadership as well as creating a great culture within an organization.

Matt Crick has been a loan officer at the Mississippi Land Bank Senatobia branch office since December 2019. He is a graduate of the University of Memphis and previously worked as a public accountant and in insurance. Matt has a strong appreciation for agriculture and is an avid outdoorsman. Matt and his wife, Allie, and son, Hudson, live in Senatobia and enjoy spending time on their farm in Como. 

Cheryl is retired from the DeSoto County Schools after a career of teaching Home Economics, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Health for 33 years.  Her teaching career began in Fulton, MS, and continued in Tupelo, Batesville, Horn Lake, Southaven, and Olive Branch.  A National Board Certified teacher, Cheryl was named Teacher of the Year for the state of Mississippi in 2007 after being named TOY for DeSoto County Schools.  Child development and child care were always a focus of Cheryl’s classes, where she instilled parenting and caregiver skills to her students as well as wise decision-making for the individual and family.  She enjoys volunteering where needed at HHCAC, DeSoto County Jail Ministry, Hernando United Methodist Church or keeping grandkids.  Her husband, David, retired from BancorpSouth after 43 years, during which he was very active in community work.  Both of their children, Neal and Corrie, are teachers in DeSoto County Schools.  

It has been an honor and privilege through the last 7 years to be a part of the creation and growth of Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center.  Helping children reach their potential is a lifelong mission for me whether in the classroom or in the community.  Being able to invest time and resources in an agency which gives struggling children the ability to feel safe and heal from the past is time very well spent.  I get to witness many, many positive outcomes for the families and kids that are served at HHCAC. 

Major at Southaven Police Department.