Meet the Team

Carl Person is the founder and CEO of Customized Solutions Company, a boutique consulting firm specializing in government relations, commercial development, marketing, business development and analysis, and IT solutions. Since 2001, the firm has had public and private clients that include local, state, and national partnerships with Fortune 500 companies.

Carl is Board President of Memphis Art Museum. He serves on the Executive Board of Trustees for Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) and is a board member for the Center City Development Corporation, an affiliate entity of the Downtown Memphis Commission. Carl is Vice Chair of the Board of Commissioners for Memphis Light, Gas and Water. He is a member of the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Policy Makers Council (PMC). Carl serves on the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music Association Foundation Board of Directors and is Board Chair of the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music in Nashville, Tennessee.

Carl is a recipient of the 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026 Memphis Business Journal Power 100 recognition and the 2025 Crystal Award for Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year.

Carl graduated summa cum laude from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. He has more than 35 years of leadership experience with FedEx and UPS. Carl and his wife, Valerie, own De’Cor Day Salon Suite.

Milton Lovell is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Element40 Management, a family office based in Memphis. Milton previously served as the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of nexAir. Prior to joining nexAir, Milton practiced business and transactional law with Burch, Porter & Johnson.

At Memphis Art Museum, Milton is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, Chair of the Building Committee, and Co-Chair of the Endowment Committee. He previously chaired the Executive Director Search Committee. Milton is also the Vice Chair of the Presbyterian Day School Board of Trustees and serves on the Truist Bank Memphis Community Advisory Board and the Crosstown Redevelopment Cooperative Association Board of Directors. Milton was previously the Chair of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association Board of Directors.

Milton is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, New York University School of Law and Harvard Business School.

Mat Parker serves as Chief Operating Officer, Capital Markets of Hilltop Securities, where he leads strategy and execution across the fixed-income platform. He has worked for more than 30 years in capital markets roles in sales, sales training and executive management. Prior to Hilltop Securities, Mat served as Head of Fixed Income Sales at Raymond James and Head of Depository Sales at FHN Financial. Beyond his professional achievements, Mat currently serves as Treasurer and Co-Chair of the Finance Committee for Memphis Art Museum and has previously contributed to the museum through the Long-Range Planning, Architect Selection and Executive Director Search Committees.

A native Memphian, Mat is a graduate of Central High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Tanya Hart is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for First Horizon Corporation. She provides strategic leadership by articulating HR needs and plans to the executive management committee, shareholders and board of directors.

Hart oversees the development and execution of human resources strategy in support of the organization’s overall business plan and strategic direction, specifically in the areas of succession planning, talent management, change management, organizational and performance management, training and development, and compensation.

Hart is actively involved with a variety of civic and professional institutions. Her community outreach includes her role as Secretary and executive committee member of Memphis Art Museum. She is a previous member of the boards of directors of Junior Achievement of Memphis, New Memphis Institute and First 8 Memphis. She also serves as treasurer, board member, and chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee of the University of Memphis Foundation Board.

Hart’s achievements have earned her numerous accolades. She was honored as a Super Woman in Business by the Memphis Business Journal and named a Most Influential Black Executive in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine in 2022 and 2024. Additionally, she received the HR Impact Award from the Memphis Business Journal. Hart was also a member of First Horizon’s award-winning Most Powerful Women in Banking teams in 2022 and 2024.

Hart holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Memphis and a Master of Business Administration degree from Christian Brothers University. In addition to her professional studies, Hart earned the Certified Financial Planner® certification and the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designation. She is also a member of the Memphis, Tennessee Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

Belinda Anderson is passionate about her community and the volunteer work she loves. Belinda is also an independent event planner. She currently serves as a board commissioner on the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority and as a board member and executive board member for the Overton Park Shell, where she serves as Secretary. For the past five years, Belinda has served on the MooreTech College of Technology Board of Directors. Belinda currently serves on the Monogram Loves Kids Foundation Board. For the past seven years, she has served on the Leadership Memphis Board of Directors and Executive Board; her term ends in July 2025. She is also a member of the 2001 “best class ever” for Leadership Memphis. Belinda is a member of Regional One Hospital-One Club, a volunteer organization of 75 women who assist the hospital foundation in fundraising and in-hospital special events for staff and hospital partners. Belinda serves on the National Women’s Political Caucus Foundation Board.

Belinda has an annual event-planning venture called Vintage 901 Wine, Food and Music Festival, a nonprofit that gives proceeds to student scholarships for achievement and interest in culinary arts, viticulture/viniculture, oenology/enology or wine business.

She is an avid sports fan, so you can always find her at a football or basketball game. She also loves IndyCar racing. As a lover of all genres of music, Belinda attends many concerts, festivals and musical events for people of all ages. Belinda is married to Calvin, and they have two daughters, Lauren Anderson-King and Calley Anderson.

Jenna Bedsole is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at AutoZone.

Bedsole earned her B.A. from the University of Alabama and her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. She started her career with the Alabama-based firm Lloyd, Gray, Whitehead and Monroe PC, where she focused on education and employment litigation. She remained with the firm until 2011, when she joined the Birmingham office of Baker Donelson. In July 2021, she stepped into her most recent role as Managing Shareholder.

During her tenure with Baker Donelson, Bedsole was given an array of awards. She has received the Alabama State Bar’s Edward M. Patterson Servant Leadership Award and been recognized by the National Diversity Council as one of its “Top 15 Business Women in Alabama.” She has been named a “Woman to Watch” and “Best of the Bar” by the Birmingham Business Journal, and a woman who shapes the state by Birmingham Magazine. In 2015, Baker Donelson recognized her with its Susan E. Rich Women’s Initiative Award, which is given annually to a recipient who exemplifies ongoing commitment and effort to strengthen the role of female attorneys at the firm.

Bedsole is also the founder of Free Works Productions, a production company that makes documentaries. She was the executive producer and director of “Stand Up, Speak Out: The Nina Miglionico Story,” a feature film documentary on the life and legacy of one of the state’s first female attorneys, as well as “The Fight for the Noblest Democracy: Women’s Suffrage in Alabama,” which was selected for the 2020 Sidewalk Film Festival.

Nathan Bicks has been a lifelong participant in Memphis Art Museum. Beginning as a child, when his parents would bring him to art museums across the world, the museum always served as home base. From the basic visual literacy he acquired there, Nathan learned to appreciate artistic expression in all forms. After living in the Northeast for almost a decade, Nathan and his wife, Andrea Bienstock, returned to Memphis to start their legal careers and raise a family here. Nathan has been affiliated with Burch, Porter & Johnson for almost 40 years as a litigator and municipal law practitioner. He has been on the museum’s board for more than 15 years, serving in various capacities on the executive committee, including President. One of his most prized possessions is the model of the Titanic given to him at the completion of his term as Board President.

Gloria Roberts Boyland is an innovative global leader and operations transformation strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations increase value through breakthrough operations applications of automation, artificial intelligence, network optimization, data analytics, other advanced technologies, and quality management systems. Recently retired as Corporate Vice President, Operations & Service Support, FedEx Corporation, Gloria now lends her expertise to growth companies in the food distribution, autonomy, alternative energy and mobility sectors.

Mrs. Boyland currently serves on the boards of Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ: AUR), United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) and Vontier Corporation (NYSE: VNT). Previously, she served on the Board of Chesapeake Energy Corporation. In 2016, Mrs. Boyland was appointed to the U.S. Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.

Chiquilla Brown has been a registered nurse for more than 30 years. She has held leadership roles at College of the Mainland and Delgado Community College. She currently serves on the board of Memphis Art Museum and works as an adjunct clinical instructor at Baptist University. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps. She is married to Eric L. Brown and has two sons in college.

Nelda is co-owner of First Choice Sales & Marketing Group, a global consumer marketing firm, with her husband, Tyrone Burroughs. Nelda is deeply committed to the Memphis community. Beyond the business she and her husband built, Nelda acquired R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home so that this historic business would continue its legacy as an African American-owned operation. Since the acquisition, she has expanded its footprint to three locations. Additionally, the Burroughses are the owners of the Guthrie’s Fried Chicken franchise for West Tennessee and Mississippi.

Nelda’s commitment to Memphis extends beyond business, as she also dedicates her time to serving on the Board of Directors for Memphis Art Museum and the National Civil Rights Museum, and is a member of the Memphis (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Phi Lambda Omega Chapter, and Philanthropic Black Women of Memphis. Additionally, Nelda serves as Chairman of the Burroughs Foundation.

Nelda’s life mantra, “To whom much is given, much is required,” manifests itself through a deep commitment to philanthropy and community service, giving time as well as financial support. She and Tyrone are blessed to have three children and six beautiful grandchildren.

Kristi Carmichael, originally from Mobile, Alabama, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi, majoring in elementary education. Ms. Carmichael moved to Memphis after college and taught in the Memphis City School system for four years. Later, Kristi spent 13 years in pharmaceuticals. She is married to James Carmichael, and they share two children, Lucy and Henry. Kristi, informed by her early career teaching, is passionate about impactful education for all and access to art in schools and the broader community.

Until his recent retirement, Robert B. “Rob” Carter was Executive Vice President, FedEx Information Services and Chief Information Officer of FedEx Corporation. He was a member of the Executive Committee, which planned and executed the corporation’s strategic business activities. Carter also served as Co-President and Co-CEO of FedEx Services, the shared services entity responsible for sales, marketing, information technology and customer service.

Carter joined FedEx in 1993 and has more than 40 years of systems development and implementation experience. Carter was responsible for setting the technology direction of the FedEx applications, infrastructure and networks that provide around-the-clock and around-the-globe support for FedEx product offerings.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer and information science from the University of Florida and his MBA from the University of South Florida.

Carter has been awarded many industry accolades, including Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, Fortune Magazine’s Executive Dream Team, Forbes Magazine’s CIO Innovation Award, Information Week’s Chief of the Year Award, and is a charter inductee of CIO Magazine’s CIO Hall of Fame.

Carter also serves on the boards of directors of New York Life and Quest Diagnostics.

Trevia Chatman is President of Bank of America, Memphis. In this role, she is responsible for connecting clients, teammates and communities to the bank’s eight lines of business and the full power of the bank. She also directs efforts to deploy Bank of America’s philanthropic resources to help advance economic mobility and build strong communities. In addition to serving as President, Trevia is the Market Executive for Memphis.

Over the span of more than 20 years, Trevia has held several senior leadership roles, serving local, regional and national banks. She has experience in consumer banking, private banking, marketing, performance management and government relations. Trevia joined Bank of America in 2018 with a proven track record of success in growing market share by developing high-performing teams, driving revenue, establishing strong community relations and executing effective marketing strategies.

Trevia is a passionate advocate with a lifelong commitment to building a sustainable community. She collaborates with various nonprofits and city leaders to mobilize socioeconomic change through program development and implementation, fundraising and strategic planning. She serves on the Board of Trustees for Tennessee State University as an executive committee member, as well as on the boards of directors for the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, Memphis Art Museum and Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. She is an Executive in Residence for the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business, a New Memphis Fellow and graduate of the Leadership Tennessee Signature Program. Trevia’s advocacy and impact on the community have garnered recognition including the Memphis Grizzlies’ HBCU Empowerment Award, the Memphis Business Journal’s Super Woman in Business, Power 100 and Top 40 Under 40 awards.

Trevia is a native of Memphis. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Tennessee State University. She is married to Keith Chatman, and they proudly raise their three boys in Memphis.

An active volunteer in the Memphis community, Erica Stiff-Coopwood served as the first Black President of the Junior League of Memphis, where she led more than 1,200 volunteers in promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the Memphis community through their collective volunteerism. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs. Stiff-Coopwood and her husband, Reginald, founded the Midsouth Pay It Forward Campaign, raising more than $490,000 for restaurant and hotel employees directly impacted by COVID-19 closures.

Erica serves as a director on various executive boards, including the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Children’s Foundation of Memphis, Memphis Art Museum, and her beloved college alma mater, Agnes Scott College, where she chairs the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Prior to relocating to Memphis, Erica practiced as a corporate employment law and business litigator and served as a Tennessee Supreme Court law clerk to Justice Adolpho Birch.

Mrs. Stiff-Coopwood holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Agnes Scott College and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Erica is married to Reginald and is mom to five children: daughters Riley Nicole and Rebecca Anne and adult sons Reginald, Ryan and Reuben.

Deborah Craddock is a past partner of Southeastern Asset Management. She is a graduate of Rhodes College and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). She has previously served as Board Chair of Memphis Art Museum as well as Ballet Memphis and is currently Chair of the Rhodes College Board of Trustees. She has also served on the Board of MIFA and is currently Chair of the MIFA Investment Committee. Deborah served on the Architect Selection Committee for the new museum and as Chair of the Building Committee.

Brandice Daniel is a proud fashion outsider from Memphis, Tennessee. Daniel has experience in fashion buying and production and has a talent for bridging the gap for designers of color. In 2007, Daniel founded Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR). Ten years later, Daniel led the collaboration between HFR, Nike and LeBron James on the HFRxLBJ16 shoe, the first LeBron sneaker designed by and for women. The shoe sold out in less than five minutes. Since then, she has led partnerships with LVMH, Tommy Hilfiger, Tiffany & Co., Levi’s, Gap Inc., Tapestry and more. In 2020, Brandice started ICON360, a nonprofit organization that has donated more than $2 million to HBCU fashion departments and Black designers.

Her perspective on winning as a proud outsider has been shared on many stages, including TEDxMemphis, the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit and the Forbes CMO Summit. She has been a guest judge on Project Runway and a repeat guest on the Tamron Hall Show and The Drew Barrymore Show.

She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Good Morning America, ESSENCE Magazine, BET, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. In 2022, Brandice received the Alumni of the Year Award from the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Social Impact Award from Footwear News.

Brandice is a proud mom to Sky Daniel and wife to Richard Daniel.

Dr. Sonia Eden is a Detroit, Michigan, native and American Board of Neurological Surgery-certified neurosurgeon. She specializes in minimally invasive surgeries to treat conditions such as brain and spine tumors, traumatic spine injury, nerve ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sacroiliac joint fusions and more.

Dr. Eden earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University and went on to complete her medical degree and residency at the University of Michigan. Dr. Eden also completed a minimally invasive spine surgery fellowship in Memphis under Semmes Murphey neurosurgeon and board chairman Dr. Kevin Foley.

Dr. Eden is a member of multiple medical associations, including the AANS (American Association of Neurological Surgeons) and the CNS (Congress of Neurological Surgeons), where she was asked to participate in the Vanguard Leadership in Healthcare course. This year-long program empowers neurosurgeons to gain the skills and knowledge to become effective and impactful leaders in the field.

Along with her educational achievements, Dr. Eden has had a stellar career. Some of her career highlights include serving as Chief of Neurosurgery at Harper University Hospital, being elected as Interim Chair of Neurosurgery at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and authoring a textbook on the surgical treatment of the sacroiliac joint.

Dr. Eden is very passionate about the topic of health equity. Health equity is defined by the IOM (Institute of Medicine) as “providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location, and socioeconomic status.” She is a proud founding member of the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons, where she also serves as Vice President.

She enjoys a team-based, collaborative approach to healthcare and mentoring students and residents. She lives in Oxford, Mississippi, and practices from the Semmes Murphey Clinic Oxford location. She is proud to serve as a caretaker to her mother. She satisfies her childhood desire to be a veterinarian with a pet menagerie that includes a Weimaraner, a Bengal cat and an African grey parrot. She is also an avid collector of Black art.

Derek Fordjour was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Ghanaian parents. He is the recipient of the 2025 Gordon Parks Foundation Artist Fellowship and the 2023 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Spirit of the Dream Award, and previously served as the Alex Katz Chair in Painting at Cooper Union. He has received public commissions for the High Line and MTA Arts & Design in New York City and MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. Fordjour’s work is held in notable public collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Guggenheim Museum, and the Royal Collection in London, among others. His work has been reviewed in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times. A monograph of his work will be published by Phaidon in 2027.

He is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, earned a master’s degree in art education from Harvard University and an MFA in painting from Hunter College. He has served as a Visiting Critic at Yale and Columbia Universities. He is the founder of Contemporary Arts Memphis.

Gail George serves as an ex-officio member of the Board representing the membership of the Decorative Arts Trust, the support group that has played a major role in building a world-class decorative arts complement to the museum’s fine art collection since 1985. Ms. George is an organization development and corporate training professional who has applied her talents to a variety of roles within the Decorative Arts Trust, including Program Chair and President. Her consulting practice, GPG Consultants, provided services to health care, financial services, media and retail organizations in the U.S. and Canada. A Georgia native, Ms. George relocated from Washington, D.C., in 1989 and calls Memphis home.

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Adam Hanover is Co-Founder and CEO of Union Main Group, which owns and operates three businesses focused on essential home services, health care and energy efficiency, employing 1,500 people in cities across the U.S.

Adam was born and raised in Memphis. He attended Ridgeway High School, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and worked at Lazard Frères and The Carlyle Group. He left Carlyle to build Archer Systems, successfully selling it in 2018.

Adam and his wife, Isabel, are committed to advancing the city of Memphis economically and culturally as a healthy, secure and fun place to raise families and build lives.

Debi Arend Havner grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas, graduating from the University of Arkansas with a B.S., M.A. and postgraduate hours from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. Her interest in the arts began at a young age in the science department of the Bentonville public schools.

She relocated to Enid, Oklahoma, to teach hearing-impaired children and later owned a flower and landscape business. While in Enid, she served as President of the Enid-Phillips Symphony, Vice President of the Enid Chamber of Commerce, JWL, and a board director of the Oklahoma Art Institute.

After returning to Bentonville, she was Chair of the Bentonville Planning Commission and President of the Bentonville School Foundation. Debi is currently active at Crystal Bridges, having helped develop and establish a curatorial internship program. She was appointed to the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Commission and served as a trustee of AMFA. Her goals focus on city and urban community regional planning and quality of life.

In Memphis, she is active in the Memphis Garden Club and is a trustee and executive committee member of Memphis Art Museum.

Mr. Rodney B. Herenton is a founder and Co-Chief Executive of Channing Capital Management, LLC, a $4.5 billion investment management firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Herenton has more than 21 years of investment management experience. Formerly, he was a First Vice President within the Private Equity Fund-of-Funds Group at Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. Prior to this role, Mr. Herenton served as a First Vice President within Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.’s investment banking division, where he participated in more than 30 IPOs and secondary offerings for middle-market retail and consumer product companies. Prior to Morgan Keegan, Mr. Herenton was an Associate within the investment banking division at Bear Stearns, where he was responsible for deal execution of mergers and acquisitions, equity and high-yield bond transactions. Prior to Bear Stearns, Mr. Herenton was an Associate within the investment banking division at Lehman Brothers.

Mr. Herenton received a B.A. in Finance from Morehouse College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa, and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Lucia Heros is a Memphis-based entrepreneur and philanthropist whose career has been defined by creating meaningful impact across healthcare, education, the arts and business.

Lucia is an owner/partner of Café Las Flores, a family-owned, vertically integrated coffee company based in Nicaragua. The company represents generations of family commitment to coffee cultivation and production, overseeing the journey from farm to cup while emphasizing quality, sustainability and stewardship of the land.

She is also an owner/partner of InDev Care, a Memphis-based supported-living company dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. InDev Care has focused on creating opportunities for independence, dignity and enhanced quality of life while providing compassionate support to individuals and families throughout the region.

During her tenure with ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Lucia pioneered and launched the organization’s Hispanic Marketing and Fundraising programs. She created innovative strategies that expanded St. Jude’s reach within Hispanic communities across the United States and internationally. Her work included creating radiothons, developing national direct-mail campaigns, organizing international fundraising galas, cultivating celebrity and corporate partnerships, and producing television programs that increased awareness and support for the hospital’s mission. The program continues to thrive since its inception and is a benchmark for other national nonprofits.

Lucia brings a combination of entrepreneurial vision, strategic communications expertise and philanthropic leadership, and she is recognized for her ability to bring people together around a shared purpose and transform vision into action. A proud Nicaraguan and longtime Memphian, Lucia’s professional and volunteer work is rooted in her belief that meaningful change begins with relationships.

Penelope Huston serves as Chief Communications Officer for the City of Memphis, where she leads the city’s communications strategy with a focus on clarity, trust and public engagement. She brings extensive experience across public service, nonprofit, media and cultural institutions, with a career rooted in shaping narratives that inform and connect communities.

Prior to joining the City of Memphis, Penelope served as Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the Downtown Memphis Commission, where she helped guide the public image and momentum of the city’s urban core. She previously led marketing efforts for Memphis in May International Festival, supporting one of Memphis’ most significant cultural events; served as Advertising Director at Contemporary Media; and worked in Corporate Alliances at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, helping to build strategic partnerships in support of its global mission.

As a lifelong Memphian, she is deeply committed to the cultural and civic institutions that shape the city’s identity and future.

Barbara Rosser Hyde is Chair and CEO of the Hyde Family Foundation, where she is a passionate advocate for education reform at the local, state and national levels and a leader for place-based philanthropy in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Barbara graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar and later worked as executive director of the university’s Arts and Sciences Foundation. She served as national board chair for New York-based New Leaders and has been engaged on multiple local and national boards, including Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, Yale University Art Gallery, Teach For America and Memphis Art Museum. Currently, she is championing the effort to establish a new Memphis Art Museum in downtown Memphis, a move that will serve as an iconic cultural anchor to the city’s riverfront transformation.

Along with her husband, J.R. Hyde III, she has led the foundation they established together as a model for family foundations in the U.S. The Philanthropy Roundtable recognized the couple as recipients of the prestigious William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership in 2017.

Linda Ivy-Rosser is a Vice President at Forrester Research, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Linda’s global research portfolio serves technology and marketing executives. She is responsible for the strategic research plans for analysts who advise business and technology leaders on how to innovate, use customer obsession to accelerate business growth, and give C-suite leaders the confidence to put bold ideas into action and lead their organizations through disruption and change.

Prior to joining Forrester, Linda served as an Executive Leader at Smith & Nephew (S+N), a British multinational medical equipment and device company headquartered in England. Its advanced wound management, arthroscopy and orthopedic products are sold in more than 100 countries, with North American manufacturing in Andover, Massachusetts, and the largest of the manufacturing sites in Memphis, Tennessee. During her time at S+N, she led the company’s Global Operational Excellence Analytics and Business Insights Portfolio and managed the Software Applications Delivery and Operations functions. It was at Smith & Nephew where she also served as chair of the global Executive Women’s Alliance & Inclusion Network. Linda has more than 25 years of practitioner experience leading enterprise transformation, data and business intelligence practices, technology services and emerging platform solutions. She has spent her career in the financial services, pharma and life sciences industries.

Linda earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

She currently serves as a trustee on the Executive Board of Directors at Memphis Art Museum and on the Board of Directors for the Regional One Health Foundation. Linda is an advocate and supporter of the arts, education and healthcare services.

Linda, with her husband, Glenn, owned and operated Dessert Therapy Bakery in Germantown, Tennessee, before closing its doors in 2020. Linda and Glenn reside in Shelby County. Her sons live in their hometown in Ohio. Her daughter is a graduate of St. Mary’s Episcopal School and attends the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, c/o 2024–25.

She shares, “I’ve been in many rooms, but delight in the ones where humanity is celebrated.” Linda serves on the executive committee and continues to facilitate corporate and community partnerships that accelerate the museum’s transformation and expansion.

Joining Adams Keegan in May 1997, Jay currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company. He is the founder/director of The James Group, LLC and Staffline, LLC. Jay is also a founding partner of Mempho Music Festival, and his civic involvement includes membership in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Memphis Club, service as a Memphis Art Museum board member, past service as director of the Navy League Memphis, and association with New Memphis Institute. Jay holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado and a Master of Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill.

Kim MacQueen is a dedicated community leader with a longstanding history of volunteerism and board service in Memphis. She is a Rhodes College alumna, with a B.A. in Religion and Sociology, and has an M.A. in Education and College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. Kim has served in various leadership roles, including President of the Memphis Botanic Garden Board, President of the Junior League of Memphis, TNT President, Shelby County Books from Birth President, Memphis Library Foundation board member, and multiple positions with Girls Inc., among other organizations. She was a founding board member of Junkyard Memphis, an interactive arts initiative for teens in Memphis. Professionally, she held administrative roles at Rhodes College and The Sutherland Clinic and has been a part-time aquatics fitness instructor and swim coach. Kim enjoys gardening, horticulture, tennis, golf, cooking and travel, and continues to impact her community through her involvement with organizations like Memphis Art Museum and Radius Books, a nonprofit book publisher focused on providing a platform for diverse voices, publishing high-quality art books, and donating books to underfunded libraries and arts organizations.

Dr. Shanea McKinney serves the Tennessee and Georgia/Alabama markets in her role within Cigna Pharmacy Sales and Account Management as a Senior Clinical Pharmacy Consultant. Joining Cigna in 2019, in her current capacity, Shanea supports existing and prospective clients, providing pharmacy benefit performance management results and aligning targeted solutions to Cigna’s overall value proposition. Dr. McKinney is a native of Knoxville, moving to Memphis in 2001 to earn her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Memphis. She later matriculated to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy.

Dr. McKinney has a passion for active engagement in her professional and civic communities. Appointed by Governor Bill Lee, she currently serves on the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of Tennessee System. A Spring 2011 graduate of the New Memphis Institute and 2024 Leadership Memphis Executive Program graduate, Shanea has served on the Downtown Memphis Commission’s Downtown Mobility Authority since 2016, where she has held several leadership positions and is the immediate past Chair of the committee. She has previously served as co-chair of the Porter Goodwill Club for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis, is a devoted member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s Circle of Friends, serves as a board member of Memphis Art Museum, and is immediate past Board Chair for Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP).

Dr. McKinney is married to David E. McKinney, and they have a son, Gethers.

Logan serves as President of A2H — Engineers • Architects • Planners, a full-service planning and design firm serving public and private clients for the built environment. Founded in 1986, A2H is home to more than 100 employees. Headquartered in Lakeland, Tennessee, the firm operates out of five offices in the region. Logan is responsible for leading the company in strategy, day-to-day operations, and coordination of all in-house architecture and engineering disciplines. He also serves in a leadership role focused on enhancing ongoing relationships with clients and the business community.

Notable projects in the Memphis area that Logan has overseen include the new STEM Research and Classroom Building for the University of Memphis, the new Frayser Community High School in Memphis, the Memphis Health Center in downtown Memphis, Forest Hill Elementary School for the Germantown Municipal School District, the Methodist Medical Office Building in Olive Branch, the Baptist Medical Group Primary Care Clinic in Midtown Memphis, and numerous FedEx projects at the Memphis Hub and other campuses.

As a structural engineer, Logan participates in the engineering community statewide through his leadership in numerous organizations. He is a member and past President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee. He is a member and past President of the Tennessee Structural Engineers Association - West Region. He is a member and past Director of the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers - Memphis Chapter.

Beyond his leadership role at A2H, Logan is an active member of Memphis’ philanthropic, civic, arts and cultural community, serving as board member emeritus of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change, board member of Memphis Art Museum, past board member for the Urban Land Institute, and past President and current board member for RegionSmart. He is a current member of the University Club of Memphis.

Logan was born and raised in Missouri, received a Bachelor of Engineering from Vanderbilt University, and moved to Memphis in 2002. He currently lives in Memphis with his wife and their daughter.

Jeff Presley is the founder and chairman of SouthWorth Capital Management, a family office. As the architect of the firm’s investment strategy, Jeff has led the vision, discipline and long-term approach that define SouthWorth’s platform-building model.

Under his leadership, SouthWorth has successfully completed more than 100 acquisitions, building and scaling operating companies across multiple industries with a focus on long-term value creation, operational excellence and responsible growth. Jeff serves as a director across the firm’s investment platforms, partnering closely with leadership teams to guide strategy, capital allocation and governance.

Beyond SouthWorth, Jeff is deeply committed to the Memphis community. He serves on the board of the Memphis Zoo, the Board of Directors for the Greater Memphis Chamber, and the University of Memphis Foundation. A graduate of Memphis State University, Jeff and his wife, Hope, are proud parents of two children and grandparents to three grandchildren.

Dr. Sylvia Richey joined West Cancer Center as a hematology oncology specialist in January 2005. With a passion for her patients and a commitment to providing the best cancer care available to each patient she treats, it comes as no surprise that she is beloved by patients and staff. In 2017, she successfully led and built West Cancer Center’s Integrative Oncology program and now also leads clinical practice quality initiatives. Dr. Richey has recently been appointed Chief Medical Officer for West.

As CFO and Executive Vice President of FedEx Express, Ms. Ross was responsible for the company’s worldwide financial affairs, including financial planning, reporting and analysis, accounting and controls, global financial service centers, business technology, and long-range strategic planning. She was a member of the FedEx Express executive committee, which was composed of the company’s top executives and actively engaged in all major business decisions. Ms. Ross’ 30-year career with FedEx began in 1984 as a senior financial analyst, and she held roles of increasing responsibility with exposure to all areas of the company during her tenure at FedEx.

Prior to joining FedEx, Ms. Ross worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation in cost analysis and for a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble. She holds a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from the University of Memphis and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Christian Brothers University in Memphis.

Ms. Ross has extensive experience serving on public company boards, including her most recent service on the Board of Steelcase, Inc., from 2006 through December 2025.

Logan Scheidt joined the Memphis Art Museum Board in July 2022 as a way to continue his family’s legacy of celebrating Memphis’ diverse culture through inclusive avenues like the arts. As a native Memphian who was inspired by his grandparents’ lifelong passion for the city, Logan actively embraces ways to encourage growth and long-term opportunity. Beyond the museum, Logan is a dedicated residential real estate broker and an avid fan of both the University of Memphis Tigers and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gail Schledwitz is a lifelong Memphian dedicated to improving the city through her philanthropic efforts and service on numerous nonprofit boards. She is the proud mother of two daughters and grandmother to four grandchildren. She recently retired from a career in real estate that spanned interior design, home building and investment property management. She and her husband, Karl, are known for their involvement and commitment to making Memphis a better place.

Gail served on the Board of Directors for 14 years at Porter-Leath as they created their state-of-the-art early education academies and expanded to three locations. In 2017, she served as Board Chair over their $36 million budget. During her 15-year involvement, she helped raise significant capital for the nonprofit, primarily through hosting an annual fundraising dinner at her home. Gail and Karl recently funded Porter-Leath’s new preschool and Head Start academy in Frayser, in the neighborhood where Karl was raised. Last year, she joined the Board of Trustees for Porter-Leath. Gail also served as President of A Step Ahead Foundation from 2015 to 2016. While she was President, the foundation opened five offices across the state of Tennessee, helping provide long-acting reversible contraception to women to help them plan their families and lives. Gail has always had a passion for art. In the 1990s, she served as a docent at the museum for 10 years and also helped sell the paintings of a local artist. She is excited about the next chapter at Memphis Art Museum under the leadership of Zoe Kahr and the vision of making the museum inviting to all people.

Melyne works for Johnson & Johnson and has enjoyed a 26-year career there. She has been a member of the museum and the Brooks Women’s League since 1992. In her free time, she volunteers weekly to increase literacy for second graders at Dunbar Elementary School. She is a past board member at Case Management, Inc. Melyne and her husband, Jim, have two children and love living in Memphis.

Jason Wexler joined the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013 and currently serves as President, with responsibilities for the Grizzlies organization and FedExForum. His previous roles with the team include President of Business Operations and Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to the Grizzlies, Wexler served as President of the Henry Turley Company, where he was responsible for spearheading efforts to realize compelling city-center development initiatives and managing the day-to-day operations of a full-service real estate firm.

Before that, he founded the real estate development and investment firm Greenhat Partners LLC and was a partner in the Memphis law firm of Hanover, Walsh, Jalenak and Blair, PLLC.

Wexler currently serves on the Board of Directors for Neighborhood Preservation, Inc., the Memphis Brand Initiative and the Grizzlies Foundation.

Wexler earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School.

David has more than 30 years of corporate management, finance and private equity investing experience. He is currently a partner at Collins Willmott & Co., a private equity investment firm. Prior to co-founding Collins Willmott & Co., he was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Blount International, a global manufacturing company and leader in the outdoor power equipment and agricultural equipment sectors. Previously, David was a Managing Director of Lehman Brothers and a partner of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking funds, and a financial analyst in the Investment Banking Division of Merrill Lynch & Co.

David has served on various corporate boards, including Axial1 Performance Science, Elements Contracting, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Blount International (formerly NYSE: BLT), Evergreen Copyright Acquisitions, Cross Holdings, Superior Highwall Miners, The Hunter Fan Company and CP Kelco.

David is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics, a former trustee of the Portland Art Museum, where he served as audit committee chair, and has served as Co-Chair of the Williams College Alumni Fund. David earned a B.A. in History from Williams College and an M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Tate Wilson is the CEO of the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, where she leads the foundation’s mission to strengthen families and invest in thriving neighborhoods in Memphis. Tate’s career has centered on using philanthropy as a catalyst for long-term, community-led change, bringing together nonprofits, civic leaders and investors to tackle complex challenges such as health equity, educational access and neighborhood revitalization. Tate brings a systems-level perspective shaped by hands-on experience in grantmaking, impact investing and collaborative community development. Before joining the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, Tate founded and led Eliza Tate Event Design, an event-planning firm based in Memphis.

Living and working in Memphis is central to Tate’s identity. She is a proud Memphian, one who loves her city and its rich culture, creativity and resilience. Tate is an Echols Scholar graduate of the University of Virginia. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four boys, exploring Memphis neighborhoods, and supporting the city’s arts and music scene. Tate serves on the boards of the Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee, Baptist Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Memphis Art Museum, Memphis Delta Prep Charter School, Tennessee Career Academy, and the University of Tennessee’s Population Health Consortium.

Amy Wright is the co-founder and CEO of Macro Solutions, an information technology consulting company focused on enterprise application and agile solutions. She founded Macro Solutions in 2000 and has grown the company from a small consulting practice to a leading provider of technology services. Macro Solutions was included in the 2016 Inc. 500 list and was recognized by both Washington CEO magazine and Bisnow as one of the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C., region. She has a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Georgetown University.

Amy also believes in giving back to the community. She currently serves on the Alumni Board of Managers for the University of Virginia and the Board of Directors of DC BUILD, a nonprofit entity dedicated to providing at-risk kids a path toward high school graduation and college, and she also serves on the Americana Music Association Board. In addition, Amy is an avid musician, and she and her husband founded DittyTV, an internet-based television network focused on Americana and roots music.

Amy grew up in Memphis and graduated from Lausanne Collegiate School. She and her husband, Ronnie, have a home on South Main Street as well as in D.C., because she commutes regularly to Washington.

Dr. Zoe Kahr has served as the Executive Director of Memphis Art Museum (MAM) since 2022. Founded in 1916, MAM is the City of Memphis’ art museum and the largest and oldest museum in the Mid-South, with a collection of over 10,000 objects reflecting more than 5,000 years of human creativity. The museum opens its new home designed by Herzog & de Meuron on the banks of the Mississippi River in December 2026.

Under Dr. Kahr’s leadership, the museum has increased attendance by 40% and doubled its endowment. During her tenure, the museum has organized a number of groundbreaking exhibitions, including Harmonia Rosales: Master Narrative (2023), Tommy Kha: The Eye Is Another (2023), Andrea Morales: Roll Down Like Water (2024), and Memphis College of Art, 1936–2021: An Enduring Legacy (2025). She has also quadrupled the museum’s events and public programs, introducing initiatives such as Super Saturdays, a free weekly drop-in art program; summer camps; and Inspired Aging, a focused series of art-making classes for older adults, among many others. In addition, Dr. Kahr has overseen major acquisitions, including works by Derek Fordjour, Ebony G. Patterson, Jordan Casteel, and John Rhoden, as well as an important stained glass window by the Henry Sharp Studio. She has further initiated transformative partnerships, including leading a cohort of Southeastern art museums in organizing collaborative exhibitions drawn from their respective collections, supported by the Art Bridges Foundation, and establishing a long-term partnership with the National Civil Rights Museum to oversee the digitization, archiving, and care of the Hooks Brothers Photographic Archive, supported by the Mellon Foundation.

Prior to her time in Memphis, Dr. Kahr was the Deputy Director for Curatorial and Planning at the Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA), the largest museum in the Western US, where she oversaw LACMA's award-winning and innovative artistic program. Dr. Kahr has produced over 300 exhibitions, including Children of the Plumed Serpent: The Legacy of Quetzalcoatl (2012), Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters (2016), and Betye Saar: Call and Response (2019). She initiated new partnerships to bring LACMA’s projects to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile, as well as to tour LACMA’s collections within greater Los Angeles, expanding access to LACMA’s programs. Dr. Kahr oversaw the gallery design and curatorial process for LACMA’s new 350,000 SF facility, which will open April 2026, and secured significant funding for the project.

Before coming to LACMA in 2010, she served as Assistant Director of Exhibition Planning at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She currently serves as an Accreditation Visiting Committee Member and Museum Assessment Program Peer Reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums. She holds a BA in Art History (Magna Cum Laude), and an MBA with a specialization in Nonprofit Management from Yale University, as well as a PhD in Art History from University College London.

As Senior Director of Financial Planning & Operations, Marciana brings nearly 30 years of experience in museum administration, bridging operations, programming, and financial management to create efficiencies and foster institutional growth.

Prior to coming to the MBMA in 2024, Marciana served as Senior Financial Analyst at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), where she oversaw over $35M in annual operating budgets. She also coordinated the management of the capital budget of $750M for the 350,000 SF David Geffen galleries that opened in 2026.

Prior to LACMA, Marciana oversaw budgets and administration within the National Gallery of Art’s Operations & Facility Planning Department.

Patricia Lee Daigle is Chief Curator at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art (MBMA), where she leads the curatorial department and specializes in modern and contemporary art. Prior to this role, she served as MBMA Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art between 2021 and 2025. At MBMA, she has curated numerous exhibitions including Suchitra Mattai: with abundance we meet (2025), Harmonia Rosales: Master Narrative (2023), and Tommy Kha: Eye is Another (2023). She has also served as site curator for traveling exhibitions such as Christian Siriano: People Are People (organized by SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film) and Black American Portraits (organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art).

From 2015-2020, Patricia was Director of The Martha and Robert Fogelman Galleries of Contemporary Art at The University of Memphis, organizing solo exhibitions featuring the work of Virginia Overton, Jefferson Pinder, Umar Rashid, and others. She has also held curatorial positions at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Patricia has written for numerous exhibition catalogues and other publications. She holds a Ph.D. in the History of Art and Architecture from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a specialization in race and representation in twentieth-century American art.

Jennifer Draffen, Director of Collections, Exhibitions, and Publications, joined MBMA in 2020. She was most recently the Assistant Director at the Art Museum of the University of Memphis (AMUM). Before moving to Memphis, Jennifer served as the Executive Director for Exhibitions and Registration at the Art Institute of Chicago, where she managed 26 staff members, a budget of $6M, and oversaw 25 exhibitions annually along with the preservation and documentation of over 275,000 artworks. Prior to AIC, she worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago for 14 years, serving as Registrar and then Director of Collection and Exhibition Services.

Kathy Dumlao is the Director of Education & Interpretation at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, having served in several roles at the museum since 2000. In that time, Kathy has overseen school and teacher programs as well as programming for youth and families. While managing the staff and docents of the education department, Kathy currently oversees the museum’s Art Therapy Access Program and serves as a member of the museum leadership team.

In addition to her work at the museum, Kathy served on the board of the Tennessee Art Education Association (TAEA) from 2009 to 2021. She was awarded TAEA’s Museum Educator of the Year in 2009, and the State Art Educator of the Year in 2023. In 2023, Kathy was awarded National Art Education Association’s (NAEA) Southeastern Museum Educator of the Year. She served as the NAEA Museum Division Director-elect from 2023 to 2025, and Division Director from 2025 to 2027.

Johnny Hill has served in many positions within the Operations Department over the past 28 years. Johnny has developed a range of experiences over his career that includes, Security Management, Law Enforcement, HVAC Mechanical Systems, Life Safety, Emergency Management, Project Management and Urban Forestry. He oversees staff in both Building Engineering and Museum Security. Johnny also manages his department's fiscal budgets. Johnny develops and manages all Capital Improvement projects for the museum that are funded by the City of Memphis. He attended Rice College and State Technical College in Memphis, Tn.  Johnny believes that, "Growth and development of people is the highest calling of Leadership.

Jeff Rhodin has led marketing for titans of industry, cultural institutions, and billions in real estate development. He is driven by outcomes but is most proud of mapping collaborative strategies that meet the needs of many business functions, always keeping audience and customer front of mind. As a marketer, Jeff believes in platforming the strengths of the people and programs that make an organization great. By leveraging this authenticity, he and his teams keep existing customers engaged while providing multiple inroads for new and diverse audiences.

Shawn Taylor is the Director of Fiscal Services & Administration at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. He brings 30 years of accounting and finance experience, including 20 years in the nonprofit sector. Most recently, Shawn served as Chief Financial Officer of the Memphis Leadership Foundation. He previously spent 11 years at the Memphis Bioworks Foundation and has led financial operations for Memphis-area nonprofits with annual budgets ranging from $1 million to $30 million.

Shawn is committed to helping organizations fulfill their missions through compassionate leadership, integrity, clear communication and adaptability.

Melissa Whitby (she/her) is the Chief Development Officer for Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. With more than twenty years of leadership in the philanthropic landscape, Melissa is responsible for all major Museum fundraising efforts, as well as special-interest groups, major donors, corporations and foundations.

With an MA and BA in social work, Melissa is committed to continuous growth and learning and is certified as a Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy (CAP).