Chattanooga Public Library Executive Director Corinne Hill will resign Nov. 18 as part of a planned transition following a 10-year tenure. Hill will pursue new endeavors.
As executive director of the CPL, Hill implemented new strategies and initiatives to solidify the library as a destination for 21st century learning. Programs and services created under Hill include a 12,000 square foot makerspace, a professional recording studio, a new library branch, a library card program for public school students and an increase in circulation to over 1 million items a year.
The CPL’s board of directors has appointed deputy director Richard Beeland to serve as interim executive director. Beeland will lead library operations while the board establishes a committee to identify and select a replacement in coordination with the city of Chattanooga.
Molina joins CHI Memorial in Harrison
Dr. Alfredo Molina has joined CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates in Harrison.
Molina earned his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras. He completed a family medicine residency at Mayaguez Medical Center in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
Molina is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and is bilingual in English and Spanish.
The practice is located at 6800 Harrison Park Drive in Harrison. Call 423 344-7095 to schedule an appointment. Molina welcomes new patients. Same day appointments and video visits are available.
Heart Assoc. names 2022-23 board leaders
The American Heart Association has announced its Chattanooga board of directors and officers for the coming year.
Renee Ford will serve as the board’s chair. Ford serves as the Chattanooga office leader at Elliott Davis and has over 32 years of experience in public accounting in both assurance and taxation.
She leads the Chattanooga audit practice and the firm’s Alternative Investment Funds practice and has served on the firm’s executive committee.
Ford has been a volunteer for the AHA for over a decade and has served on the board for the last two years.
Dr. Alison Bailey of Centennial Heart at Parkridge will serve as the board’s president. She is board certified in cardiovascular diseases, advanced heart failure, transplant cardiology, adult echocardiography and internal medicine.
Bailey has written or co-written numerous publications, books and book chapters, posters and presentations. She’s also served as a volunteer for the AHA in both Kentucky and Tennessee and has served on the local board for the past two years.
Also serving on the 2022-2023 board of directors are:
• Gregg T. Gentry, Erlanger Health System
• Corinne Henderson, Henderson + Gardner
• Chris Hopkins, Apogee Wealth Partners
• Shewanee Howard-Baptiste, AHA Leadership Development Chair, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
• Quincy Jenkins, Chattanooga State Community College
• Mary Lambert, city of Chattanooga
• Twila Layne, We R CPR
• Dr. Chris LeSar, AHA immediate past president, Vascular Institute of Chattanooga
• Dr. Harish Manyam, Erlanger Health System
• Glenn Morris, AHA immediate past chair, M&M Industries
• D. Channing Muller, DCM Communications
• Thomas Ozburn, Parkridge Health System
• Pastor Ernest Reid, Second Missionary Baptist Church
• Scott Rowe, Encompass Health
Mayor Kelly announces hiring of 3 new deputies
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s administration has appointed three new deputies to help lead projects in community development, human resources and public health.
Don Walker is joining the city as deputy administrator for community development, Daniel Harrigan will serve as the deputy chief human resources officer and Dr. Geeta Maharaj will serve as the deputy director of the Office of Community Health and Safety.
Walker will direct, plan and organize the Department of Community Development’s programs and operations. The department oversees neighborhood services, community centers, community development and other assistance programs, and coordinates with workforce development initiatives.
Walker comes to the city with more than 30 years of experience in managing complex program operations and customer service. He spent 25 years as the director of guest services and operations for the Tennessee Aquarium, where he implemented multiple programs and processes to improve operations and guest satisfaction.
Harrigan will implement processes and policies designed to improve the employee experience while working with teams to advance the One Chattanooga vision.
He brings more than 13 years of experience in human resources to the city, 12 of which were spent working for Clark County in Washington State.
Most recently, Harrigan served Clark County as a senior human resources representative, advising approximately 400 employees in 11 internal departments on policy and contract interpretation, labor relations, recruitment and compensation, and performance management.
Maharaj will lead community health programs designed to address long standing health disparities in Chattanooga. She will also provide leadership support to the Family Justice Center and the city’s safety and gun violence prevention program, both of which also fall under the Office of Community Health and Safety.
Maharaj has more than 30 years of experience in health care, including advanced nursing practice, public health, education and research, with an emphasis on serving vulnerable populations.
She earned a degree in nursing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and holds a master’s degree in advanced practice from the University of California, as well as a doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Utah.
EPB promotes Thomas to VP of customer relations
EPB has promoted Karen Thomas to vice president of customer relations.
During her career at EPB, Thomas has worked her way up from her initial position in customer relations. Since then, she’s made contributions during the launch of EPB Fiber Optics and helped to restructure EPB’s customer relations team from operating Monday through Friday during business hours to delivering 24-hour customer support.
Thomas also led efforts to utilize text, live chat and social media in customer interactions.
Thomas has been with EPB since 1980, when she graduated from McKenzie College with an Associate of Accounting degree. She spent her first 18 months with the company in customer relations before transferring to the accounting department.
Thomas rejoined the customer relations department in 2001.