Girls Inc. of Chattanooga has announced the 2026 Sole Award recipients, honoring organizations and leaders whose work creates pathways for families to thrive across the region.
The honorees will be recognized at the Sapphire Sneaker Gala Saturday, May 16, 7 p.m., at The Signal.
The 2026 Advocacy Sole Award will be presented to La Paz Chattanooga for its longstanding advocacy on behalf of Latino families and immigrants through education and access to critical resources.
The Education Sole Award will honor Dr. Rebecca Ashford, president of Chattanooga State Community College, in recognition of her leadership in expanding access to higher education, advancing workforce development and positioning education as a driver of economic mobility.
The Entrepreneurship Sole Award will recognize The Chattery, co-founded by Shawanda Mason and Jennifer Holder, for cultivating creativity, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning while strengthening community connections.
The Sapphire Sneaker Gala is a signature fundraiser in which guests trade heels for sneakers in a collective recognition of the importance of investing in families. Proceeds support Girls Inc. programming serving families across Hamilton and Marion counties.
The 2026 gala coincides with Girls Inc. of Chattanooga’s 65th anniversary and carries a fundraising goal of $300,000 to sustain programs that have served more than 40,000 girls and their families over the organization’s history.
Call named new bankruptcy court clerk
Christopher Call has been appointed clerk of court for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He succeeds William Magill, who retired Jan. 31.
The clerk of court serves as the chief administrative officer for the bankruptcy court, overseeing court administration and operations. Call was selected by the bankruptcy judges of the Eastern District, including Chief Judge Suzanne Bauknight, Judge Nicholas Whittenburg and Judge Rachel Ralston Mancl. He assumes the role Feb. 1.
Call has served as chief deputy clerk since 2021 and previously worked as career law clerk to Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Rucker after moving to Chattanooga in 2015. His legal career also includes clerkships with Judge Steven Stafford of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Judge Jeffrey Bivins of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and U.S. Magistrate Judge Juliet Griffin in the Middle District of Tennessee.
Call earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Bauknight praised Call’s leadership and experience, citing his service to the court during a period of increasing caseloads and resource challenges.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee serves 41 counties with courthouses in Chattanooga, Greeneville, Knoxville and Winchester.
ArtsBuild names advocacy lead
ArtsBuild has announced the addition of Christina Sacco as the organization’s new arts impact coordinator, a role focused on leading advocacy efforts and strengthening public and legislative support for the nonprofit arts sector.
Sacco will develop and implement advocacy strategies, promote arts-related policy initiatives and expand civic engagement across the arts community. She will also serve as ArtsBuild’s primary connection to Tennesseans for the Arts and Americans for the Arts and will lead new advocacy initiatives, including workshops and a public-facing committee.
In addition, Sacco will coordinate local advocacy events such as Arts Week and Arts Advocacy Day in Hamilton County. Planning is already underway for this year’s Arts Week, which will feature arts-related events across the community and conclude with the 4 Bridges Arts Festival.
Chattanooga 2.0 selcts Stewart for director
Chattanooga 2.0 has named Dr. Sonia Stewart, deputy superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, as its next executive director.
Stewart was selected following a national search led by a cross-sector committee and was chosen for her experience leading complex, data-driven education systems. Chattanooga 2.0 is a nonprofit backbone organization focused on strengthening education and career pathways for children and families from birth through workforce entry.
During her tenure with Hamilton County Schools, Stewart helped strengthen instructional and leadership systems and led the development of the district’s Academic Press and Personalization framework. She also oversaw initiatives including early literacy expansion, principal leadership pipelines, ninth-grade academies and community partnerships, contributing to gains in student achievement, attendance and graduation rates.
As executive director, Stewart will guide Chattanooga 2.0’s cradle-to-career work, including its focus on early childhood access, early literacy, college and career savings and education-to-workforce pathways. She will also oversee the organization’s participation in the Wallace Foundation’s “Advancing Opportunities for Adolescents” initiative.
Morgan Stanley promotes Chattanooga adviser
Morgan Stanley has promoted Mike Crowder, a financial adviser in the firm’s Wealth Management office in Chattanooga, to first vice president.
Crowder, a Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, has been with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management since 2009. A Chattanooga native, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Crowder lives on Signal Mountain with his family and works with clients throughout the region.
Tennessee American names operations leaders
Tennessee American Water has appointed Keith Hillard as vice president of operations and Megan Catalina as director of operations.
Hillard will assume the vice president role effective Jan. 19, overseeing statewide operations including water quality, health and safety, project management and service delivery. He will report to President Grant Evitts.
Hillard brings nearly 40 years of industry experience, having begun his career in 1987 and most recently serving as senior manager of operations for the Chattanooga district, where he managed distribution operations and the meter department.
Catalina has been named director of operations and will report to Hillard. In her new role, she will lead water treatment, production, field operations and maintenance activities across Tennessee. She previously served as GIS manager, supporting operations in multiple states and leading initiatives to improve efficiency and optimize workflows.