University of Tennessee at Chattanooga assistant professor of sociology Chandra Ward has accepted the role of director of community engagement for the university’s Center for Urban Informatics and Progress.
Ward, a UTC faculty member since 2017, is an urban sociologist with expertise in public housing policy, low-income neighborhoods, community networks, displacement, urban development and transportation.
Her research at UTC has focused on Chattanooga and Smart City projects. She’s currently working with Vanderbilt University and the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority on a multi-million-dollar transportation project.
Ward has been trained in geographic information systems, community organizing and market research. She began working with CUIP shortly after arriving at UTC.
In addition to her tenure-track faculty position, Ward serves on the boards of The Chattery, Stoveworks, Humanities Tennessee and SPLASH Youth Arts.
Chattanooga State names McCormick technology VP
Chattanooga State has tapped Brad McCormick to serve as its vice president for technology. McCormick has served Chattanooga State in various roles since 2008, including director of information technology and data analysis, director of admissions and records, and assistant vice president.
As interim VP for technology, McCormick enhanced tech support for the college community. Notably, he created a client services team to provide support to students, faculty and staff.
Tennessee Municipal League elects Dalton to board
The Tennessee Municipal League elected Red Bank vice mayor Stefanie Dalton to its 2023-2024 board of directors of during the league’s annual business meeting in July in Nashville. Dalton will serve as one of eight district directors that represent her section of the state.
Founded in 1940 and based in Nashville, the TML advocates for the interests of 345 cities and towns across the state and the citizens they serve. As a member of the league’s board of directors, Dalton will propose and help determine legislative and policy priorities.
Collegedale’s Lamb receives TML leadership award
The TML also awarded Collegedale commissioner Katie Lamb the fifth annual Bob Kirk Local Government Leadership Award during its annual conference.
The organization presents the award to a council member, alderman, or commissioner who is at least in their second term of service to their municipality and has shown themselves to be an outstanding public servant to both their municipality and their community.
The award is named for Dyersburg City Alderman and TML past president Bob Kirk, who served his city for more than 50 years as an elected official.
A Texas native, Lamb lived and worked in five states, as well as Washington, D.C., due to her husband’s military career, before arriving in Collegedale in 1972.
Having attained her master’s in nursing, Lamb taught nursing at Collegedale’s Southern Adventist University and eventually earned her doctorate in nursing from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
She went on to serve as Southern Adventist’s dean of the School of Nursing, associate vice president for academics and dean of Graduate Studies before her retirement in 2006.
After her retirement, Lamb turned her attention from nursing and academics to local government and was elected to the Collegedale City Commission in 2009. Her fellow commissioners made Lamb the first female mayor of Collegedale in 2014, a position she held until she voluntarily stepped back into the role of city commissioner in 2021.
Red Bank’s Ledford honored by APWA
The Tennessee Chapter of the American Public Works Association honored Red Bank employee Johnny Ledford with the Murphy Snoderly Award during the TML’s annual conference.
The Tennessee PWA presents the award annually to one recipient statewide. Snoderly was an engineering and public works consultant for the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service. He believed the work of operations level employees should be recognized.
Ledford began his municipal service with the city of Red Bank in 1992 as a part-time laborer installing sewer lines. One year later, the city hired him as a regular employee. Ledford has since progressed from a laborer to a heavy equipment operator.
Ledford is able to complete any task presented to him, the city of Red Bank states in a news release, whether it’s carpentry, masonry, welding, operating a bucket truck or driving a commercial vehicle.
With a TDEC Level 1 certification in stormwater management, Ledford can also perform the duties of any other job that’s critical for the city’s daily operations.
Kimberly Strong, TNPWA vice president, presented Ledford with the award before an estimated crowd of 300. Upon receiving his award, Ledford spoke of his late father, who he said taught him a good work ethic.
Hoffmann joins CHI Neuroscience Institute
CHI Memorial and CHI Memorial Medical Group recently welcomed Dr. Paul Hoffmann to the CHI Memorial Neuroscience Institute.
Hoffmann received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis and completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.
He is board-certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and International Spine Intervention Society.
Hoffmann has more than 20 years of experience providing interventional spine management. He’s located at 725 Glenwood Drive. To schedule an appointment, call 423 206-9480.