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Officers
Jennifer Axsom Adler, Board Chair 
Title: Assistant Professor of History, East Tennessee State University (ETSU)
Previous: Associate Director, Roan Scholars Leadership Program, ETSU; Alderman, City of Kingsport; Paralegal, Investment Banking, Bear Stearns & Company
Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Government, Harvard College; Masters (M.A). and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Religion, Vanderbilt University
Community Involvement: Public Arts Committee, City of Kingsport; Healthy Kingsport, Advisory Board Member
Region: Appalachian Highlands
Cecilia Petersen, Chair Elect
Title: Central Region Finance Manager, Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions
Previous: Financial and Operating Consulting, Financial Management Consultant, Chief Financial Officer, Pershing Yoakley & Associates, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer, RIVR Media, Vice President Finance & Operations, Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership
Education: Bachelor of Arts with High Distinction, Economics and Spanish
Community Involvement: Board of Directors, Treasurer and Audit Committee Chair, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians, President Board of Directors, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Board of Directors, Secretary & Finance Committee, Legacy Parks Foundation, President Board of Directors, Bluff Point Homeowners Association, Class of 2012 Leadership Knoxville, Inc. Career Transition Program Mentor, University of Tennessee, Outcome Based Investment Committee Chair, United Way of Greater Knoxville
Region: East Tennessee
Randy Jenkins, Vice Chair
Title: Chief Financial Officer at Partners Development
Previous: Controller, Providers, Inc.; Assistant Controller, US Foodservice
Education: Associates Degree in Applied Science, Accounting, Central Piedmont Community College; BBA, University of Carolina at Charlotte; BS Finance, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
Community Involvement: Introduction Knoxville, Leadership Knoxville (class of 2014); Board Member and Board, University of Tennessee – Knoxville College of Nursing; Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair, Knoxville Chamber; Volunteer Basketball Coach; full-time Girl Dad and Poppy.
Region: East Tennessee
Karen Rowell, Secretary
Title: Principle at Rowell Consulting
Previous: Chief Improvement Officer at Holston Medical Group; Health, Safety, Environment, Security and Global Quality at Eastman Chemical Company’s flagship located in Kingsport, TN
Education: BS in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University; while at Eastman she completed extensive MBA level continuing education coursework.
Community Involvement: Senior member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. She has served as the leader of the local Workforce Investment Board Youth Council, Junior Achievement of Tri-Cities and Goodwill Industries of Tennessee and Virginia. She serves on the Northeast State Community College Foundation Board and the Auburn University College of Engineering Alumni Advisory Council. Karen is a Master Gardner and leads the local Master Gardener organization.
Region: Appalachian Highlands
Julia Bentley, Treasurer
Title: VP Investor Relations/Communications
Previous: VP of Investor Relations and Communications for Vera Bradley; Senior VP of Investor Relations and Communications for Saks Fifth Ave; Senior VP and CFO of Proffitt’s; and Audit Manager of public accounting firm, Ernst & Young.
Education: B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee
Community Involvement: Board of Directors, Knoxville Museum of Art (Former Board Chair); Board of Directors, Arts & Culture Alliance: Board of Directors, Botanical Gardens of Knoxville; Board of Directors, Metropolitan Airport Authority; Board of Directors, Women’s Fund of East Tennessee: Former Board Chair of YWCA; and Graduate of Leadership Knoxville.
Region: East Tennessee
Directors-at-Large
Heather G. Anderson
Title: Partner at Bernstein, Stair & McAdams LLP
Education: Bachelor of Political Science, Business, The University of Tennessee; J.D. Law, The University of Memphis-Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Community Involvement: Tennessee Bar Association, Knoxville Bar Association, East Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women, Board of Directors for the Public Building Authority of Knox County, former President of the Sertoma Center’s Foundation Board, and Former member of the Board of the YWCA Knoxville.
Region: East Tennessee
Tamara Boyer
Title: Asst. General Counsel, FirstBank & Adjunct Professor, The University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business
Previous: General Counsel, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance/Clayton Homes; Senior Vice President of Operations & Legal Director, Citi Group; Wealth Management Director, U.S. Bank, NA; General Counsel & Vice President for Advancement, East Tennessee Foundation
Education: Juris Doctorate, Samford University, Cumberland School of Law; Bachelor of Arts & Sciences, Florida State University; Lean Management Certification; Human Resources Certification; Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator
Community Involvement: Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians, Immediate Past Board Chair, Executive Board; Current Chair Board Development; Junior Achievement of Tennessee, Executive Board & Chair Miss Business; Webb School of Knoxville Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, Presidential Search Committee, Chairman Facilities Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Co-Chair Senior Class PAC Committee; Junior League of Knoxville Sustainer Advisor, Education/Training Chair, Membership Pilot Committee, Sustainer Council Director, Strategic Planning Director, Community Council Director, Parliamentarian, TALA Chair, Ways & Means Chair; McClung Museum, Board of Directors; Second Harvest Food Bank, Volunteer; East Tennessee Children's Hospital Childhood Advocacy Chair, Volunteer; City of Knoxville/Knox County Planning Commission Commissioner, Executive Board; Knox County Industrial Development Board Member & Secretary; Knox County Health, Education & Housing Facility Board Member & Secretary; East Tennessee Regional Leadership Association Class of 2021; Leadership Knoxville Class of 2016 Graduate & Curriculum Committee Member; University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Associate; University of Tennessee Parents’ Council; University of Tennessee Office of Engagement External Advisory Board.
Professional Member: Knoxville Bar Association; Tennessee Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section, Elder Law Section, Estate Planning Section; East Tennessee Lawyers Association of Women; Knoxville Estate Planning Council; National Association of Charitable Gift Planners; Association of Fundraising Professionals; Smokey Mountain Planned Giving Council.
Region: East Tennessee
Margaret Butler
Title: Principal of McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects
Education: The University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design
Community Involvement: The University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design Dean’s Board of Advisors (past Bronze Medal Juror), Executive Women’s Association (past Membership Chair, Program Chair, and President); Former – AIA TN Board of Directors, AIA East TN Board (President and Design Awards Chair), NAAB Accreditation Team for the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design, Tennessee Foundation of Architecture Board, City Board of Appeals Gatlinburg TN, Class Of 2007 Leadership, YWCA Knoxville Board of Directors (President, Long Range Planning Co-Chair, and Facilities Chair), The Cancer Support Community Board of Directors (and President), United Way of East TN Allocation Panel, Knoxville Chamber Economic Development Committee, and City of Knoxville Business Advisory Committee
Region: East Tennessee
Dianna Cantler
Title: President, Echoes Create + Connect
Previous: Executive Director, Johnson City Development and Director of Downtown Development, Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership, Director of Connections Ministries, Munsey Church, Public Relations Director, American Cancer Society of Davidson County TN, and Community Relations, Emory University Hospital
Education: Bachelor of Mass Communications with Public Relations emphasis, East Tennessee State University
Community Involvement: Board of Directors, Blue Plum Organization, Former Chair, The Mountain States Spirit Gala; served as Vice President of the Kappa Delta Sorority Chapter Advisory Board; Former Board Member of Visit Johnson City and Johnson City Public Art; Advisor, Main Street Elizabethton, and Facilitator for CO. STARERS
Region: Appalachian Highlands
Lindsay Cates
Title: Vice President of Marketing, The Trust Company of Tennessee
Education: Communication (Bachelor’s), Public Relations (Master’s), University of Tennessee
Community Involvement: Serves on the committees of Knoxville Museum of Art, United Way, Zoo Knoxville, McNabb Center, and Knox Education Foundation. Member of the Garden Study Club.
Region: East Tennessee
Denise Douglas
Title: Owner-Broker, Douglas-Dillon Realty
Previous: President and CEO, Maxwell Reed & Ryne In., DBA the Ups Store Harding Valley; Real Estate Listing Professional, Keller Williams Realty, Inc.; Manager of Business Development, American Express; Channel Marketing Manager, Sales Manager, Verizon Enterprise Solutions; Sales Manager, MCI Corporation; Sales Representative, BellSouth Mobility, Astute Real Estate, LLC.
Education: BA, Communications and Media Studies, University of Kentucky
Community Involvement: Board Member, Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians; Board President, The Susannah’s House; Secretary of the Board, The AD Foundation; Gals and Glamour Committee, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee; Board Member, East Tennessee Technology Access Center; Committee Chair, A night in Old Havana and ETTAC Annual Golf Tournament, East Tennessee Technology Access Center; Board Member, Knoxville Volunteer Rescue; Fundraising Volunteer (Knoxville Heart Gala 2019), American Heart Association; Knoxville Heart Gala Planning Committee, American Heart Association; Mento, TN Achieves; Volunteer, Junior Achievement USA; Board Member, Girlfriends Giving Back; Board Member, Koinonia Foundation.
Region: East Tennessee
Leslie Elmore
Title: Office and Finance Manager at Elmore Stone& Caffey PLLC
Education: Business Administration and Management, HR Concentration, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Community Involvement: Akima member, Founder/Treasurer, Girlfriends Inc., Giving Back, Tutor-hope Central, Mobile Meals Volunteer, Daughters of the American Revolution, Past President, Board Member, Active, Sustainer, Junior League of Knoxville, Southeast Newfoundland Club member, Past Board Member, James White’s Fort, Past Board Member, Team Manager, Volunteer, Knoxville football Club, Past Board Member, Volunteer, Team Treasurer, Alliance FC Inc., Past PTSO President, Board Member, Volunteer, Bearden High School, Past Booster Club President, Vice President, Board Member, Volunteer, Bearden High School Men’s Soccer
Region: East Tennessee
Joy Fulkerson
Title: Director of Leadership and Civic Engagement in the Division of Student Life and Enrollment at East Tennessee State University
Education: Mass Communications, Public Relations at East Tennessee State University; Graduate of the Johnson City/Jonesborough/Washington County Chamber of Commerce Leadership 2020 program
Community Involvement: President of the League of Women Voters of Northeast Tennessee, Advisory Council of the Langston Education and Arts Development Inc, United Way of Johnson City/Washington County Allocations Team, member of Johnson City Sesquicentennial Commission, co-leader of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration Coalition of Johnson City, National Conference of Citizenship, executive committee for the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition; Former – past President of the Johnson City Public Library Board of Directors, Junior League of Johnson City
Region: Appalachian Highlands
Nickie Gates
Title: Administrative Logistics Manager at Pioneer Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, and Electrical
Previous: Executive Assistant to the President & CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce; Executive Assistant for the 18th Engineer Brigade Commander; Technical Engineer in the US Army
Awards & medals: Sapper Spirit Award, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism, Good Conduct Medal, Overseas Deployment Medal, Army Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal.
Education: Healthcare Administration (Bachelor’s), Business Administration (Master’s), University of Phoenix. Completed the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executive Certification.
Region: East Tennessee
Leslye T. Hartsell
Title: Director, Community Relations, and External Engagement at the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB)
Previous: Served on Leadership Knoxville’s Board and Curriculum Committee; YWCA Board; United Way Loaned Executive, Federal Bureau of Investigations Citizens Advisory Board; past Board Member, University of Tennessee Knoxville Chancellor’s Associates; City of Knoxville Energy and Sustainability Task Force; Graduate of Leadership Knoxville (class of 2009); Boys & Girls Club of TN Valley Advisory Board Member; Community Action Committee Leadership (class of 2002); Project Help; past Chair, Boys & Girls Club of TN Valley Advisory Board; Second Harvest Food Bank Board Member; Knox Area Urban League – shoes for school; YWCA Tribute to Women Finalist; KUB Leadership Program (EDGE).
Education: Native of Knoxville and graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Western Governors University
Community Involvement: Covenant Health Board of Directors; Board Member, Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians; Senior Citizens Home Assistance; United Way Income & Basic Needs; Knox County Partners in Education Advisory Board.
Region: East Tennessee
Debbie Jones
Title: Community Volunteer
Previous: Tax Partner from Lattimore, Black, Morgan and Cain
Education: Bachelor’s, Accounting, University of Tennessee
Community Involvement: Active member in the Knoxville Area Women Executive Club; Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA); currently serves on the Helen Ross McNabb Foundation Board, the YWCA Foundation Board, Shannondale Presbyterian Homes where she chairs the Finance Committee; serves on finance and executive committees of the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) and chairs the HR Committee for the KMA. Previously served on the Boards of the Helen Ross McNabb Center Board, the Florence Crittenton Agency, the Arts and Cultural Alliance, Knoxville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the Volunteer Ministry Center, the YWCA, and the American Heart Associations. Founding member of the Tennessee Employee Benefit council; Past President of the Knoxville Estate Planning Council.
Region: East Tennessee
Cammy Kromer
Title: Vice President, Sales-Small Format/Club/Foodservice, Ferrara
Previous: Senior Director Sales-Dollar, Vend, Foodservice & Theater; Director of Sales-Value & Vend; Sales Team Leader supporting Dollar General, Fred’s Pharmacy & 99 Cent Only; Area Sales Manager supporting C-Store, Ferrara; President, Junior League of Knoxville; Director of Category Strategy and Insights (Senior Manager); Team Lead/Account Executive for Dollar General, The Hershey Company.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration, Furman University
Community Involvement: Board Member, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians; Board of Directors, Girl Talk, Inc. Knoxville; Advisory Board, Alpha Delta Pi Sorority; Sustainer Advisor, Board of Directors and Member, Junior League of Knoxville; Fundraising, Farragut School; Foster, Adopt-a-Golden Knoxville.
Region: East Tennessee
Kim Leffew
Title: Director of Alumnae Engagement at Girls Preparatory School (GPS)
Previous: Director of Auxiliary Programs, GPS; Summer Camp Director, GPS; Physical Education Teacher, GPS.
Education: Tusculum College, University of Tennessee Chattanooga
Community Involvement: Leadership Chattanooga (class of 2023); Heart Ball Auction Committee Member, American Heart Association; Style-Works Co-chair 2018, Siskin Children’s Institute; Board Member, Downside up Inc.; President, Alpha Delta Kappa, Tennessee Chapter; Co-chair of WAMS Luncheon, National MS Society, Mid-South Chapter; Co-IRONMAN, President-Elect, Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, Zeta Chapter
Region: Tennessee Valley & North Georgia
Emily Mack
Title: President and CEO of River City Company
Previous: Director- Department of Metropolitan Development City of Indianapolis, Project Leaders/Business Development Director, CORE planning Strategies, LLC, Deputy Director-Department of Code Enforcements, City of Indianapolis, Real Estate Development Manager, Indianapolis Downtown, Inc., Mayor’s Neighborhood Liaison, City of Indianapolis, Preservation Planner, City of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission.
Education: Master of Science in Historic Preservation, Architecture, Urban Planning, Ball State University, Bachelor of Science, History, Bradley University
Community Involvement: Board Member, Chattanooga Tourism Company, The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Center, Board Member and Chair-Community Building & Training Committee, President, Friends of Ellenberger Park, member of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Chapter Advisor, Chi Omega (Upsilon Lamda Chapter) Hanover College
Region: Tennessee Valley & North Georgia
Paula Masters
Title: Vice President for Health Programs in the Department of Population Health for Ballad Health
Previous: Assistant Dean of Student Services and Director of the Tennessee Public Health Training Center-LIFEPATH at East Tennessee State University for seven years; Co-founder of the Center for Rural and Appalachian Health at ETSU, former employee Tennessee Department of Health.
Education: Doctorate in Community and Behavioral Health; Masters of Public Health in Health Services Management and Policy; graduate certification in Health Care Management.
Community Involvement: Serves on the board of the Virginia Health Catalyst and American Cancer Society in Tennessee, as well as the Steering Committee of the Tennessee Chapter of Community Health Workers; and serves on a number of local community organizations and groups.
Region: Appalachian Highlands
Sybil McLain-Topel
Title: Author, Marketing & Communications VP at Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce
Previous: Writer in Residence, Lillian E. Smith Center, Piedmont College, Marketing Director, Street Dixon Rick Architecture, PLC, VP, Spaeth Communications, Corporate and External Affairs Manager, AT&T, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, American General Life and Accident Insurance Company, Editor and Reporter, United Press International
Education: Masters of Fine Arts- MFA, Writing, Graduate Studies, Savanna College of Art and Design, Atlanta, International Relations, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Bachelors of Science, Communications, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Political Science and Government, Middle Tennessee State University, French Language and Literature, Tennessee State University, IOM, Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management, Institute for Organization Management, Master of Fine Arts -MFA, Savannah College of Art and Design
Community Involvement: Officer, Executive Committee, Secretary, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians, Board of Directors, Secretary, Arts Build, President, Nashville Cable, Member, Leadership Chattanooga, Member, Public Relations Society of America, Member, Rotary International, Committee Member, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Member, Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Region: Tennessee Valley & North Georgia
Cayce Smith Petko
Title: President, Cope Architecture
Education: Bachelor of Architecture, Architecture, The University of Tennessee
Community Involvement: Lifetime Member, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians; City of Knoxville Construction Appeals Board; City of Knoxville Developer Roundtable; member, Knoxville Historical Society; member, East Tennessee Community Design Center; Tennessee Economic Development Council.
Region: East Tennessee
Jennifer Podhajsky
Title: CEO Yee-Haw Brewing Company
Previous: Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop, Corporate Team; Vice President at The Hershey Company; Sales and Marketing at Kraft Foods; Managed the Tufts Club, a non-profit, alumni organization with two club sites and 75 events annually; also, was a cook abroad Schooner American Eagle – baking and cooking for passengers and crew along the Maine coast.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Psychology from Tufts University and MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Northwestern University).
Community Involvement: Board of Directors of King Arthur Flour, a 100% employee-owned company based in Norwich, VT.
Region: East Tennessee
Gabby Sanders
Title: Sr. Regulatory and Reporting Specialist at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee
Previous: Business Analyst, Health Care Reform and Exchange Compliance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Director of Health and Quality of Life Programs, The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, Appeals Consultant, River Trust Solutions, Inc.
Education: Doctor of Law (J.D.)/Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.), Louisiana State University, Paul M. Herbert Law Center, Master of Health Services Administration, Health Policy, The George Washington University, Bachelor of Science, Biology, General, Howard University
Community Involvement: Member, The Links, Incorporated
Region: Tennessee Valley & North Georgia
Lisa Skinner
Title: Independent Consultant/Strategic Writer Contractor
Previous: Director of Development, Sertoma Center Knoxville; Senior Program Manager Community Relations, Tennessee Valley Authority; Subject Matter Expert/Consultant, Innovation Valley Based at Knoxville Chamber Partnership; Vice President Market Strategy, Fee/Hedrick Entertainment; Senior Vice President, Ackermann PR; Director of Public Relations, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge; Director, Marketing and Public Relations, St. Francis Medical Center, Honolulu Hawaii; Account Executive, Honolulu branch, The Nerland Agency; Marketing Manager, Foremost Foods (Guam); Vice President for Marketing, NAVMAR Federal Credit Union; Public Relations Director, Elkman Advertising; Editor/Media Specialist, University of TN Office of University Communications; Reporter/Education Writer, Knoxville News Sentinel Daily Newspaper.
Education: B.S. Communications/Journalism, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA), TN Department of Tourism Development.
Community Involvement: Founding member of both Women in Entrepreneurship Knoxville and Women in Entrepreneurship Blount; Former Vice Chair of Knoxville Development Corporation’s Fairview Technology Center (entrepreneurial) Advisory Board; Trustee on the Pellissippi State Community College Foundation Board of Directors; Leadership Knoxville (class of 2015) graduate; mentor in the Leadership Knoxville Mentors program; past Vice President of CityPeople, the association of downtown residents; served multiple Mayoral appointments on the Knoxville Downtown Design Review Board and Knoxville Animal Control Board.
Region: East Tennessee
Kathryn Vinson
Title: Therapeutic Specialist, Gilead Oncology
Previous: Executive Oncology Specialist, Merck; Analytical Chemist, Dry Branck Kaolin Company.
Education: BS, Chemistry, Physics, Wesleyan College
Community Involvement: Officer, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians; Bearden Elementary PTSO; Leadership Knoxville (class of 2013); 40 under 40 2014; Leukemia and Lymphoma Society 2017 Women of the Year; American Cancer Society Hope Gala Committee; Junior League Community Advisory Board.
Region: East Tennessee
Lynne Lawson Fugate, CEO (ex efficio member)
Title: CEO, Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians
Previous: Knoxville Market Executive, Smart Bank
Education: BS Finance, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Community Involvement: Knoxville Rotary Club: Executive Women’s Association; Leadership Knoxville; East Tennessee Regional Leadership; Junior League of Knoxville, and Akima Club
Region: East Tennessee
