The Sycamore Institute announced today a new hire, two new board members, and a new board president.
“Sycamore’s neutral and objective approach to analyzing Tennessee’s public policy challenges has earned us a large and growing audience,” said Executive Director Laura Berlind. “Expanding to five full-time staff and adding these new board members will increase our reach and capacity to engage with Tennesseans across the state. We aim to help everyone, regardless of expertise or political perspective, grapple with issues that affect and connect Tennesseans’ health and prosperity.”
Seb Rougemont has joined Sycamore as its first operations and engagement coordinator. He will support all aspects of Sycamore’s daily operations and statewide communications and community engagement. Seb previously worked as regional field director for the Nevada Republican Party during the 2018 election cycle and as a field organizer for the Republican Party of Florida during the 2016 cycle.
Sycamore has also welcomed two new board members in 2019, Sheila Calloway and Pamela Carter.
Judge Sheila Calloway is the juvenile court judge for Davidson County. A two-time graduate of Vanderbilt University, Judge Calloway worked at the Metropolitan Nashville Public Defender’s Office after law school and then as a juvenile court magistrate before winning election to her current position in 2014. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University Law School and at Belmont University’s College of Law.
Pamela Carter is a retired executive of Cummins Inc. and former attorney general of Indiana. She was the first African American woman elected as a state attorney general in the United States, winning in 1992 as the Democratic nominee. After her term expired, Pamela joined Cummins, a global Fortune 200 company, and rose to lead its second largest business unit. She moved to Nashville in 2005 and is chair-elect of the Nashville Symphony Board.
In addition, Jason Rogers takes over the role of board president from Jim Bryson. Jason is vice president for administration and university counsel at Belmont University. Jim, who continues to serve on the board, is the founder/president of 20|20 Research, Inc. and a former Tennessee state senator and Republican nominee for governor.
Christi Branscom of Knoxville was also elected to Sycamore’s board in November 2018 but stepped down after Governor Bill Lee named her commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services.
Full bios for every Sycamore staff and board member are available here.
