Silvia Calzadilla

Silvia, born in Ann Arbor and partly raised in Venezuela, has lived in Knoxville for over 40 years. A bilingual entrepreneur, she has run several businesses, including a catering company, and long served her community through advocacy and nonprofit work. After experiencing domestic violence, she became a YWCA advocate and later the first Hispanic president of the East Tennessee Council on Children and Youth. With eight years in health insurance, she now directs Enrollment Services for the Tennessee Health Care Campaign, helping people statewide access coverage. Silvia is also a writer and artist, having published a children’s book, exhibited at the Knoxville Museum of Art, and enjoys cooking and crafts.