Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians honored Rebecca Ashford, Ed.D., president of Chattanooga State Community College, at the annual Trefoil Society Luncheon, which recognizes women who exemplify the spirit of Girl Scouting.
The luncheon was held at the Waterhouse Pavilion Nov. 6.
“Dr. Rebecca Ashford is a role model who demonstrates how much young women can achieve,” says Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians. “She’s a great example of a community leader who inspires future generations.”
Ashford has served as president of Chattanooga State Community College since 2017. She was named a Greater Chattanooga Woman of Distinction in 2022. Ashford is a member of the Chattanooga Area Chamber board of directors and executive committee and serves on a number of other boards including The Enterprise Center, Southeast Development District, Austin Hatcher Foundation and the River City Company.
The Trefoil Society Luncheon is named after the trefoil-shaped pin that Girl Scouts receive to symbolize the acceptance of ethical values. The events are held in the fall in the three regions of Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians to pay tribute to a distinguished woman who’s exemplified herself as a leader in her community.
Preserve Chattanooga taps development manager
The support of the Lyndhurst Foundation has allowed historic preservation organization Preserve Chattanooga to hire Bea Lurie as its first development manager.
Drawing on her expertise in fund development and fundraising, Lurie will raise the money needed to expand the impact of Preserve Chattanooga by identifying new partnerships and protecting historic assets that are not currently protected in commercial and residential neighborhoods.
As part of the Lyndhurst Foundation’s support, Preserve Chattanooga will work in partnership with the Chattanooga Hamilton County Regional Plan Association to update Hamilton County’s 1977 Preservation Plan and lay out a community-based road map for expanded areas of impact.
“When a historically significant place is destroyed through neglect or demolition, it’s gone forever,” Lurie says. “Every loss diminishes our city’s unique character. However, historic places that are maintained and utilized present valuable economic, environmental and cultural benefits for everyone and are a draw for tourists.
“Through preservation, Chattanoogans are good stewards of the architectural gifts we’ve been blessed to inherit for ourselves and future generations.”
Lurie is a former CEO of Girls Inc. of Chattanooga. She brings to Preserve Chattanooga a passion for historic preservation that began in her teens.
Since moving to Chattanooga, Lurie has served on the board of Cornerstones and overseen the accurate restoration of her home in historic Fort Wood, where she’s serving as a board member of the neighborhood association.
Lurie is the co-author of “Life Must Go On: The Remarkable Story of Sol Lurie, the Kovno Ghetto, and the Tragic Fate of Lithuania’s Jews.” Pegasus Books will publish the book next summer.
First Horizon selects Seay as sales officer
First Horizon Bank recently tapped Abby Seay to serve as its treasury management sales officer in Chattanooga.
Seay brings over a decade of experience in the sales, banking and finance industries to the role. In her new position, she’ll be managing existing relationships and building new treasury relationships in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas.
Seay earned her bachelor’s degree at Tennessee State University. She’s active in the community and has volunteered with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.
A Chattanooga native, Seay enjoys spending time with her children, trying new restaurants and traveling.
CHI Memorial names new chief medical officer
Dr. C. Lee Jackson is the new chief medical officer at CHI Memorial. Jackson has served as a physician leader within CHI for many years.
Jackson’s service includes 32 years as a urologist and developer in the field of robotic surgery. He was a pioneer in robotic prostatectomy procedures and helped to develop CHI Memorial’s robotics program.
Jackson was one of the early adopters of the da Vinci robotic surgical system more than 20 years ago and began the robotics program at the Cleveland Clinic Florida while serving as head of the Department of Urology.
Before becoming chief medical officer at CHI Memorial, Jackson served as a physician adviser and medical director of surgical services at CHI Memorial. Most recently, he played a role in developing the hospital’s Supportive Peer program, which provides a space for providers to discuss emotionally stressful events and situations.
Jackson is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor and completed a urology residency and fellowship in renal transplantation and renovascular surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio.
He’s also held leadership positions such as medical director of CHI Memorial Urologic Oncology and associate chief of staff at Cleveland Clinic Florida.
Hamilton County Schools announces new leadership
Hamilton County Schools has selected Robin Bambrey to serve as its new director of elementary teaching and learning and Talley Caldwell to become the new principal of Hardy Elementary School.
Bambrey holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s in elementary education from York College of Pennsylvania. She will bring over two decades of experience to her new role.
During her tenure as principal at Hardy Elementary, Bambrey collaborated with instructional teams to analyze testing data, resulting in a rise in TVAAS scores and improved proficiency on state assessments.
Bambrey’s previous roles as an assistant principal and a literacy coach highlight her expertise in literacy and curriculum development. At Barger Academy, Bambrey led efforts that boosted reading proficiency and implemented differentiated reading instruction.
Caldwell is a graduate of the HCS Principal LEAD preparation program. He earned a Bachelor of Science in health, physical education and recreation from Tennessee Wesleyan College and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Carson Newman University.
While serving as assistant principal at Brainerd High, Caldwell spearheaded the Success Academy for ninth graders, which used assessment data from TNReady, ACT and other benchmarks to develop targeted learning strategies.