Communities
Chancellor’s Associates
The Chancellor’s Associates program brings together local business and community leaders to learn more about the university, provide feedback to university administration on an array of important topics, and serve as key advocates and supporters to enhance the university’s reputation in the greater-Knoxville area and beyond.
The Chancellor’s Associates program began in 1972, and since that time, the university and the community have greatly benefited from the relationships developed through this program.
Leadership
Linda Sullivan (’93, ’94) is the Chair of the program for the 2025-26 academic year. Linda is a community leader and volunteer in Knoxville.
Nicki Collett is the Chair-elect of the program for the 2025-26 academic year and will assume the role of chair on July 1, 2026. Nicki is the Senior Director of Advancement for the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville.
Randy Fields is the immediate-past chair of the program for the 2025–26 academic year. Randy is the Director of Business Development at Hickory Construction.
Membership
Chancellor’s Associates members serve three-year terms. Nominations are accepted each year, and approximately 25 new members are selected to join each new member class by a committee of current members and university administrators.
The Chancellor’s Associates meet one morning per month during the academic year. University representation at each meeting includes the chancellor, vice chancellors, deans, and UT students and administrators.
- Linda Sullivan (’93, ’94) – Chair
- Nicki Collett – Chair-Elect
- Randy Fields – Immediate Past Chair
Kelly Absher (’05)
Hydr865: IV Infusion & Weight Loss
Owner/Operator
Moody Altamimi
ORNL
Director, Office of Research Excellence
Allen Bell (’85)
Retired (Pricewaterhouse Coopers)
Partner & Private Company Services Leader for Southern California
Mona Blanton-Kitts (’86)
The McNabb Center
CEO
Ryan Childress (’09)
Stryker
Southeastern Regional Manager
Jon Clark (’01)
Brighton Developers, LLC
President
Nicki Collett
The Tennessee Theatre/Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation
Director of Development & Partnerships
Adam Cook
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
VP for Institutional Development
Lina Evans
Bank of America – Local Markets Organization
Sr. Vice President – Knoxville Market Executive
Kevin Frazier (’89, ’92)
Frazier’s Carpet One
President
Benjamin Jordan (’01, ’03)
Centrus Energy Corporation
Business Development Manager
Rebekah Justice (’02, ’05)
City of Knoxville – Mayor’s Executive Team
Deputy Economic Development Officer – Urban Design
Amye King (’93)
Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals
Sr. Law Clerk, Judge Robert Montgomery
Charles Lomax (’06)
Knoxville Area Urban League
CEO
Misty Long
Siemens Healthineers
Clinical Marketing Medical Liaison
Lauren Longmire (’09)
Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
Director of Regional Enhancement
Beau Massey (’08)
Collier Restaurant Group
President
Matt Metz
Yee Haw Brewing Co.
Director, Brewing Operations
Dan Myers (’93)
Knoxville Leadership Foundation
Vice President – Advancement
Drew Rowan
Zoo Knoxville
Chief Operating Officer
Oliver Smith (’87)
Oliver Smith Realty
President
Chad Speck (’04)
Allegiant Management LLC – A3 Athletics
Founder/President of Football Operations; Of Counsel at Brock, Shipe, Klenk PLC
Darris Upton (’17, ’18)
United Cleanup Oak Ridge, LLC (UCOR)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programs Manager
Kim Young (’82)
Pugh & Co.
Vice President
Michelle Amelse
Amelse and Edmonds CPAs
Owner and President
Callie Archer
Junior Achievement of East Tennessee, Inc
President
Ursula Bailey (’00)
Law Office of Ursula Bailey
Attorney
Gregory Coleman (’89)
Milberg, Coleman, Bryson, Phillips & Grossman
Senior Partner
Manny Cummings (’13)
Dell Inc.
Account Executive, East Tennessee
Houston Daughtery
Cannon & Cannon
President/CEO
Jessica Doppelt (’00)
PigeonForge.com, LLC
Owner, Founder & CEO
Ron Feinbaum (’06)
PYA, PC
Chief Marketing Officer
Colby Fleming (’08)
Pilot Travel Centers
Director of Strategy & Execution
Erin Freeman (’02)
Ackermann Marketing & PR
Senior Vice President
Mark Hamm (’98)
Petra Capital Partners / Centerline Healthcare Partners/ The Vein Company
Partner & Executive Chairman
Trudy Hughes (’91)
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
Chief Executive Officer
Rachel Hurt (’07)
Arnett, Baker, Draper & Hagood, LLP
Partner
Shannon Jackson (’95)
Knox County Schools
Executive Director of College and Career Readiness
Parinda Khatri
Cherokee Health Systems
Chief Executive Officer
Pierce LaMacchia (’12)
K Brew, Bishop & Co.
Owner & CEO
Buck Lewis (’76, ’80)
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell
Partner
Rachel Lokitz (’10)
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)
Chief Legal and Risk Officer
Drew McKenna
One Knox SC
Managing Partner
David McMillan (’92)
PYA, PC
Managing Principal of Consulting and Firm Chief Financial Officer
Ryan McNally (’04, ’07)
Appalachian Title Company, Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C.
President
Dani Miller (’12)
Lauderdale Design Group
Principal/Owner
Liz Nother (’02)
Goodwill Industries-Knoxville, Inc.
President/CEO
Carey Parker (’03)
LHP Capital
Chief Executive Officer
Carol Seamons
Spark Innovation Center and Community Volunteer
Director of Engagement
Charley Sexton (’00)
MoxCar Marketing + Communications
Partner and Chief Creative Officer
Ed St. Clair
(Retired) Y-12 Lockheed Martin
Director of Engineering for Lockheed Martin
Professional Project Services Consultant
Charles Swanson (’79)
City of Knoxville
Law Director
Blake Valentine (’99)
United Way of Greater Knoxville
Chief Financial Officer
Lauren Vassallo
Knox County Criminal Court, 6th Judicial District
Criminal Court Jury Coordinator
Ellie Whitesell (’95)
Ambius
Account Executive
Angie Wilson (’92)
UT Knoxville Division of Enrollment Management
Director of Campus & Community Partnerships
Anthony Wilson (’00)
University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine
Chair of Family Medicine; Chief of the Division of Family Medicine
Hal Bibee, Jr.
21st Mortgage Corporation
Chief Financial Officer
Joel Christopher
Knoxville News Sentinel
Executive Editor
Ryan Dobbs
Barbara McMurry Architects
President
Jon Dockery
LeConte Wealth Management
Partner
Warren Dockter
East Tennessee Historical Society
CEO/President
Nikki Elliott
Partner & CFO | Elliott Advisory Group
CPA
Leslie Elmore
Elmore, Stone & Caffey, PLLC and Blink Lash & Beauty Bar, LLC
Firm Administrator/Owner
LeeAnn Foster
Team Foster Strategy
Head Coach/Chief Energy Officer
Britton Garrett
iO Urology
Founder and CEO
Jill Green
Green Meadows Partners
Co-Founder
Michael Grider
Foothills Strategies
Owner
Hannah Hopper
Emerald Youth Foundation
Chief of Staff
Howie Howington
Cool Beans, SoKno Taco, Central Flats & Taps, Sevier Ave. Burger Company
Owner
Sherry Jenkins
Dogwood Arts
Executive Director
Ellie Kittrell
United Way
Vice President of Advancement
Samantha Lacy
Leadership Knoxville
Director, Strategic Partnerships & Engagement
Aaron Love
Kiewit Nuclear Solutions
Vice President of Nuclear Engineering
Barry Mathis
PYA, P.C.
Principal – Healthcare Technology Consulting & Chairman of the Board of Visitors for the College of Emerging & Collaborative Studies
Bridget Mounger
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Senior Vice President
Christy Overton
Former Elementary School Teacher and current Homemaker
Mark Pancratz
Axiom Wealth Management – Northwestern Mutual
Managing Director, Partner, Private Wealth Advisor
Chris Parrott
FirstBank
Senior Vice President/Regional Marketing Manager
Taylor Phipps
A Step Ahead Foundation of East Tennessee
Executive Director
Sam Pittenger
Harrison Construction
VP and General Manager, Ready Mix Concrete Division
Tim Reynolds
Second Presbyterian Church
Pastor/Head of Staff
Hancen Sale
Reworld
Director of Federal Government Relations
Christy Seals
Knox County Schools
College & Career Specialist
Mark Taylor
Dominion
Chief Executive Officer
Grady Vanderhoofven
Three Roots Capital
President & CEO
Jason Wakley
Pilot Flying J
Director – Cooler & Grocery
Kenyon Warren
UT Federal Credit Union
President/CEO
John Winters
Kramer Rayson LLP
Partner in Law Firm
