Leadership Tennessee announces 2024-2025 Signature Program participants

Leadership Tennessee announced the participants in the 11th class of its yearly program, which brings together leaders from around the state to address concerns Tennessee faces.

Leadership Tennessee is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rallying leaders from throughout the state to address critical issues and in a constructive and nonpartisan way. The 2024-2025 Signature Program Class XI consists of 48 people from 14 different counties across Tennessee, each representing distinct organizations and professional experiences.

The cohort will spend 10 months traveling the state to study the challenges Tennessee faces and work together to identify the best solutions and opportunities to improve.

“We are proud to challenge our cohorts to think critically about advancing our state in a variety of areas,” Alfred Degrafinreid II, president and CEO of Leadership Tennessee, said in a news release. “This class in particular will experience the program at the height of this year’s election. This will no doubt lead to even deeper and more thoughtful dialogue as state and federal discourse will be spiking in this moment.”

Leadership Tennessee’s 2024-2025 Signature Program Class XI participants

The following are listed alphabetically by county.

Davidson County

• Jill Ayers, Judge, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
• Monty Burks, Deputy Director of Governors Faith Based and Community Initiative, Office of the Governor
• Clay Bright, CEO, Megasite Authority of West Tennessee
• Nikki Burdine, News Anchor, WKRN
• Brooxie Carlton, Assistant Commissioner, Community and Rural Development, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
• Joe Carrico, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Kate Chinn, Partner, MP&F
• Natalie Cooper, President and CEO, Wellpoint TN
• Steven Gentile, Executive Director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
• Erin Hafkenschiel, President, ThinkTennessee
• Johari Matthews, Vice President and Executive Director, ONE Community and Titans Foundation, Tennessee Titans
• Bert McCarter, Attorney, McCarter East PLLC
• Martesha Johnson Moore, Chief Public Defender, Metropolitan Nashville Public Defender’s Office
• Karl Sprules, Chief Operating Officer, AllianceBernstein
• Carey Whitworth, Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy, University of Tennessee System
• Russell Ziecker, Executive Vice President, Head of Global TV Music, LIONSGATE and STARZ

Gibson County

• Tina Prescott, Chief Operating Officer, West Tennessee Healthcare

Hamilton County

• Casey Dungan, President and CEO, BlueCare Tennessee
• Evann Freeman, Vice President, Government and Community Relations, EPB Chattanooga
• Ian Leavy, Assistant General Counsel, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
• Joe Riley, Founder/Owner, Patriot Family Homes and Quail Run Farm
• Mina Sartipi, Professor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Knox County

• Ben Bentley, CEO, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation
• Jan Brown, VP, Talent and Culture, Tennessee Valley Authority
• Clarice Phelps, Engineer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Grant Rosenberg, Chief Operating Officer, City of Knoxville
• Tammy White, President/CEO, Leadership Knoxville

Madison County

• Monte Cooper, President and CEO, Jackson Energy Authority
• Carol Rothstein, President, Jackson State Community College

Montgomery County

• Lee Harrell, Chief of Staff, Montgomery County
• Kimberly Wiggins, County Trustee, Montgomery County Government

Roane County

• Bob Eby, Chairman, Tennessee State Board of Education

Robertson County

• Zane Seals, Chief Financial Officer, Division of TennCare

Rutherford County

• Dawn White, District 13 State Senator, Tennessee General Assembly

Shelby County

• Kemp Conrad, Principal, Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Advisors, LLC
• Michalyn Easter-Thomas, Memphis City Councilwoman, City of Memphis
• Michael Fulton, Director of Government Affairs and Business Diversity Development, Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority
• Tiffany Legington Graham, Chief Marketing and Development Officer, National Civil Rights Museum
• Phillip May, President (Memphis), Pinnacle Financial Partners
• Johnny Moore, Jr., Tennessee Regional President, Truist Financial
• Chandell Ryan, President and CEO, Downtown Memphis Commission
• Paul Young, Mayor, City of Memphis

Smith County

• Bryan Wright, Executive Vice President, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation

Sullivan County

• Carla Karst, Principal and Founder, Landstar and Workforce Homes Foundation
• Frank Lett, President and Chief Tourism Officer, Visit Kingsport

Sumner County

• Chassen Haynes, Regional Manager, U.S. State and Local Government Affairs, Ford Motor Company

Williamson County

• Matt Largen, President and CEO, Williamson, Inc.
• Mia McNeil, State Director, AARP Tennessee