Erlanger Family Medicine has welcomed four new physicians to its primary care team: Dr. Sierra Armbrust, Dr. Christian Givens, Dr. Lindsay Moore and Dr. Ethan Zimmerman, expanding access to primary care services across the Tennessee Valley.
Armbrust is board-certified in family medicine and specializes in preventive and lifestyle medicine, women’s health, acute care, office-based procedures and chronic disease management. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and her medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia, and is accepting new patients at Erlanger Primary Care – Volkswagen Drive in Chattanooga.
Givens, a Middle Tennessee native, was inspired to pursue medicine following his sister’s battle with neuroblastoma. He earned his undergraduate degree from East Tennessee State University and his medical degree from St. George’s University, completing clinical rotations across the United States. He completed his residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science College of Medicine in Chattanooga and is accepting new patients at Erlanger Primary Care – Ooltewah.
Moore is a board-certified family medicine physician with a focus on geriatrics, women’s health and preventive medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and her medical degree from East Tennessee State University. She completed her residency training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Nashville and is accepting new patients at Erlanger Family Medicine on East Third Street in Chattanooga.
Zimmerman, originally from North Carolina, earned his undergraduate degree from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, and his medical degree from the University of Kentucky. He completed his residency at SIHF Healthcare and a fellowship at the University of North Carolina Family Medicine Center at Chapel Hill. A U.S. Air Force veteran with more than 13 years of service, Zimmerman specializes in comprehensive family medicine and preventive care and is accepting new patients at Erlanger North Family Medicine in Chattanooga.
Two local leaders graduate FBI Academy
Two law enforcement leaders from Hamilton County are among a select group of officers worldwide to graduate from the FBI National Academy, completing the prestigious program this week at the FBI Training Facility in Quantico, Virginia.
Collegedale Police Lt. Robert Hirko and Chattanooga Police Capt. Heather Williams both graduated from the academy’s 296th session, an executive-level program that accepts fewer than 1% of law enforcement officers globally.
Hirko’s graduation marks a historic milestone for the Collegedale Police Department. In the department’s nearly 60-year history, he’s the first officer selected to attend the FBI National Academy, a distinction city leaders say reflects his professionalism, work ethic and leadership.
Founded in 1935, the FBI National Academy is internationally recognized for preparing senior law enforcement leaders. The 296th session included 254 participants representing 47 states, the District of Columbia, 24 other countries, four military organizations and two civilian organizations. Participants trained alongside command-level officers from across the United States and around the world.
During the intensive 10- to 11-week program, Hirko and Williams completed graduate-level coursework in leadership, advanced communication, behavioral science, crisis management, intelligence theory, forensic techniques and physical fitness. Instruction is provided by FBI Academy instructors, special agents and staff members holding advanced degrees.
Hirko brings extensive experience to the program, serving as a division commander with the Collegedale Police Department and participating in multiple state and federal task forces and initiatives. Department leaders say his completion of the academy will bring tangible benefits to the community, strengthening leadership capacity, investigative effectiveness and overall preparedness.
With focused training in ethical decision-making, incident management, behavioral science and violent crime analysis, Hirko is expected to enhance the department’s ability to respond to critical incidents, prevent and solve complex cases and apply modern, research-based policing practices.
The professional relationships developed at the academy also provide Collegedale with expanded access to shared intelligence, specialized resourcesx and coordinated support during major investigations or emergencies.
In Chattanooga, Williams joins a long line of senior leaders who have completed the academy, but her experience, she said, was both challenging and rewarding.
“Graduating from the FBI National Academy was both humbling and empowering, challenging me professionally and personally,” Williams says. “I’m deeply thankful for the opportunity and for the relationships built along the way, and I look forward to bringing those lessons back to Chattanooga to better support our officers, their families and the community we serve.”
Since its establishment, the FBI National Academy has graduated more than 56,000 law enforcement leaders. The program is conducted at the same Quantico facility where the FBI trains new special agents and intelligence analysts.
Both departments emphasized that the academy’s training and national and international networking opportunities strengthen local law enforcement agencies long after graduation. Collegedale officials said they remain committed to expanding advanced training opportunities for officers in the future, while Chattanooga leaders highlighted the value of bringing national best practices back to the city.
UTC vice chancellor announces retirement
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann has announced his retirement, effective at the end of December, concluding nearly a decade of service to the University.
Mann joined UTC in 2015 and has played a central role in strengthening the university’s research enterprise by building faculty capacity, expanding external funding, deepening community partnerships and advancing strategic initiatives tied to regional innovation and workforce development. He was appointed vice chancellor for research in January 2024 after previously serving as deputy vice chancellor for research.
Under his leadership, UTC expanded its research portfolio, advanced interdisciplinary collaborations and launched its Quantum Initiative, a key component of its growing research identity.
“Reinhold Mann’s significant impact on our research mission will be felt for years to come,” UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce said, citing his work strengthening partnerships across the UT System and with Oak Ridge National Laboratory while supporting faculty innovation.
Before joining UTC, Mann built an international reputation in computational, environmental and biological sciences. His career included serving as senior vice president for research and development at Battelle Science and Technology Malaysia, as well as holding several senior leadership roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including director of the Biological and Environmental Sciences Directorate. He later served as deputy laboratory director for science and technology, chief research officer and associate laboratory director for fundamental science at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Mann came to UTC from Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, where he served as associate laboratory director for environmental, biological and computational sciences, overseeing research and development programs across multiple scientific disciplines.
He holds a Diplom-Mathematiker degree (a German university degree in mathematics equivalent to a master’s degree) and a doctor rerum naturalium in physics (a German-language doctoral degree in natural sciences equivalent to a doctorate in English-speaking countries) from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, and completed postdoctoral work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory through a Feodor Lynen Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
CMS honors Exum for volunteer work
The Courthouse Indigent Mediation Service (CIMS) has named Jim Exum III its December Volunteer of the Month in recognition of his service as a mediator in both General Sessions Court and Circuit Court.
“Jim is an excellent mediator who has tirelessly dedicated his mediation services in general sessions court and circuit court,” says Tracy Cox, CIMS coordinator. “His willingness to serve in both of these courts is a testament to his outstanding character.”
Exum is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed general civil and family mediator and regularly provides mediation services to individuals who cannot afford private legal representation. He says mediation often offers participants a quicker, more practical resolution.
“I encourage my fellow attorneys to become involved in the CIMS program as it’s a great way to help those who cannot afford our services.”
In his law practice, Exum focuses on government and municipal litigation and serves as an administrative hearing officer for multiple local municipalities.
He frequently represents clients in Tennessee and Georgia facing government investigations and potential criminal liability and also represents a national police union advocating for the rights of first responders.
In addition, he counsels individuals and families in domestic divorce and child custody matters.
Chambliss adds Lodico, Lea to litigation practice
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. has welcomed attorneys Jennifer Lea and Susie Lodico to the firm’s litigation practice, strengthening its capacity to serve clients across a wide range of complex legal matters.
Lea brings more than 15 years of experience as a state and federal prosecutor and international human rights lawyer. Her practice includes criminal and human rights matters, labor and employment law, family law, health care regulation and civil litigation. She also represents health care providers in qui tam actions, white-collar criminal defense, licensing and payment disputes, and fraud and abuse litigation.
Before joining Chambliss, Lea held a senior role litigating cases before the European Court of Human Rights and has appeared before the Supreme Courts of Tennessee and Virginia, the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
As a federal prosecutor and leader within the Department of War, she managed cases involving elected officials, corporations and international criminal activity. Her honors include the Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal.
Lea is a member of the Tennessee and Virginia Bar Associations and serves on the boards of several French nonprofit organizations.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Covenant College, a Master of Arts in international affairs from The American University of Paris and Institut Catholique de Paris and a Juris Doctor from the William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law.
She is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Virginia.
Lodico focuses her practice on complex commercial and business litigation, representing individuals and companies in disputes involving contracts, property rights, construction matters and related commercial conflicts.
Lodico is a member of the Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar Associations. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law and is admitted to practice in Tennessee.