Leadership Tennessee Announces new classes for 2023-2024

Leadership Tennessee, a collective with a mission to foster non-partisan dialogue on issues of state importance, announced 48 individuals to its 2023–2024 Signature Program Class X and 30 individuals to its 2023 Fall Leadership Tennessee NEXT Program Class VII.

The two cohorts comprise individuals from across 24 Tennessee counties and bring with them diverse professional experiences, including representatives from business, government, education, medical, and nonprofit sectors. Each cohort will visit all three Grand Divisions to analyze the state’s most pressing challenges. Their statewide study will result in a strong network of statewide leaders emboldened to work together to address the most serious issues uncovered.

“Collaboration is critical as we continue to work together in moving Tennessee forward,” said Alfred Degrafinreid II, President and CEO, Leadership Tennessee. “Tennessee looks starkly different today compared to when this program began 10 years ago, and every year, we face new and challenging issues. I’m confident in the diverse makeup of these classes and know that these are the right individuals to create meaningful change across the state.”

The Signature Program, the organization’s flagship program, is a ten month, seven session study for the state’s most influential leaders from every region and varying professional industries. The program aims to continue building an increased statewide network of proven leaders and change agents who participate in collaborative conversation and build concrete plans to continue dialogue and actions beyond the yearlong commitment.

Leadership Tennessee NEXT is a shorter program offering early-to-mid career professionals in-depth personal and professional development in addition to fostering a better understanding of our state. Over the span of four months, participants engage by traveling to sessions in each Grand Division, learning about the most pressing issues, while also strengthening their professional skills. 

Signature Program Class X

Carroll County

  • Joseph Butler, Mayor, Carroll County

Carter County

  • Patty Woodby, Mayor, Carter County

Davidson County

  • Adrienne Battle, Superintendent, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools

  • Stephen Bland, Chief Executive Officer, WeGo Public Transit

  • Jennifer Brantley, Managing Partner, MP&F Strategic Communications

  • Teresa Broyles-Aplin, CEO, Nashville Electric Service

  • David Steele Ewing, CEO, Nashville History On Tour

  • Shan Foster, Co-Founder/CEO, Fostering Healthy Solutions, Executive Director, AMEND Together

  • Charlane Oliver, District 19 State Senator, Tennessee General Assembly

  • Margie Quin, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services

  • Brian Straessle, Executive Director, The Sycamore Institute

  • Deborah Hennessee Thomas, Executive Vice President, Pinnacle Financial Partners

  • Troy White, Executive Director, Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency

Hamilton County

  • Demetrus Coonrod, Councilwoman, City of Chattanooga

  • Cory Gearrin, Deputy Mayor, Hamilton County

  • Lynda Hood, Executive Director, Chattanooga Bar Association

  • Aaron Melda, SVP Transmission and Power Supply, TVA

  • Todd Ray, SVP Government Programs, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

  • Shalin Tejani, President/Managing Director/CEO; Ribbon and Bows Oh My, Horizon

Hospitality Capital, Legacy Dental Group

Johnson County

  • Scott Andrew, CEO, Retail Service Systems; CEO and Co-founder, Rugged American Spirits/Tennessee Hills, Rugged Holdings

Knox County

  • Gabriel Bolas, President and CEO, Knoxville Utilities Board

  • Amy Cathey, Associate Dean, Graduate and Executive Education, Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee Knoxville

  • David Colquitt, Owner, The Swag

  • Becky Hancock, Executive Director, Historic Tennessee Theatre

  • Larsen Jay, Commissioner, Knox County Commission

  • Renee Kelly, Director of Boundless, Clayton Homes

  • Parinda Khatri, CEO, Cherokee Health Systems

  • David Miller, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, University of Tennessee System

Madison County

  • Edward Jackson, District 25 State Senator, Tennessee General Assembly

  • Mandy White, Chief Economic Development Officer, Greater Jackson Chamber

McMinn County

  • Tyler Forrest, President, Tennessee Wesleyan University

Montgomery County

  • Wes Golden, Mayor, Montgomery County

  • Walt Lord, Vice President for Military and Veterans Affairs, Austin Peay State University

Putnam County

  • Konstantin Yepifantsev, CEO, Home Caregivers

Rhea County

  • John Bamber, Executive Director, Rhea Economic and Tourism Council, Inc.

Shelby County

  • Trevia Chatman, President, Bank of America Memphis

  • Holly Coleman, Program Director for High Quality Education, Hyde Family Foundation

  • La Sonya Hall, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Shelby County Government

  • Russell Ingram, Chief Operating Officer, Epicenter Memphis

  • Dan Springer, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, City of Memphis

  • Ignacio Vincentelli, Chief Counsel North American Container, International Paper Company

Sullivan County

  • Beth Rhinehart, President and CEO, Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce

  • Darla Scott, EVP and CFO, Bank of Tennessee

  • Subhashini Vashisth, Group Leader, Corporate Innovation, Eastman Chemical Company

Williamson County

  • Noni Ellison, SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Tractor Supply Company

  • Laquita Stribling, Vice President, Randstad USA

  • Burton Williams, CEO, The Ayers Foundation

  • Mark Yancy, Chief Executive Officer, NashvilleHealth


Leadership Tennessee NEXT Class VII 

Anderson County

  • Virginia Moon, Managing Editor, Warner Bros. Discovery

Blount County

  • Jessica Belitz, Director of Workforce Development, Blount Partnership

Cannon County

  • Joe Patterson, Lieutenant, Tennessee Highway Patrol

Davidson County

  • Christiane Buggs, Director of Partnerships / MNPS Board Member, TECA / Metro Nashville Public Schools

  • Judith Clerjeune, Campaigns and Advocacy Director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

  • Indira Dammu, Senior Analyst, Bellwether

  • Aleah Guthrie, Vice President of Policy and Government Relations, SCORE

  • Omaràn Lee, Nashville General Hospital/NewWork Fellowship; Director of Spiritual Care/ Pastor

  • Cooper McCormick, Legislative Liaison, Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

  • David Pemberton, Sales and Strategic Partnerships, Delta Dental of Tennessee

  • Ben Sterling, Vice President of Content and Public Relations, tnAchieves

Hamilton County

  • Terran Anderson, Vice President of Community and Corporate Engagement, United Way of Greater Chattanooga

  • Tucker McClendon, Deputy County Mayor, Education and Workforce Development, Hamilton County Government

  • Arch Trimble IV, Director of Strategic Relationships, RSS Insurance

Knox County

  • Josh Andrews, Owner/President, Finish Point

  • Brewton Brownlow Couch, Chief of Staff, Howard Baker School of Public Policy 

Madison County

  • Lauren Saliba, Director of Leadership Development, Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce

Maury County

  • Adam Jarvis, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Finance and Administration, State of Tennessee

Obion County

  • Charles Peery, Partner, ATA CPAs

Rutherford County

  • Shanice Cheatham, Presidential Fellow, Meharry Medical College

Sevier County

  • Austin Williams, CEO, Compass

Shelby County

  • Jamal Boddie, Executive Director, Bloom, Inc.

  • Dre Jones, Manager, Deloitte Digital

  • Jarlecia Jones, VP of Lending, Pathway Lending

Sumner County

  • Lacie K. Dunn, Associate Officer Senior Financial Analyst, AllianceBernstein

  • L. Maverick Flowers, Associate Attorney, Polsinelli P.C.

Unicoi County

  • Natalie Willis, Security Director, Nuclear Fuel Services

Washington County

  • Daryl Carter, Associate Dean, Director and Professor of History, East Tennessee State University

  • Melissa Nipper, Executive Director of Communications, East Tennessee State University

Williamson County

  • Chris Fears, Deputy Director, Office of Customer Focused Government, State of Tennessee

Since Leadership Tennessee’s founding, more than 500 members have graduated through both the Signature Program and Leadership Tennessee NEXT. Previous classes have facilitated numerous community engagement sessions across the state, including various virtual and in-person public events. 

ABOUT LEADERSHIP TENNESSEE

Leadership Tennessee was founded in 2013 as an initiative of the College of Leadership and Public Service at Lipscomb University, and in 2021, it launched as an independent 501(c)(3). The program fosters collaborative, non-partisan dialogue on issues of state importance, connecting and deploying a network of diverse leaders and engaged citizens. Citizens with demonstrated community and professional leadership from every region of the state bring their diverse backgrounds and experiences to an in-depth exploration of the complex issues facing Tennessee, with a focus on how leaders can collaborate to effectively address those issues. 

Classes are selected through a deliberate and competitive selection process. Nominations are now being accepted for Class XI of the Signature Program (2024-2025) and Class VIII of Leadership Tennessee NEXT (Spring 2024).

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