Six TBR-College System of Tennessee leaders selected to participate in Leadership Tennessee programs for 2024-25

When Leadership Tennessee announced the 80 members of its two major statewide leadership programs for 2024-25, the cohorts included six representatives of TBR-College System of Tennessee colleges, the system office, and governing board.

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.

Leadership Tennessee said the two cohorts comprise individuals from across the state who bring with them diverse professional experiences, including representatives from business, government, education, medical, and nonprofit sectors. Each group 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.

Four TBR-College System of Tennessee representatives were named to the NEXT Class IX, the program’s 9th class to participate:

• Quincy Jenkins, Vice President, Organizational Culture and Engagement, Chattanooga State Community College.
• Brandi Linsey, Campus Coordinator, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis Bartlett Campus.
• Amy Lowdermilk, Adult Education Instructor and Career Coach, Southeast Tennessee Adult Education, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens.
• John Williams, Associate Vice Chancellor for Government Relations, Tennessee Board of Regents system office.

Two representatives of the system were named to the Signature Program Class XI, the program’s 11th cohort:

• Steven Gentile, Executive Director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission, and Board Member, Tennessee Board of Regents
• Carol Rothstein, President, Jackson State Community College

"Leadership Tennessee will greatly benefit from the diverse perspectives of members from both cohorts, representing various educational entities across the statewide Tennessee Board of Regents system," said Dr. Alfred Degrafinreid II, President & CEO of Leadership Tennessee.

The Signature Program, Leadership Tennessee’s flagship program, is a 10-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. The cohort’s work will begin in August and run through November 2024.

Over that span, participants engage by traveling to sessions in each Grand Division, learning about the most pressing issues, while also strengthening their professional skills. 

TBR-College System of Tennessee is proud that these six current and emerging leaders from its campuses, the system office and governing board were chosen to participate in Leadership Tennessee’s classes, joining other leaders from education, business, state and local government,  medical, and nonprofit organizations.

The complete list of members of both classes and other information about the programs are here

Since the organization's founding, more than 600 members have graduated from both the Leadership Tennessee NEXT and Signature programs.  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) organization.