Our History
Better Decisions is a Nashville-based, volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping women make better choices and build brighter futures for themselves and their families. Since 1985, we have empowered incarcerated and at-risk women through education, mentorship, and compassionate support.
Our program combines individualized mentoring with group classes to teach essential life-planning and problem-solving skills. The curriculum was developed with the guidance of Dr. Milton Burglass, the originator of the decision-making program, and with contributions from the Ecumenical Institute and the Schenectady Thresholds program. These foundations, along with years of feedback from students, mentors, and teachers, have created a living curriculum that continues to evolve to meet the needs of our participants.
Fact sheets:
Women and Incarceration in America: The Case for Effective Mentorship
Our Five-Step Framework
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See the Situation Clearly – Understand the facts, feelings, and self-image.
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Know What You Want – Identify goals, values, and priorities.
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Expand the Possibilities – Explore options beyond the obvious.
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Evaluate and Decide – Weigh consequences and make informed choices.
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Act – Implement decisions and reflect on outcomes.
Where We Serve
Better Decisions has a long history of supporting women in the Nashville area. We have been serving at the Tennessee Prison for Women, now renamed the Debra Johnson Rehabilitation Center (DJRC). Since 2023, we have also partnered with Thistle Farms, expanding the reach of the women we serve.
Our Board of Directors
Our dedicated board members bring diverse expertise and a shared commitment to empowering women. Many also serve as mentors and guides, chair different committees, and support the growth and impact of the Better Decisions program.
Board President
Caity Craddock
Caity became a Better Decisions mentor in 2009 and joined the board in 2015. Based in Nashville, she is an Educational Consultant at Vanderbilt University supporting struggling learners. She enjoys volunteering, spending time outdoors with her husband and two daughters, traveling, hiking, and engaging with her local community.
Secretary & Treasurer
Suzy Gregson
Suzy began volunteering with Better Decisions in 2024. A New York native, she moved to Nashville in 2006 and holds degrees in Psychology and Human Resources. She is Manager of Strategy and Operations at HCA Healthcare. Suzy enjoys running, hiking, cooking, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.
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Treasurer
Sasha Pickett
Sasha first volunteered with Better Decisions 25 years ago and has returned as a board member and mentor. A Vanderbilt graduate, she is Director of Regional Community Engagement at HCA Healthcare. Sasha and her husband have three daughters and enjoy reading, traveling, live music, and time with family and friends.
Board Member
Tatiana Cameron
Tatiana Cameron, PCC, NBC-HWC, certified meditation teacher and life coach is also a professional touring music artist and author. Volunteering with Better Decisions since 2015. Originally from Croatia, she lives in Franklin, Tennessee with her three sons and enjoys gardening, walking her dog, and performing locally.
Board Member
Lisa Waddle
Lisa has volunteered with Better Decisions since 1997 as a mentor and teacher and a Board President. A Brown and Columbia graduate, she has worked as a journalist, editor, and communications specialist in media and publishing. She enjoys running, yoga, reading, tennis, and lives in Nashville with her husband.
Board Member
Carolyn Welden
Carolyn, originally from Canada, is a former professional dancer and finance executive with extensive board experience. A Better Decisions mentor since 2019, she joined the board in 2023. Carolyn enjoys reading, supporting the Nashville arts community, international travel, spending time with friends, and caring for her two rescue cats.
Board Member
Dacia Beard
Dacia Beard, MPH, MBA, a Nashville native, has mentored with Better Decisions since 2006 and began teaching in 2026. Dacia is a public health and communications leader who supports nonprofits through strategy, operations, and governance consulting and hails from Cornell, Pitt, and BU. She enjoys volunteering, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Executive Director
Eliza Cheng
Eliza Cheng is the Executive Director of Better Decisions Nashville. She comes to this role with a heart already rooted in Nashville's nonprofit community and a deep belief that every woman, regardless of her past, is capable of making powerful choices for her life.
She holds a Master's in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University and is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and mental health, a background that keeps her grounded in the whole person, not just the program.
Outside of work, Eliza loves to travel, play board games, and spend time with her husband, daughter, and two cats.
She is honored to steward Better Decisions into its next chapter.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement
At Better Decisions, diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to our mission. We believe our impact is strongest when our staff, leadership, volunteers, and partners reflect the communities we serve. We advocate for equality, justice, and equity in everything we do, and we build our programs around the principle that the women closest to the issue belong at the center of the work. We are committed to fostering an environment that embraces difference and ensures every person, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, or background, is treated with dignity and has the opportunity to thrive.