David North

Director

David North grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee where he met and married his wife, Julie. They have been married for 28 years and have three children.

David has spent the last 21 years working in medical sales where he has won performance awards with several companies, including Forest Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic. In 2020, David formed his own company Moriah Medical, a medical device distribution company with a focus on providing minimally invasive therapies for the treatment of chronic pain.

David has been involved in various ministries inside and outside of the church walls, serving as a youth leader, deacon, Sunday school teacher, worship leader, and orchestra member as well as helping to found a Classical Christian school in 2006 and leading a Bible study for young men in his home.

His desire is to see young people introduced to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and cultivate a deeper walk with their Savior.

Haley Wherry

Area Coordinator and Trainer

Haley Wherry is a First Priority Area Coordinator and Trainer in the Northeast Tennessee District. He has been involved with youth and college ministry for over 30 years, serving as Youth Pastor, Interim Pastor, Campus Ministry Coordinator, Event Coordinator and more. He has worked for First Priority since 2009 and loves empowering students and encouraging youth workers. Haley has a heart for Northeast Tennessee having been born and raised in the region. He and his wife, Kelly, have two children and three grandchildren: Brock who is married to Raleigh with their sons Zebedee and Nicodemus, and Barrett who is married to Richie with their son Altas.

Austin Hall

Area Coordinator

Austin Hall was born and raised in East Tennessee. Just like many First Priority students across the nation, Austin began sharing the gospel with his peers from the age of 15. His hope and desire is to empower the next generation of middle school and high school students to live out their faith in a real way on their campus. Austin currently lives in Seymour, TN where he oversees the Cocke County and Sevier County area.

Amber Yates

County Coordinator

Amber has a heart for investing in the next generation and helping students grow in their faith. She spent nine years as a full-time teacher and served as her school’s First Priority faculty sponsor before God called her into a new season of homeschooling her own young children. Her passion for middle and high school students never left, and she is excited to now serve as the County Coordinator for Greene County, Tennessee, connecting churches and schools and creating opportunities for students to hear and share the Gospel.
Amber lived in Alabama her entire life before moving to Tennessee with her family in the summer of 2026. She and her husband, Daniel, who serves as the Music Minister at FBC Greeneville, have three children: Emmalyn (8), James (6), and Lizzie Kay (3). A choral director by trade, Amber loves singing and working with choirs, doing anything crafty, and reading whenever she gets the chance. She is grateful for the opportunity to follow God’s leading and serve the students, churches, and schools of Greene County.