Franklin Fellows Leadership

Fellows ARE our leaders.
The Franklin Fellows program is built to lift up fellows as they grow in works of faith, labors of love, and steadfastness of hope.

Michael Armentrout
Founding Director, Franklin Fellows

A native of Chattanooga, TN, Michael attended Auburn University and began his career with Newell Rubbermaid in Puerto Rico and St Thomas USVI. While living there, Michael married his college sweetheart Slaton. Although being a newlywed in the Caribbean area was fun, Michael made stops in sunny Melbourne, FL to co-found an advertising business and then snowy Boston to study at Gordon-Conwell. In 2014, after four incredible years and hundreds of apples, the Armentrouts moved from New England to Tennessee. Michael served as the Director of Missions for a church in Nashville where he became directly involved with The Fellows Initiative and The Nashville Fellows Program. Michael has helped two family members become fellows (Charlottesville and Raleigh) and feels honored to be a part of initiating Franklin Fellows and to be a part of the beautiful story that is unfolding through Christ Community Church. Michael and his wife Slaton have three children, Sims, Anna Slaton and Cate. Slaton is currently studying to become a nurse.

Email: michael.armentrout@christcommunity.org

Debbie Florey
Board Chair, Franklin Fellows

Debbie has more than 25 years of experience in accounting, finance and senior leadership, serving a wide variety of companies and non-profit organizations. After graduating from Baylor University, she joined the Nashville office of Price Waterhouse, where she provided audit and consulting services to a wide variety of industries for ten years, followed by four years as an audit partner with Blankenship CPA Group. From there, she has served as CFO of a multi-concept restaurant group and most recently as CFO of an international manufacturing company. Debbie and her husband Ross have been part of Christ Community since 1992 – from newlyweds to now parents of five kids-Kate, Brice, Trent, Jessica, and Sabrina, ranging from high school and college to recent graduates. Debbie’s passion for The Fellows has largely been influenced by her eldest daughter, Sabrina, who has had several Fellows friends over the past 5 years, contributing to Sabrina becoming a 2020 Fellow