Future Leaders, Start Here

Business leaders play a critical role in strengthening our region. The Chattanooga Chamber Foundation helps develop and retain talent through two prestigious, best-in-class programs for early, mid and late-career professionals – Leadership Chattanooga and Protégé Chattanooga. These programs offer comprehensive leadership training through experiential learning opportunities, peer-to-peer networking, and exclusive interaction with top community leaders. 

Shawnice Beard, Quality Management Liaison, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, offers a firsthand account of Protégé and Leadership’s top benefits:  

TREND: What was your experience going through Protégé and Leadership Chattanooga? How have these experiences influenced your professional development?  

Beard: If you are a young leader looking to expand your network and skills, Protégé Chattanooga and Leadership Chattanooga are the programs for you.  

In 2019, I had the opportunity to participate in Protégé. The experience helped me step out of my comfort zone and improve my public speaking skills.  

I was able to build lifelong friendships, connect with community leaders and grow professionally. I served on the board of Young Professionals of Chattanooga (YPC), after graduation, to further expand and upskill. I served for just over two years and became the Protégé Chair. It’s amazing to see the level of growth and impact made in what feels like a short time. 

I am now in Leadership Chattanooga, taking a deeper dive into the history of Chattanooga and our community needs. Each session teaches something valuable and I leave with assignments to expand on what I’ve learned.  

I’m filled with pride as I reflect on my journey from being a mentee in Protégé, to serving on my first board with YPC, to now being in Leadership Chattanooga’s “best class ever.”  

TREND: As Leadership Chattanooga graduation approaches, what message do you have for future candidates?  

Beard: The sessions are coming to an end, but my journey is not over. I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone – just as I did. I look forward to connecting with you and working together to drive change in our beautiful city. 

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Nominations for Leadership Chattanooga and Protégé are open until March 20. Nominate an aspiring leader today through our website, here.