Child Advocacy Center Names Longtime Volunteer Kristin Demos as Capital Campaign Co-Chair

Kristin Demos never expected that one of her claims to fame would be earning the nickname “Queen of the Quackers.”

The title came from her leadership role organizing a rubber duck race fundraiser for the Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County (CAC). Nearly 20 years ago, Demos chaired the annual event for seven years, helping raise money and awareness for the organization. Today, she has returned to support the CAC once again, this time serving as co-chair of a capital campaign to raise funds for a permanent home and dedicated office space for the center. So far, the campaign has raised $2.7 million toward its $3.1 million goal.

The Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000. Its mission is to provide safety, justice and healing for victims of child abuse, child sexual abuse and drug-endangered children, as well as support for their non-offending family members.

Demos first became involved with the CAC shortly after the birth of her two children about two decades ago.

“Shortly after having both of my children, about 20 years ago, I joined the CAC Board to help with fundraising,” Demos said. “A bunch of us at Junior League came up with the idea of a Rubber Duck Derby to race little plastic ducks down the Stones River to win prizes and create a reason to come out and support the fight against child sexual abuse.”

The event grew significantly over time, eventually adding a Family Fun Festival and attracting nearly 100 volunteers each year to help make it happen. The duck races brought the community together while raising both awareness and funding for the CAC’s work.

Demos remembers the dedication of the volunteers who returned year after year, even when the work involved dealing with snakes, leeches and other unpleasant surprises in the river.

That same dedication has defined Demos’ approach to community involvement throughout her life.

She grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, the youngest of three children. One of her earliest experiences working alongside her father helped shape her character. He was a hardworking entrepreneur who sold watermelons that he trucked in from Florida at the local farmer’s market, and Demos and her siblings helped with the business.

“My dad was a hard-working entrepreneur, a man of faith, who had three heart attacks by the time he was 39 years old,” Demos said. “He was hospitalized for a year, and we all had to grow up fast.”

Demos remained close to her parents and two brothers, and the family’s faith played a central role in their lives. Her father ultimately lived to age 60, far longer than doctors initially expected.

“Watching my parents stay the course taught me everything,” she said. “They endured a lot, but kept going, and it was their strong faith in God that grounded them.”

After high school, Demos moved to Murfreesboro to attend Middle Tennessee State University, following in the footsteps of her older brother. She quickly fell in love with the community.

She enrolled at MTSU, joined the dance team and began working part time at Demos’ Restaurant on Broad Street.

“The restaurant was like a second family,” she said. “Mr. and Mrs. Demos were like my second set of parents.”

After graduating from MTSU with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, Demos met and married Peter Demos in 1998. She soon began working for United Way as Campaign and Communications Director.

“I loved working at United Way,” she said. “It was the perfect job for me. I got to know the community and see its caring side. Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are unique in the way we care for people.”

A few years later, after the birth of her two children, Demos decided to step away from her professional role to focus on raising her family. However, her experience with United Way and her understanding of community needs soon led her back into volunteer service.

“That’s how I got to the CAC,” she said. “I was passionate about fundraising and thought I could help.”

Over the past 25 years, the Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County has served more than 50,000 people. This includes approximately 21,000 children and about 16,500 individuals who have participated in the CAC’s Darkness to Light child sexual abuse prevention training.

During the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, the CAC served 3,298 people, including 1,314 children.

Today, Demos’ children are grown and independent, and she has returned to the workforce. She currently serves as Vice President of Brand and Marketing for Demos Brands and recently launched her own consulting firm, Foundations First (F1). The firm works with business owners to help them develop their vision, mission, core values and strategic plans.

In addition to her professional work, Demos remains deeply committed to serving the Rutherford County community. She currently serves on the boards of Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital and Liberty’s Station. She is also an active member of Charity Circle and a former president of both the Junior League of Murfreesboro and the Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital Foundation Board.

Her belief in community service remains strong.

“I believe everyone needs to serve and find a way to help other people,” she said. “When I do something, I want to be able to give 100 percent and help the ‘very least of these’ on a regular basis.”

She says the children served by the CAC are not strangers. They are members of the community who need protection and support.

“The children the CAC serves are our kids. Our community’s kids. It’s up to us to protect them and get involved.”

Demos says the statistics surrounding child abuse remain shocking every time she hears them.

“Did you know that one out of 10 children will be sexually abused by their 18th birthday?” she said. “We like to think it’s somebody else’s family, and our family is safe, but everybody is at risk.”

Only 38 percent of child victims disclose that they have been sexually abused. Among those who do speak up, about 40 percent tell a close friend rather than an adult or authority figure, which often prevents a formal report from being made. In addition, more than 80 percent of child abuse cases never come to the attention of Child Protective Services, such as the Department of Children’s Services, or law enforcement. As a result, many children suffer in silence.

“Rutherford County has always supported the CAC, but the need is growing as our community grows,” Demos said. “We need to get involved and stay involved to protect our children.”

For more information about the Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County, visit cacrutherford.org.