Leadership Tennessee has named Lynda Minks Hood, executive director of the Chattanooga Bar Association, to its 2023–24 Signature Program Class X.
The cohort includes representatives from 14 Tennessee counties with diverse professional experience in business, government, education and nonprofit sectors.
Over the course of 10 months, the cohort will visit all corners of the state to analyze challenges Tennessee faces and work together to identify solutions and opportunities.
The statewide study will result in plans to continue dialogue and actions addressing the most serious issues uncovered.
“I do not take the opportunity to participate in this year’s Signature Program lightly,” Hood says. “As a lifelong Tennessean, I’m acutely aware of the challenges our state faces and invested in seeing Tennessee succeed and function as a role model for other states.”
A selection committee co-chaired by Valoria Armstrong and John Tolsma, both graduates of Leadership Tennessee, selected the 2023-24 cohort. They evaluated candidates based on their leadership experience, their history of addressing statewide issues and their understanding of the challenges Tennessee faces today.
“Collaboration is critical as we continue to work together in moving Tennessee forward,” says Alfred Degrafinreid II, president and CEO of Leadership Tennessee. “Tennessee looks different today compared to when this program began 10 years ago, and every year we face new and challenging issues. I’m confident in the diverse makeup of this class and know these are the right individuals to create meaningful change across the state.”
Previous classes have facilitated numerous community engagement sessions across the state. Since Leadership Tennessee’s founding, more than 500 members have graduated through both the Signature Program and Leadership Tennessee NEXT, which is dedicated to emerging leaders.
Joining Hood from Hamilton County will be: Demetrus Coonrod, councilwoman; Cory Gearrin, deputy county mayor; Aaron Melda, senior vice president of transmission and power supply at TVA; Todd Ray, senior vice president of government programs at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee; and Shalin Tejani, president, managing director and CEO of Ribbon and Bows Oh My.
The cohort’s work runs through June 2024.