Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has selected Scarlett Singleton Nokes as leader of the firm’s government enforcement and investigations practice group and John P. Rodgers as leader of the firm’s labor & employment practice group. Both are partners in the firm’s Nashville office.
Nokes, who served as a federal prosecutor in Birmingham, Nashville and Savannah, represents clients in a range of matters related to internal investigations, internal risk analysis, government investigations, white-collar criminal defense, regulatory and compliance issues, civil litigation matters and enforcement actions.
Rodgers helps employers solve their employment-related problems, including employment-related litigation, and counsels clients on termination and disciplinary decisions, as well as issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.
GSRM Law welcomes Kaul as an associate
Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC has added Spencer F. Kaul to the firm as an associate attorney. Kaul joins the litigation section, where he will concentrate his practice in civil litigation defense.
Spencer previously served as a judicial law clerk to the late John Everett Williams on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals after earning his law degree from the University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Tennessee.
During law school, he served as a senior staff member for the Memphis Law Review and completed externships with U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris of the Western District of Tennessee and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Lemons to lead court reporters group
The National Court Reporters Association, the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, captioners and legal videographers, has selected Keith R. Lemons, FAPR, RPR, CRR (Ret.), of Spring Hill, to serve as the Association’s 2024-25 president.
Lemons is a retired freelance court reporter, former firm owner and official court reporter with more than 40 years of experience. He retired in 2020 from Cleeton Davis Court Reporters in Nashville.
Lemons holds the nationally recognized professional certifications of Registered Professional Reporter and Certified Realtime Reporter. He also is a fellow of the Academy of Professional Reporters.
At the national level, Lemons previously served on the NCRA board of directors for a three-year term, most recently as president-elect. He also is a past chair of NCRA’s Scopists Task Force and served on the association’s Constitution & Bylaws, Technology and Realtime Systems Administrator committees. He has been a contributor to the Journal of Court Reporting, the official membership magazine of NCRA for many years. He also has served as a presenter at the national and state levels.
At the state level, Lemons is a past president of the Wyoming Association of Shorthand Reporters and the Tennessee Court Reporters Association.
MTSU names 2024-25 alumni award honorees
Middle Tennessee State University is again recognizing outstanding alumni who represent excellence and distinction through their professional careers, loyal support of their alma mater and service to the broader community.
Since 1960, the MTSU Alumni Association has recognized accomplished alumni with the association’s highest honor: the Distinguished Alumni Award.
This year’s recipient is Peggy Chabrian (class of 1980) of Port Orange, Florida. She was president, CEO and founder of Women in Aviation International for 25 years, has held top administrative positions in aviation higher education in the U.S., owns Chabrian Aviation and will be enshrined into the National Aviation Hall of Fame Sept. 14 in Dayton, Ohio.
The 2024-25 Young Alumni Achievement Award, given to a graduate age 35 or younger making a positive impact in the world, goes to Lexie Phillips (class of 2011) of Estill Springs, an agribusiness major who is the first female assistant distiller for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.
True Blue Citations of Distinction honorees are:
• Achievement in Education (MTSU faculty) — Leah Lyons (class of 1995), of Murfreesboro, dean for the College of Liberal Arts, author, administrator and lifetime educator.
• Achievement in Education (non-MTSU faculty) — Judy Goodwin (class of 1970, 1972), of Murfreesboro, who has spent more than 50 years as a Rutherford County Schools’ educator and administrator.
• Service to Community — Kristen Gallant (class of ’18), of Knoxville, a communications specialist at the University of Tennessee, former television reporter and volunteer for Youth Villages since 2015, raising more than $12,000 and collecting items for foster care and adoptive families for the organization.
• Military Service — Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. David Ogg (classes of 1978, 1987), of Murfreesboro, who served more than 32 years and is a former assistant chair of the Military Science Department from 1984-88. He was a founding alumnus of the Military Science Alumni Chapter in 1986 and is one of only 17 general officers commissioned by MTSU ROTC in the last 75 years.
Conlee to lead AncoraTN as CEO
Kyla Conlee has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of AncoraTN, formerly known as End Slavery Tennessee, which works to nurture survivor healing and strategically combat human trafficking in Middle Tennessee.
Conlee brings more than 14 years of experience in combating human trafficking, as well as expertise in program development, strategic planning and community collaboration.
She previously served as the director of anti-human trafficking programs in Los Angeles, California, Washington D.C., and Nashville. She has developed significant programs, including a 20-bed long-term recovery program and a 24-hour emergency shelter, as well as protocol specifically designed for adult female victims of human trafficking. Additionally, she has initiated and managed a comprehensive range of services, including a street outreach program, a 24-hour hotline and emergency response teams.
ESN selects new director of admissions, marketing
The Episcopal School of Nashville has named Naima Bagot as director of admissions and marketing. Bagot will oversee admissions, marketing and communications, driving growth and ensuring a seamless and positive experience for prospective families throughout the admissions process.
Bagot previously served as the enrollment manager at the Village School in Houston, Texas. During her tenure, she achieved a 32% increase in full-time enrollment and applications through her strategic marketing efforts.
She also has served as a teacher, learning specialist and a program developer. She holds master’s degrees in education and sports management, along with teaching certifications in English and composition 7-12, generalist 4-8 and physical education EC-12. Her teaching portfolio includes AP English, practical writing, journalism, yearbook and ELA.