Mr. David Shannon

Professional Positions:
President, Freed-Hardeman University, Henderson, Tennessee, 2017-Present Preaching Minister, Mt. Juliet church of Christ, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, 1999-2017 Preaching Minister, East Gadsden church of Christ, Gadsden, Alabama, 1991-1999 Supervisor of Work Program and Campus Minister, Timothy Hill Children's Ranch, Long Island, New York, 1989-1991

Education:
Bachelor of Science: Finance, Bible minor, Freed-Hardeman College, Henderson, Tennessee, 1989

Board Associations:
Board Development Committee Member, Heritage Christian University, 2011-2017 Board Member, Focus Press, 2009-2012
Co-Editor for THINK Magazine, Focus Press, 2009-2012
Chairman of the Board, Georgia-Ann-King Charities, 1991-1999

Profile:
Visionary, Leader, Organizer, Gospel Preacher, Critical Thinker, Project Manager, Proactive, Results Driven, Effective Communicator, Faithful, Strong Work Ethic, Seeks Continuous Improvement

Personal:
Married in 1988 to Tracie Barnes Shannon; Five children and six grandchildren

Ms. Tari Hughes

Tari Hughes became CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Management in December 2016. Hughes was president of the Nashville Public Library Foundation for 12 years raising more than $41 million to enhance the Nashville Public Library, developing the Nashville Public Library Literary Award Gala into a premier philanthropic event, leading the creative team for Nashville’s International Puppet Festival and spearheading Write the Next Chapter: a campaign for the Nashville Public Library Foundation. Before joining NPLF, Hughes spent nearly 5 years as vice president of development for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center where she was responsible for raising approximately $2.5 million annually for TPAC Education and Tennessee Repertory Theatre.

Hughes worked at Vanderbilt University in several alumni and development capacities, most notably with the Owen Graduate School of Management and the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies. Early career experience included work with Ingram Book Company and ComWorld International.

On a national level, Hughes took a leadership role through Urban Libraries Council in organizing annual conferences for Library Foundation executives to share best practices and learn from one another. She was often a featured speaker and panelist for groups interested in private funding for public library endeavors.

Hughes is an active member of the Nashville Downtown Rotary Club and is a Leadership Nashville and Leadership Middle Tennessee alumna. She served on the boards of CNM, the Metro Board of Parks and Recreation, the Nashville Parks Foundation, Tennesseans for the Arts, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet School Association. Hughes also volunteers for Miriam’s Promise.

Dr. Chris Hulin

Dr. Hulin is the President of Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia and is a practicing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with over 10 years of experience in this capacity.

He currently serves on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP), which advises the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Congress on policy issues related to the Title VIII programs administered by the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce Division of Nursing, including nurse workforce supply, education, and practice improvement.

He began his career in home health administration and since then has had a varied and broad background in teaching, nursing administration, hospital administration, and academic administration. Dr. Hulin has served rural and underserved communities and is driven to impact real change in health equity.

Dr. Hulin earned his MSN in Nursing Administration from Vanderbilt University, MS with a focus in nurse anesthesia from the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia, MBA from Regis University, and Doctor of Nurse Practice with a focus in education from Samford University.

Dr. Cameron Conn

Cameron Conn, Ph.D. joined TICUA in September of 2024 after 20 years of experience working on private higher education campuses. As president, Dr. Conn will serve as the chief advocate for TICUA’s 34 member campuses at the state and federal levels. She began her career in student affairs at Mississippi College and then transitioned to focus on healthcare education at Baylor University and, most recently, at Baptist Health Sciences University in Memphis, where she was instrumental in launching their College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Conn has experience in strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, enrollment management, and academic leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Teaching English as a Second Language from Union University, a Master of Science from Florida State University and a Doctor of Philosophy from Azusa Pacific University, both in Higher Education.

Dr. Conn remains active as a quantitative researcher and peer reviewer in the field of higher education. She enjoys writing research articles, regularly presents at national education conferences, and mentors doctoral students by serving on dissertation committees at Azusa Pacific University and Bethel University (Minnesota). Her research interests include student-faculty interaction, college student outcomes, and Christian higher education. Dr. Conn also earned a Doctoral Certificate in Strengths-Oriented Higher Education during her time at Azusa Pacific University and enjoys facilitating professional development workshops to build effective, diverse teams.

Dr. Cameron Conn is a native of Dyersburg, TN and currently lives in Nashville with her husband Patrick. They enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, listening to live music, and watching college sports.

Dr. Douglas Mann

Dr. Douglas F. Mann became the eighth President of Bryan College on July 15, 2020, following two years serving as Vice President for Academics and Provost.

Mann is a 1992 graduate of Bryan College and earned an M.A. degree in Christian Thought from Trinity International University. He later received his Ph.D. in history from The University of Georgia. Prior to joining the leadership of Bryan, he served as a member of the history faculty at Liberty University. While at Liberty University he also served in a variety of leadership roles including Dean of the Graduate School, Administrative Dean for Graduate Programs, and Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Since coming to Bryan Dr. Mann has worked closely with faculty in the implementation of new residential and online academic programs, enhanced professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, and implemented operational efficiency measures that have seen significant budgetary savings in academics and growth in Bryan’s online program offerings.

Dr. Mann and his wife, Susi, have four children, one of whom is a current student at Bryan. When not spending time with his family and friends on their farm in Dayton, Dr. Mann enjoys reading a good biography or spy novel or playing golf when the weather is nice.

Flynne Dowdy

Flynne Dowdy is an employment attorney in Holland & Knight's Nashville office. An experienced trial attorney, Ms. Dowdy represents employers in litigation and provides day-to-day advice and counseling to management and human resources personnel.

Clients across a wide range of industries rely on Ms. Dowdy to investigate and resolve labor and employment matters, including allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful discharge. Ms. Dowdy's practice also involves Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state wage and hour litigation, including collective and class actions.

Additionally, Ms. Dowdy helps clients develop strategies to reduce the likelihood of disruptive litigation. She drafts employment and independent contractor agreements, severance and settlement agreements, and policy manuals and handbooks. Her experience also includes unfair competition and trade secret litigation.

Ms. Dowdy defends lawsuits and charges brought under state and federal laws including:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• FLSA
• National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX)

Previously, Ms. Dowdy gained valuable courtroom experience with law firms in Nashville and Miami. She began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston.

Nathan Green

Nathan Green is the vice chancellor for government and community relations at Vanderbilt University. He leads a 22-person team based in Nashville and Washington, D.C., that is responsible for the university’s advocacy work with all branches of government and for leading community initiatives and engagements.

Since his arrival at Vanderbilt, he has successfully advocated for the university on key policy topics, including student aid, the COVID pandemic response, and tax and employment issues. He and his team work daily on a variety of issues that impact higher education, Vanderbilt and the community at large, ranging from fostering an ecosystem for research and discovery to providing access to education for all.

Green also plays a leading role in guiding the vision for Vanderbilt’s role in the greater Nashville area and directing the university’s approach for community involvement and economic development. He oversees the university’s Community Impact Fund which has supported more than 300 non-profits and community organizations across Nashville that are actively working to address challenges related to education, social justice, affordable housing, food insecurity and more. The fund has provided long-term support for treasured Nashville non-profits like the Dismiss House, Nashville Public Library and The Oasis Center and his division also forges partnerships with the city’s leading arts and culture institutions including the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the Frist Art Museum.

Green was appointed vice chancellor in December 2018 after serving as interim vice chancellor for nearly two years. Green joined the university in 2014 as assistant vice chancellor for state government relations, where he developed and directed state legislative and government strategies. While serving in the interim role, he managed legislative and regulatory work related to the legal separation of the university and Vanderbilt University Medical Center and continued to serve as the medical center’s chief advocate until July 1, 2018.

Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Green was partner and owner in the government relations firm RobinsonGreen for 14 years. In that role, he took a lead role in negotiating agreements on many of the biggest issues before the Tennessee General Assembly ranging from legislation on telecommunications, wine in grocery stores, K-12 school systems and workers compensation reform.

A Tennessee native and graduate of the University of Memphis, Green began his career in local government. He is the father of three boys and has been married to his wife Lara for 22 years. Green serves on numerous boards like the Nashville Downtown Partnership, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Opera, where he currently serves as President of the Board of Directors.

Dr. Lewis Reich

Lewis Reich, O.D., Ph.D., was named Southern College of Optometry President in January 2016 and formally inaugurated on May 13 later that year. At the time of his appointment by SCO’s Board of Trustees, he had served as Interim President for the previous nine months.

He first joined SCO in July 2008 as Professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Under his leadership, the college nationally recruited and grew its faculty ranks to accommodate an increase in student enrollment.

A 1988 graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, he completed his residency in low vision rehabilitation at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), where he later joined as a faculty member and researcher. In 1991, Dr. Reich entered the graduate program in physiological optics at the University of Houston and soon after was hired there as a Research Assistant Professor.

After receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Reich joined the faculty of Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry (NSUCO) as Associate Professor. He was Assistant Dean for Student Affairs from 2003 to 2008.

He serves on the Executive Committee as Past President of the Board of Directors for the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. A Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, he previously chaired the Academy’s Maintenance of Fellowship Committee and served on the Optometric Education Section’s Diplomate Program Committee.

Dr. Reich additionally has served the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry as the Chair of the Optometry Admissions Test Committee, Chair of the Chief Academic Officers, and was the inaugural Chair of the OptomCAS Committee, leading the profession in the implementation of a centralized application service. He now chairs the Applicant Development Committee.

Locally, he has served on the board of the Medical District Collaborative in Memphis upon its establishment in 2016. He currently serves as Past Chair. He has made SCO’s greater involvement in the Medical District and the Memphis community at large a priority for the college’s faculty, staff, and students. Dr. Reich also serves on the Board of Directors of STARS (Students Tackling Autism-Related Syndromes).

Dr. Reich’s research has been funded by the National Eye Institute as well as the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. He has published peer-reviewed publications and has presented his research at dozens of national and international meetings. Dr. Reich is an active manuscript reviewer for major optometric and vision science journals and has served as a vision expert in legal cases.

He and his wife, Diane, are the parents of a teenage son, Isaac, and reside in Memphis.

Dr. Charles Fowler

Dr. Charles A. Fowler, the 23rd president of Carson-Newman University, was elected unanimously on June 7, 2019. The Corinth, Miss.-native is a graduate of Union University, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Mississippi State University.

Prior to beginning his service at Carson-Newman University, he served as Senior Pastor of Germantown Baptist Church in Germantown, TN. Prior to that he served in various senior administrative roles at Union University in Jackson, TN.

Dr. Fowler has served on the Board of Trustees for several organizations including Baptist Memorial Healthcare System, Union University, Blue Mountain College, The John Buckman Trust, and the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

He is also a published author. His most recent book chapter contribution was R. G. Lee: Rhetorical Artistry in the Pulpit published in A Legacy of Preaching: Historical and Theological Introductions. Dr. Fowler has also edited two books, Reclaiming the Gospel at Home for Men and Reclaiming the Gospel at Home for Women.

Dr. Fowler has been married to his college sweetheart, Sandra for 37 years. They have two daughters, Anna (Justin) who reside in Jefferson City, TN and Sarah (Bryan) who reside in Jonesboro, AR. Dr. Fowler and Sandra are blessed to enjoy three grandchildren - Charlie, Lucy, and Fowler.

Dr. Mike Ragsdale

Mike Ragsdale is president of Tennessee Strategies, providing consulting services to a diverse client base statewide.

Prior to founding Tennessee Strategies, Mike Ragsdale had successful careers in business, public service, and education. Ragsdale served two terms as Knox County Mayor, from 2002 to 2010, leading a county of nearly 430,000 citizens with a budget of over $640 million. During his administration, Ragsdale’s priorities included education, economic growth, seniors, and a more efficient government.

During his second term as Mayor, Ragsdale also served as President of the County Executives of America, an organization of more than 700 chief elected county officials. He also served two terms as president of the Tennessee Association of County Mayors.

For 16 years, Ragsdale served as Executive Vice President and Partner at Barber & McMurry Architects, Planners, and Consultants. During this time he was twice elected to the Knox County Commission.

Ragsdale's career began at Pellissippi State Technical Community College, serving first as Director of Admissions and Records and later as Dean of Administrative Affairs.

Ragsdale currently serves as the Vice Chairman for EDSouth Board of Directors, one of the country's largest student loan corporations. He is on the Board of Directors for both the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association and for TnAchieves, a state wide student scholarship program.

Additionally, Mayor Ragsdale serves on the advisory board for the Tennessee College of AppliedTechnology - Knoxville and Jefferson Cocke County Utility District Board of Directors.

During his tenure as Knox County Mayor, Ragsdale received the Vision Award from Technology 2020 and the prestigious “Courthouse Award” from the National Association of Counties. He also received the Outstanding Service Award from the Disabled American Veterans of East Tennessee and the “Military Order of the Purple Heart.”

He is a lifetime member of the Optimist Club of Knoxville, and served the organization’s president. He is also past president of the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville, American Red Cross, Junior Achievement, and East Tennessee Discovery Center. He served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Knoxville Sports Corporation, Knox Area Chamber Partnership, and was Chairman of the Knox County Tourist Commission. Ragsdale is a 1989 graduate of Leadership Knoxville and has completed Harvard University's Mediation Program of Study.

Upon achieving his bachelor’s degree, Ragsdale earned the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Torchbearer Award, the highest University award given to students. He holds a Master's in Education from Auburn University and a doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee. Ragsdale is a native of Cleveland, Tennessee and graduated from Cleveland High School.

Dr. Candice McQueen

Dr. Candice McQueen began her tenure on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021 as the 18th president of Lipscomb University, a vibrant faith-based, liberal arts community with a student body of nearly 5,000 students located in Nashville, Tennessee. She has more than 20 years of experience in education spanning classroom teaching, higher education leadership, state government and nonprofit sectors.

Prior to her appointment at Lipscomb, McQueen was CEO of the National Institute of Excellence in Teaching (NIET) from January 2019 through August 2021. NIET is a national nonprofit founded by the Milken Education Foundation to encourage and incentivize teaching excellence in undergraduate and higher education classrooms using federal and state grants and philanthropic gifts to support its programs. As CEO, McQueen has overseen substantial growth of NIET’s work, including increasing service revenue and partnerships by almost 40% in three years, receiving more than $50 million in new multiyear federal and state grants, and significantly increasing NIET’s national profile and influence on improving educator effectiveness to ensure every student achieves.

From January 2015 - January 2019, McQueen served as Tennessee Commissioner of Education under former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. In this role, McQueen collaborated with and monitored 147 school districts and hundreds of non-public and charter schools to serve the one million students in the state of Tennessee. This included leading 1,100 state employees and a $6 billion budget. As commissioner, she led the creation of a strategic plan called Tennessee Succeeds, which became the department's plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Tennessee Succeeds outlines goals and strategies to increase college and career readiness for Tennessee's students. During her time as commissioner, Tennessee experienced its highest graduation rate, highest ACT scores, and largest increases in career and technical education enrollment in the state's history while also transitioning academic standards and the statewide assessment to higher expectations. In 2018, Education Next noted that the quality of Tennessee's academic standards moved from an "F" to an "A" over the several years, with Tennessee also being the only state to both raise expectations and improve student performance simultaneously.

Before becoming the state’s top education official in January 2015, McQueen served Lipscomb University as senior vice president and dean of the university’s College of Education. After joining Lipscomb’s education faculty in August 2001 and serving as chair of the undergraduate education department from 2004-2008, McQueen was appointed dean of the College of Education in July 2008. Under her leadership as dean, McQueen doubled the College of Education’s enrollment and giving, and expanded programming to include six new graduate programs, including the university’s first doctoral program, and was also the founding director of Lipscomb’s Ayers Institute for Teacher Learning and Innovation that launched in 2012. She also led the College of Education to recognition at the state and national levels for excellence in teacher preparation and teaching outcomes.

In addition to her role as dean of Lipscomb’s College of Education, McQueen was appointed senior vice president in November 2013. In that capacity, she also had the responsibility for oversight of Lipscomb Academy, the 1,300-student preK2-1th grade, was a member of the president’s executive leadership team and set strategic vision for the university. She served in both the dean and senior vice president role until December 2014.

McQueen has a Bachelor of Science degree from Lipscomb University, a Master of Education in school administration from Peabody College, Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in curriculum studies from the University of Texas. Before coming to Lipscomb in August 2001, McQueen taught in both private and public elementary and middle schools in Texas and Nashville — including Lipscomb Academy, was on adjunct faculty at Vanderbilt University and was an assistant instructor and supervisor of student teachers at the University of Texas at Austin. She has won multiple awards for her teaching at both the K-12 and collegiate levels. Her primary research interests are teacher professional development, leadership, and reading and writing methods.

A native of Clarksville, Tennessee, McQueen and her husband, Andy, a Lipscomb graduate and former member of the men’s basketball team, have two children, Abigail, who will be a freshman at Lipscomb University this fall, and Henry, a ninth grader at Lipscomb Academy. The McQueens are members of Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville.

Dr. Scott Hummel

Dr. Scott Hummel, a proven leader with a track record of fundraising success and enrollment growth, is the 29th president of Tusculum University. He joined the Tusculum family Feb. 17, 2020, as the next step in a successful 30-year education career, the last 12 of which he served in high-level positions at William Carey University, a private Christian institution affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention.

As executive vice president and provost for William Carey since 2013, Dr. Hummel demonstrated strong performance, advising the president on all major decisions and heading the academic enterprise. He also helped lead the crisis response team when a tornado struck the university’s Hattiesburg, Mississippi, campus in 2017. This storm damaged nearly 50 buildings and destroyed six more. Dr. Hummel was intimately involved in the entire response, and William Carey repaired or rebuilt every affected building.

From 2008-13, Dr. Hummel played a vital role in William Carey’s financial success and community outreach as vice president for advancement and church relations. He helped raise millions of dollars for startup costs for new health care programs and endowed scholarships and managed William Carey’s denominational relations activities.

During his time at William Carey, the number of students doubled, and the university added several majors, started multiple medical programs and created eight doctoral programs. In addition to his administrative roles, Dr. Hummel served as a religion professor, teaching courses about the Old Testament, Biblical Backgrounds, the Greco-Roman World and the Ancient Near East.

Calling himself a professor at heart, Dr. Hummel began his education career as a home-based teacher with the Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas in 1989. He also was a special education math teacher and a science teacher before embarking on his higher education career.

He taught religion courses as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth in 1993, 1994 and 1998 and as a biblical studies professor at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, from 1998-2008. From 2004-2008, Dr. Hummel was chairman of LeTourneau’s Department of Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries, for which he grew enrollment by 500 percent.

A first-generation college student, Dr. Hummel earned a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies from William Carey in 1987. He received a Master of Divinity in biblical languages in 1991 and his doctorate in biblical backgrounds and archeology in 1996 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also studied at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and, as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Dr. Hummel has served as interim pastor for several Baptist churches and one Presbyterian church in Mississippi and Texas. He has been a member of Rotary International since 2002 and was president of the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club in Texas from 2007-2008 and the Hattiesburg Rotary Club from 2013-2014.

Dr. Hummel is married to his wife, Starr, a high school science teacher, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University. The Hummels have three daughters.

Dr. Christopher Davis

Dr. Christopher B. Davis is the 14th President of LeMoyne-Owen College.

Serving as a former Board of Trustees member for nearly seven years and Interim President since July 2023, he brings a wealth of multifaceted experience as a faith, business, and community leader.

Under Dr. Davis’ leadership as Interim President, LeMoyne-Owen has spearheaded a comprehensive institutional rebranding that emphasized its distinction as the nation’s 5th oldest and Memphis’ only Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Significant changes were made to staff, including filling key roles such as Chief Financial Officer and adding a Director of Campus Safety and Director of Grants and Strategic Initiatives. Additionally, he was pivotal in bringing Men’s Volleyball to the College’s sports offerings. He also championed initiatives to revitalize existing campus facilities, enhancing the overall institution infrastructure.

Prior to his interim appointment at LeMoyne-Owen College, he served a transformative 17-year tenure at Memphis Theological Seminary, advancing the institution as Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Doctoral Studies where he increased growth by 1,500 percent over five years and implemented strategic initiative in curriculum development.

He has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from both the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Baptist College. He holds a Master of Arts degree from Memphis Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree with emphasis on Preaching and Leadership from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Additionally, he has completed studies at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Presently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education Leadership from Anderson University.

Dr. Alfred Degrafinreid II

Alfred is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to Leadership Tennessee, Alfred served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Local Government Relations and Community Partnerships at Vanderbilt University, where he worked closely with campus leaders on institutional priorities and with local policymakers on issues pertaining to zoning and land-use matters.

Alfred is a former public administrator with senior leadership experience on the local, state, and federal levels of government. He served as the chief administrative officer and chief deputy clerk in the Office of the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk. Prior to working for Metro-Nashville government, he was counsel to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and coordinated community outreach for Davidson, Dickson, and Cheatham counties. His state legislative experience includes working for the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Tennessee House of Representatives and as a legislative assistant to a Tennessee State Senator. Degrafinreid holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tennessee State University, a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law and is pursuing a Doctor of Education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

Degrafinreid has served on dozens of boards in the past. He is currently an officer and board member of Nashville’s Convention Center Authority, the Rotary Club of Nashville, and the Nashville St. Jude Executive Leadership Council. Of note, Degrafinreid is a Class VII graduate of Leadership Tennessee.

Dr. Dalya Qualls White

Dalya Qualls White is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee which has more than 6,500 employees and serves more than 3.4 million members. She leads an integrated communications team responsible for public affairs, employee communications, brand and market strategy, consumer experience, marketing communications and community relations.

She also serves as Executive Director of the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation which gives more than $10 million annually to communities and programs throughout Tennessee.

Qualls White joined BlueCross as Director of Corporate Communications in 2019, leading the team responsible for internal and external communication strategies that reflect the mission-driven culture of BlueCross and its commitment to the health of the customers and communities it serves.

Before joining BlueCross, she served as Communications Manager with HCA Healthcare, where she directed the company’s proactive media strategy and oversaw the team that developed content for digital platforms. She worked with more than 180 hospitals to identify storytelling opportunities for employees and external audiences, securing national media coverage for many of those stories.

Previously, Qualls White served as Deputy Communications Director for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, where she held primary spokesperson duties and handled media strategy for related agencies. She previously served as Public Information Officer for the department, supporting major initiatives for the state’s Highway Patrol, Drivers Services and Office of Homeland Security.

Qualls White currently serves on the board of directors for several organizations including the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Montessori Elementary School, Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, and the Chattanooga Future Fund advisory council. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga.

She earned a doctorate in education from Trevecca Nazarene University and a master’s degree in mass communications from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Qualls White received her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Burton Williams

Dr. Burton Williams is a veteran leader in business, development, and education. He has nearly 25 years of experience in administration, community engagement, academics, and research. Most recently, Dr. Williams joined The Ayers Foundation as its chief executive officer in 2023. He works closely with Janet Ayers in leading the foundation and managing the rapid expansion of the nationally recognized Ayers Scholars Program from 12 rural counties and 19 High Schools to 21 counties and 33 high schools in Tennessee. Under his leadership, the foundation successfully opened the 13,000 sq. ft. Ayers Entrepreneur Center in Parsons Tennessee, has increased total annual revenue of the Ayers Foundation Trust by 63% in two years, and has grown the foundation’s team by 60 team members in two years.

Prior to the Ayers Foundation, Dr. Williams was the Lead Financial Planner and Director of Trustcore Institutional at TrustCore, located in Brentwood, TN. He previously served as Associate Vice President for Advancement, as well as Assistant Dean of the College of Education and Associate Dean of the College of Business at Lipscomb University. He earlier held similar roles at Freed-Hardeman University.

Dr. Williams has a Doctor of Education in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University, a Master of Science in Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Freed-Hardeman University. After completing his EdD, Dr. Williams participated in Lipscomb's Bridges Executive Leadership Program for Leadership in Higher Education and International Learning Program, and he is a Certified Financial Planner.

Dr. Williams has a long history of professional service and engagement throughout the state of Tennessee including board appointments to The College System for Tennessee Foundation, Jackson State Community College Foundation, The Rural Expansion Foundation, Planned Giving Council of Middle Tennessee, and Financial Planning Association of Middle Tennessee. He is also a graduate of Leadership Tennessee, Class of 2023.

Mr. Eric Deaton

Eric Deaton is chief operating officer for Ballad Health, with oversight of systemwide operations.

Ballad Health is an integrated healthcare system serving 29 counties of Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina and Southeast Kentucky. It was created to improve the health of the people we serve. Ballad Health operates a family of 21 hospitals, including three tertiary medical centers, a dedicated children’s hospital, community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a behavioral health hospital, an addiction treatment facility, long-term care facilities, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, outpatient services and a comprehensive medical management corporation.

Deaton has served in leadership roles in Tennessee, Virginia and South Carolina for about two decades, providing vision and strategic thinking to help take organizations to the next level. Previously, Deaton was Wellmont Health System’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

He has also held the title of market president for LifePoint Hospitals. There he directed the collective operations of Danville Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville, both in South Central Virginia. He also served as president and chief executive officer of Danville Regional from 2010 until 2013.

Earlier in his career, Deaton was market chief executive officer for North Side Hospital, Johnson City Specialty Hospital and Northeast Tennessee Rehabilitation Hospital.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Milligan College, a master's degree in business administration from Bristol College and a master’s of healthcare administration from the University of Cincinnati.

Deaton is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

David Purkey

David W. Purkey attended the Hamblen County School System including Morristown-Hamblen High School West where he graduated in 1977. Purkey was the salutatorian of his senior class, selected as a Who’s Who student, achieved First Honors and was elected Senior Class Treasurer. He was awarded the Dr. J.C. Freels and (perhaps as a foreboding to his government and political career) the Senator Estes Kefauver academic scholarships to the University of Tennessee.

As a college freshman on Christmas break, Purkey earned a personally signed recognition from President Jimmy Carter, the American Red Cross Award of Merit and the Lion’s Club Medal of Valor for saving the life of a young boy using CPR. He graduated from East Tennessee State University in

1981 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and interned with the State Division of Emergency Medical Services. He earned a Master’s degree in Public Health in 1987 from the University of Tennessee where he interned with the Tennessee Department of Safety. Purkey also trained as an Emergency Medical Technician, a certification he continues to hold some 37 years later.

His first government position was Judicial Assistant to his mentor, Judge James K. Miller. He also served as a 911 Dispatcher, Morristown-Hamblen County Emergency Management Director, Tennessee State Trooper assigned to the Nashville and Fall Branch Districts, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent assigned to the Chattanooga Region, and Police Accreditation Manager for the City of Morristown. Purkey served as an officer in the Tennessee Army National Guard and United State Army Reserves for eight years.

Purkey was appointed to the vacancy of Hamblen County Mayor in 1995 and went on to be elected four times before voluntarily retiring in 2010. He left the County with historically low property tax rates, the highest bond rating on record, and audit recognized record “rainy day” reserves while supporting the largest building program in history to address needs of the Hamblen County School System. Purkey had the unique experience of serving two terms with his brother, Otto, who was elected Sheriff during his tenure.

Purkey’s 30 year retirement was short lived. Governor-Elect Bill Haslam and Commissioner-Designee Bill Gibbons tapped him as the fourth Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor and Assistant Commissioner for the Department of Safety and Homeland Security in 2011. He serves with some

1,800 employees statewide. The Governor-Elect commented at the time that “David Purkey is a man who has helped make Tennesseans safer throughout his life and I’m grateful that he’ll be a part of our team.” The Governor further appointed him in a dual role as the Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) for two years.

Purkey was appointed the Commissioner of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security on September 1, 2016. Governor Haslam commented “He is well-qualified to lead this department, and he is passionate about serving our state and its citizens.”

Purkey received the Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Service Award in 2012 and was inducted into his high school Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2017, Purkey was named an Honorary Life Member of the Cleveland 100. The Honorary Life Membership is given to distinguished individuals who have provided years of continuous and extraordinary service to those “community heroes” serving and protecting in emergency services.

On March 5, 2018, Governor Haslam appointed a School Safety Working Group of leaders from the executive branch, General Assembly, safety, education and mental health to immediately begin reviewing school safety in Tennessee and provide recommendations to enhance the security of school children. He chose Commissioner Purkey to Chair this important working group, and the results of their many hours of work were announced by the Governor on March 28, 2018. Purkey’s leadership continues to be recognized by the Governor and officials state wide.