NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 16, 2024) — The Sycamore Institute announced today the formation of a new advisory group for the organization known as the Community Council. The first 20 members of this group include key public, private, and nonprofit sector leaders from across the state who represent Tennesseans’ wide-ranging experiences and perspectives. Sycamore will convene the council periodically throughout each year to solicit feedback and insights that inform the organization’s work and to foster greater cross-sector collaboration between council members and the entities they represent.
Current Community Council Members
Roshun Austin
President & CEO
The Works, Inc.
Jake Bynum
Mayor
Weakley County
Mark Cruise
Director
STRONG Accountable Care Community
Tammy Deiter
Senior Manager, Government Relations
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN
Kim Carpenter Drake
Director
Middle Tennessee Donors Forum
Ryan Egly
President & CEO
Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
Steven Gentile
Executive Director
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Ardena Garth Hicks
President
Chattanooga Endeavors
Michael Hendrix
Policy Director
Office of Governor Bill Lee
Danielle Inez
Director of Innovation and Performance
Shelby County Government
Candy Johnson
CEO
Urban League of Greater Chattanooga
Jeff McCord
President
Northeast State Community College
Vonda McDaniel
President
Central Labor Council of Middle TN
Leslie Meehan
Deputy Commissioner
Tennessee Department of Health
Amy Nolan
Vice President of Regional Enhancement
Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
Gini Pupo-Walker
Executive Director
The Education Trust – Tennessee
Matt Ryerson
President & CEO
United Way of Greater Knoxville
Haley Simmons
Chief Policy Officer
City of Memphis
Josh Spickler
Executive Director
Just City
Jacy Warrell
Chief Executive Officer
Rural Health Association of Tennessee
The Sycamore Institute is an independent, nonpartisan organization that helps Tennesseans identify, understand, and solve big challenges with impartial analysis of data and evidence. With leadership and staff from across the political spectrum, Sycamore provides accessible, reliable information in pursuit of sound, sustainable policies that improve the lives of all Tennesseans.
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