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Leadership Chattanooga Graduates 2023 ‘Best Class Ever’

The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Chattanooga Chamber Foundation congratulate the 39th graduating class of Leadership Chattanooga.   

Leadership Chattanooga is the premier leadership development and civic engagement program for established professionals in the greater-Chattanooga region. Since 1984 the program has positioned local civic, nonprofit and business leaders for personal and professional excellence through experiential learning opportunities, community service projects, and exclusive access to Chattanooga’s top leaders.  

Over a 10-month period – beginning in August and adjourning with the graduation event on May 25 – participants met monthly to learn leadership skills and establish professional connections.   

“We are so proud of our graduating Class of 2023 and applaud their dedication and commitment to learning more about our community and advancing their leadership skills, ” Toya Moore, Leadership Development Director, Chattanooga Chamber said. “Leadership Chattanooga is a development program unlike any other, where talented people from all walks of life come together to find real-world solutions to challenges facing our community.”   

Leadership Chattanooga graduates. Photo credit Flint Chaney

Congratulations to the 2023 Leadership Chattanooga graduates: 

  • Stephen Adams, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. 
  • Lisa Atkins, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Center for Professional Education  
  • Laura Bass, Zillion  
  • Shawnice Beard, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee 
  • Sam Berry, Rise Partners 
  • Jeremy Bradford, Xpress Global Systems 
  • Hamilton Brock, Twelve Stones Property Group 
  • Micah Chapman, Word Empowerment Church 
  • Tracy Collings Reed, Siskin Hospital for Rehabilitation 
  • Jennifer Crum, Chattanooga Lookouts 
  • Josh Eckelberry, Solas Bioventures 
  • Ronald Elliott, City of Chattanooga 
  • JP Evans, Urban Story Ventures 
  • Amanda Fabrizio-Grzesik, Tivoli Theatre Foundation 
  • Katrina Farmer, The Double Cola Company 
  • Janette Goldsmith, The Knowledge Firm LLC 
  • Adam Gutzman, First Horizon Bank 
  • John Haley, Unum 
  • Randal Harrell, Synovus Bank 
  • John Hawbaker, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee 
  • Judy Herman, Counselor/Author 
  • Alisha Hixson, Tennessee River Gorge Trust 
  • Amber Hoyle, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga 
  • Rachel Inman, Goodwill Industries 
  • Jake Johnson, CHI Memorial Foundation 
  • Calandra Jones, Tennessee Valley Authority 
  • Stacey Keating, CBL Properties 
  • Gabe Kurtz, Tennessee Valley Authority 
  • Kim Leffew, Girls Preparatory School 
  • Shaquanta Locke, Volkswagen Group of America 
  • Sue Luse, Astec Industries 
  • Stacy Martin, Seahorse Snacks 
  • Jack McAfee, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority 
  • Layra Navarro-Flores, Hamilton County Dept. of Education 
  • Cindee McBride, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians 
  • Tenasa McGhee, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga 
  • Casey Miller, The Enterprise Center (Tech Goes Home Chattanooga) 
  • Beth Norton, Chattanooga State Community College 
  • Carolyn Ridge, Parkridge Health System 
  • Jasmin Rippon, Journey Health Foundation 
  • Jessica Stack, Tinker Ma LLC 
  • Andrew Stephenson, CrowdCheck Law LLP 
  • Leanna Young, FirstBank 

Leadership Chattanooga: Leadership Chattanooga, a Chattanooga Chamber Foundation program, recruits and prepares existing and emerging leaders for responsible public decision-making and volunteer service. It does this through a process that annually identifies Chattanoogans with broad interests and leadership capabilities. These individuals are then enrolled in an educational program to motivate and guide them toward achieving desirable community goals. Nearly 1,900 individuals have graduated since its 1984 inception.  

A maximum of 45 leaders participate in Leadership Chattanooga each year, selected through a competitive application and selection process. 

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