Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is keeping its next chapter in the family, naming longtime insider Rachael Ellis as its new chief executive officer. The Maryville-based nonprofit says Ellis will officially take the reins on June 27, 2026, following the retirement of current CEO Elaine Streno, who is stepping down after 33 years at the helm. The move keeps continuity in place just as the food bank is ramping up mobile pantries and emergency distributions across its 18-county service area, and staff and board leaders say Ellis’ combined operations and fundraising chops position her to handle both day-to-day logistics and long-range expansion.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Ellis has spent more than a decade with Second Harvest, working her way up through roles that include chief operating officer and director of development. The Sentinel reports she will step into the CEO role at the end of June, while Streno wraps up a 33-year run leading the regional food bank.
From Development Desk To The Corner Office
In its annual report, Second Harvest lists Ellis among its senior leadership team and credits staff with driving program growth that has moved more food to partner pantries. Those materials show Ellis has steered development campaigns and operational shifts that support both routine distributions and fast-turn emergency responses when demand suddenly spikes.
Growth In The Middle Of One Crisis After Another
WVLT reports that while serving in operations and development roles, Ellis helped guide Second Harvest through COVID-19, Hurricane Helene and several severe winter storms. According to WVLT, her tenure coincided with roughly a $9 million jump in annual revenue from 2019 to 2025, money that staff say fueled expanded distributions and additional mobile pantry stops across East Tennessee.
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee into its next chapter,” Ellis said. “Rachael cares deeply about this mission and the people we serve,” Streno added, praising Ellis’ leadership and the board’s decision, as reported by WVLT.
According to Feeding America, Second Harvest operates out of a Maryville distribution hub and serves 18 East Tennessee counties, moving more than 17 million meals a year through its network of partner pantries. That regional reach has become a key asset in recent pushes to add more mobile pantry stops and to launch emergency distributions when state-level benefits fall short or storms cut off access to food.
Ellis is set to assume the CEO title on June 27, and board leaders say they expect a smooth handoff that keeps the focus on moving food where it is needed most across East Tennessee. Community members can track program schedules and updates through Second Harvest’s official channels as the organization heads into this new leadership era.
