Leadership Tennessee Announces new classes for 2025
Leadership Tennessee, a collective with a mission to foster non-partisan dialogue on issues of state importance, announced 48 individuals to its 2024–2025 Signature Program Class XI and 32 individuals to its 2024 Fall Leadership Tennessee NEXT Program Class IX.
The two cohorts comprise individuals from across 20 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.
“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. “These classes 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.”
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 XI
Davidson County
Jill Ayers, Judge, Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
Monty Burks, Deputy Director, Governors Faith Based and Community Initiative
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
Leadership Tennessee NEXT Class X
Davidson
Natalie Alvarez, Director of Strategic Alliances, Solyco Capital
J.D. Cressman, General Counsel, Tennessee Department of Military
Joshua Haston, Development Manager, LDG Development; Nashville Industrial Development Board
Tyler Lane, Senior Associate, KPMG
Lauren May, Senior Management Consultant, State of Tennessee
Tim Sigler, Assistant Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy, University
of Tennessee System
Hamilton
Keith King, Manager, BlueCross Healthy Places – Community Relations and
Foundations BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
Lily Sanchez, Communications & Development Manager, La Paz Chattanooga
Marcherie Savage, Director of Entrepreneurial Development, The INCubator – program
of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce
Melissa White, Director of Quality, Risk Management and Compliance, Cempa
Community Care
Hayley Wood, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Western Governors University
Knox
Nicholas Bradshaw, Director of Fleet Services, City of Knoxville
Trina Gallman, Public and Community Engagement Consultant, TVA
Luke Lybrand, Treasurer, University of Tennessee System
Madison
Mike Bryant, Community President, Centennial Bank
Morgan
Jessica Massengill, Director of Operations, Free Medical Clinic
Shelby
Courtney McNeal, Chief of Staff/City Innovation Director, Innovate Memphis
Raquel Miranda Capocaccia, Senior Director of Development, New Memphis
Jevonte Porter Sr., Director of Community Relations, Youth Villages, Inc. / Memphis Allies
Leshundra Robinson, Director of Development, BRIDGES USA, Inc.
Matthew Szalaj, Special Assistant to the Mayor, City of Memphis
Nicholas Thompson, Public Policy Professional, St. Jude Children’s Research Hosptial
Rasie Dobbins-Turner, Vice President, Oteka Technologies, LLC
Sullivan
Jenna Lafever, Business Development Executive, Bristol Motor Speedway
Jessica Lambert, Health System Specialist, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center
Regan Pierce, State Director, Isaiah 117 House
Unicoi
Nathaniel Farnor, Coordinator for Leadership and Civic Engagement, East Tennessee State University
Washington
Larry Bowman Baranowski, Director of Enterprise Financial Systems and Analysis, Teach For America
Michael Hoff, Vice Provost, East Tennessee State University
Williamson
Emma McWeeney, Senior Director of Charter Initiatives, Tennessee State Collaborative On Reforming Education (SCORE)
Wilson
Danielle Allen, Senior Account Executive, MP&F Strategic Communications
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 XII of the Signature Program (2025-2026) and Class X of Leadership Tennessee NEXT (Spring 2025).