President’s Council
The President’s Council is a constituency of alumni and friends who understand and support higher education broadly in Tennessee. It is comprised of volunteer leaders who can serve as the university’s premier advocates. Members of the group are handpicked by the president and elected for three-year terms.
Contact the Office of the President
Have a question, media inquiry or speaking request? Get in touch!
Jamie Blessinger
Executive Assistant
865-974-2241
Melissa Tindell
Media Contact
865-974-0741
Activities of the group include:
- Quarterly Zoom updates with the president.
- Small group or individual visits with the president.
- A campus visit each year that allows that campus’ chancellor the opportunity to highlight the great things going on at their campus and the role they play in advancing the state of Tennessee.
2025–2026 Council Members
Chattanooga
Lee Ann Adams
Alexis Bogo
Allen Carter
Alan Cates
Mike Griffin
Tom Griscom
Jim Hall
Rob Headrick
Debbie Ingram
Eddie O’Brien
Thunder Thornton
Betty Whaley
Knoxville
Cathy Ackermann
Tom Ballard
Dwight Church
Pete Claussen
Jed Dance
Dianne Duncan
Lynne Fain
Leonard Hines
Buck Lewis
Ford Little
Mike Littlejohn
David Martin
Rob Mathis
Bill Powell
Kim Salmons
Dean Skadberg
Michael Strickland
Lofton Stuart
Ned Vickers
Brian Winbigler
Martin
Joe Exum
Ron Kirkland
Bill Latimer
Art Sparks
Jamey Tosh
Tim Tucker
Memphis
Bill Blankenship
John Butler
Frank Childress
Jim Duke
Jana Fuqua
Fred Heros
Jason Hood
T.O. Lashlee
Alan Ledger
Betsy Melby
Mike Moss
Don Oliver
King Rogers
Jim Wingett
Nashville
Baeteena Black
David Bohan
Dan Brown
Richard Cardin
Dennis Cavin
Scooter Clippard
Spruell Driver
Kimbrough Dunlap
Gordon Ferguson
Reggie Hill
Phil Jacobs
Kathy Kunkel
Jim Lattimore
Andrea Loughry
Emily Capadalis Love
Chaz Molder
Dan Nolan
Steve Richards
Worrick Robinson
Terry Scholes
Phil Wenk
Charles Wharton
Mark Wilson
Deb Woolley
Pulaski
Doug Haney
Brenda Speer
Tri-Cities
Lynn Johnson
Mack Patton
Atlanta
Kim Cross
Ron Frieson
Bart Graham
Catherine King
Carl Merideth
Other Areas
Charley Brinkley (Lake Mary, FL)
Stephen Davis (Wheaton, IL)
Kay Dempsey (Kiawah Island, SC)
Wayne Hutton (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Rick Rose (Houston, TX)
Jennifer Stanley (London, UK)