Mary J. Jungels turns logistics experience into mental health advocacy in Chattanooga

Mary J. Jungels, operations manager at NAMI Chattanooga and events leader for two Catholic schools in Knoxville, has built a second career around community impact. Her path from manufacturing logistics to nonprofit fundraising now shapes major Chattanooga events tied to mental health awareness and Catholic education.

Why it matters: - Mary J. Jungels now uses decades of logistics and manufacturing experience to support mental health advocacy and Catholic education in the Chattanooga area. - Her work helps NAMI Chattanooga, St. Jude School and Notre Dame High School reach donors, volunteers and families through large community events. - The role matters because Jungels is helping turn awareness into action on mental health, where stigma still keeps many people from seeking help.

What happened: - Jungels serves as Operations Manager at NAMI Chattanooga and Special Events and Advancement Manager for St. Jude School and Notre Dame High School in the Diocese of Knoxville. - She oversees event development from budgeting and marketing to sponsorships, volunteer coordination and execution. - Her signature events include Dancing with the Chattanooga Stars, NAMIWalks Chattanooga, the Notre Dame Green and Gold Gala and St. Jude Jockeys and Juleps. - The profile highlights her as an operations and event management professional based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The details: - Jungels spent more than 30 years in logistics and manufacturing before moving into nonprofit operations and advancement. - Her career began at Phillips Lighting, where she helped coordinate logistics for the lightbulbs used in the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop. - She later handled complex chemical manufacturing logistics at Olin Corporation, including caustic soda, potassium hydroxide, chlorine, bleach and hydrochloric acid. - Jungels later advanced into leadership roles at HÜBNER Manufacturing. - She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. - Her volunteer work at her children’s schools and in community organizations led to fundraisers, galas, auctions and special events. - She also spent 12 years in community pool management and helped restore a closed community resource for local families. - At NAMI Chattanooga, she supports mental health advocacy and community education. - At the Catholic schools, her advancement work supports educational resources and relationships.

Between the lines: - Jungels’ career shift looks less like a reinvention of skills and more like a change in purpose. - The article frames logistics discipline as a direct fit for nonprofit work, where timelines, budgets, vendors and volunteers must align at once. - Her leadership style centers on persistence, collaboration and servant leadership rather than personal recognition. - She sees mental health stigma as one of the field’s most persistent barriers and says silence can damage well-being, relationships and, in some cases, cost lives. - She also argues that comparing yourself to others erodes joy, perspective and confidence.

What's next: - Jungels plans to keep building community events that raise awareness, reduce stigma and support students and families. - She continues to encourage others to make mental health a priority, seek help early and use available free resources. - NAMI Chattanooga will keep offering free programs and resources across the community. - Her advice to young women in nonprofit and advocacy work is to keep learning, say yes to stretch opportunities and trust their own timeline.

The bottom line: - Jungels has turned precision-driven corporate experience into a public-facing service role that connects mental health advocacy, fundraising and community building in Chattanooga.