As Executive Director and CEO, Ben Bentley develops and implements strategic initiatives to improve affordable housing and foster development in the City of Knoxville and Knox County. Bentley’s background includes significant national experience with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He also has a track record of successfully managing operations of large public housing agencies in the Region.

Prior to his current role, Bentley served as Chief Operating Officer of the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) in Nashville, with broad oversight of all Public Housing and Section 8 programs. During his time at MHDA, Bentley led efforts to convert and recapitalize the Agency’s Public Housing portfolio under the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.

Bentley began his career at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Nashville Field Office in 2010 as a Presidential Management Fellow and Portfolio Management Specialist.

In 2014, Bentley was promoted to Division Director of HUD’s Denver Regional Office of Public Housing with responsibility for financial and regulatory oversight of public housing agencies across a six-state region. Bentley also served as a Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) subject matter expert for HUD.

He holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Denver and is working toward a Master of Real Estate at Georgetown University. An Alabama native, he also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Birmingham-Southern College.

Jim is a former attorney with decades of experience in building businesses, raising capital, and forming impactful communities. Jim is a tireless advocate for entrepreneurship, and has helped KEC be the “center of gravity without being the center of attention” since 2015.

Kyndra Brewer serves as Director of the Office of Special Events for the City of Knoxville, where she provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the city's civic events and festivals. With over 22 years of municipal and event management experience, she has helped grow signature Knoxville traditions such as Christmas in the City and Festival on the Fourth, while supporting community programs like the Market Square Concert Series and Kid A'Riffic Fun in the Park. Under her leadership, the Office of Special Events oversees more than 1,000 events on City property each year, ensuring they are safe, well-executed, and memorable for the community.

Brewer's career in event management began in 1996, and she joined the City of Knoxville in 2005, advancing from Deputy Director to Director of the Office of Special Events in 2020. She is known for building strong cross-departmental, community, and international partnerships that strengthen Knoxville's civic identity and economic vitality. In addition to her municipal role, she serves as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Municipal Special Events Association.

She holds a B.S. in Public Relations from Northern Arizona University's School of Communication, where her early involvement with SUN Entertainment first sparked her passion for event planning.

Brandon Bruce graduated first or second out of a class of two from his rural elementary school. He’s a co-founder and General Partner of Market Square Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm based in Knoxville. Brandon is also co-founder of 121 Tech Hub, a community and co-working space for tech founders. Brandon is a founder of several tech companies including Uncat and Evasive and previously Cirrus Insight. He is a co-founder of the Knoxville Technology Council and has served as board chair of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Junior Achievement of East Tennessee, and Muse Knoxville. He is the past Managing Director of the Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator. Brandon currently serves on the boards of the University of Tennessee Research Park and the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont as well as the Leadership Council for the Innovation Crossroads accelerator at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Brandon loves cycling, running, hiking, paddling and being outdoors. He has the dubious distinction of once colliding with a black bear on a bike ride.

Kim Bumpas is a national and regional leader with nearly two decades of senior management experience in hospitality, sales, and marketing. As President of Visit Knoxville, she focuses on promoting Knoxville as a travel destination, serving as a liaison with the Knoxville Convention Center, City of Knoxville, and other key stakeholders. Bumpas has been with Visit Knoxville since 2001, advancing from Sales Manager to President. She holds a marketing degree from the University of Tennessee and several industry certifications, including CMP and CDME. Her notable achievements include founding the VK Sports Commission, hosting the largest BASSMASTER Classic in 2019, and bringing Garth Brooks’ Stadium Tour to Knoxville. Bumpas is actively involved in various community organizations and has received numerous accolades for her contributions to tourism and hospitality.

Dr. Katie Cahill is the Assistant Dean of Partnerships and Economic Development and Director of Workforce Development for the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies. Before joining CECS, she served as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and holds a courtesy appointment as an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science. She holds a PhD from Purdue University, and her expertise is in health policy. She was previously the Associate Director of the Baker Center and the Director of the Leadership and Governance Program. 

As the Assistant Dean of Partnerships and Economic Development, Dr. Cahill was responsible for the transition of the Baker School into an independent academic unit. This included responsibility for the development of strategic plans that integrate research, teaching, and public engagement initiatives to ensure continual growth and success of the School. She was also responsible for creating curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the areas of public policy, public management, and public affairs and innovating academic access by creating online, executive ed, and other programming modalities. In this role, Dr. Cahill acted as an advisor to the University-wide task force charged with considering the development of the Baker School. She co-authored the white paper proposal to establish the Baker School, developing financial projections and the proposal for a new academic unit for the University Board of Trustees and Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Additionally, she drafted new college-level bylaws with the Associate Dean and faculty, negotiated the move of existing faculty and crafting positions for new faculty, developed curriculum with the Associate Dean and faculty for new undergraduate and graduate degree programs, conducted market analyses and assessment plans, lead the development of a template for new online courses, and co-authored the strategic visioning document to guide growth over the next ten years. She will serve as a faculty member in the Baker School on an as-needed basis, and recently acted as a supporting faculty member for the Leading with Courage course by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Chancellor Donde Plowman. 

In terms of public health and policy, Dr. Cahill was a member of the steering committee for the interdisciplinary Coronavirus-19 Outbreak Response Expert (CORE-19) team and led the collection and analysis of the Tennessee Pulse Survey in partnership with Governor Bill Lee’s Economic Recovery Group. She also served on the steering committee for President Randy Boyd’s newly announced Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource for Tennessee (SMART) Policy Network and was the principal investigator for the Healthy Appalachia Project in partnership with Remote Area Medical (RAM). Her previous research focused on the tension between democracy and public health initiatives, particularly global childhood vaccinations programs. This included nine months of fieldwork in South Asia. Her research uses an interdisciplinary, multi-method, and puzzle-driven approach to examine public health policies and outcomes. Dr. Cahill is highly motivated to conduct research that has both theoretical and practical implications.

In addition, she leads the Appalachian Leadership Institute funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and co-hosts the Tennessee Legislative Leaders Academy for newly elected state legislators with the Institute for Public Service. She also facilitates the campus wide Vols Vote Initiative and is a founder of the annual statewide Tennessee Campus Civic Summit. The aim of these programs is to foster leadership and public service across generations of Tennesseans.

Based on this work, she recently co-authored an invited chapter for Tennessee’s 2020 Economic Report to the Governor on public health and the economy and published an article titled “Health and Voting in Rural America” examining the relationship between health status and voter participation in the journal Frontiers in Political Science. Dr. Cahill’s work has been cited by national and local news including in The New York Times, Reuters, C-SPAN, The Tennessean, Knoxville News Sentinel, on WBIR, WVLT, and WUOT, among other outlets. She also frequently provides talks to community organizations.

In her previous role for the Center, she reported to the Executive Director, and was responsible for strategic planning along with the Center’s directors, supervising the day-to-day operations of the Center, including managing staff, graduate students and students, developing outreach strategies, designing new programs that support the research, teaching, and engagement mission of the Center, including high-profile public lectures, and overseeing the appropriate use of the facility. Dr. Cahill was also responsible for developing curriculum for the Public Policy Analytics minor offered by the Center, mentoring student researchers, and pursuing extramural funding for programs and research projects. She served as a faculty member for the Master in Public Policy and Public Administration (MPPA) program. Cahill also supervised undergraduate research through the Baker Scholars program and created the annual Washington Program. 

Prior to joining the school, she was the Associate Director of the Purdue Institute for Civic Communication established partnership with C-SPAN.

Derrick Collins serves as Consultant, Regional Economic Development for the Northeast Tennessee Valley at the Tennessee Valley Authority, a role he has held since 2021. He brings 15 years of business experience across sales, marketing, project management, and customer service, with a career spanning both national and international markets.

Before joining TVA, Collins built a strong record in economic development and community leadership in Jefferson County, Tennessee. He served as President & CEO of the Jefferson County (TN) Chamber of Commerce, after previously serving as the Chamber's Director of Economic Development and, before that, as Economic Development Director for the Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County (EDAJC). He began his work with the Chamber as Community Development & Membership Coordinator. Earlier in his career, he spent six years as a National OEM Account Specialist at Renold Jeffrey.

Collins holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication/Media Studies from Carson-Newman University.

Faris Eid is the Founder and President of Design Innovation Architects (DIA), where he has built a reputation for creating thoughtful, innovative designs that balance functionality, aesthetics, and cost-effective construction. Since founding the firm, he has remained personally involved in many of its projects, ensuring each reflects DIA's commitment to exceptional design, client service, and lasting community impact.

A passionate advocate for historic preservation and architectural excellence, Faris has led projects that celebrate a community's heritage while embracing forward-looking design. Under his leadership, DIA has become known for its collaborative approach and dedication to strengthening the communities it serves through both design and civic engagement.

Beyond his professional work, Faris has been deeply involved in numerous civic and industry organizations, including Leadership Knoxville, the East Tennessee Community Design Center, the Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission, and the University of Tennessee Chancellor's Associates. In recognition of his commitment to community-focused design, he received the 2016 Bruce McCarty Community Impact Award from the East Tennessee Community Design Center.

Faris earned his Bachelor of Architecture, cum laude, from the University of Tennessee and is a registered architect, LEED Accredited Professional, and NCARB-certified architect.

A Knoxville native, Tim is a co-founder and the President of Hatcher-Hill Properties, a real estate development, brokerage, and asset management firm.

Hatcher-Hill develops commercial and mixed-use properties in the greater Knoxville area, focusing primarily on historic preservation, revitalization of commercial buildings, and business recruitment. He also has experience working with transportation and logistics. Tim serves as a board member for the Downtown Knoxville Central Business Improvement District, Downtown Design Review, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, and CareCuts. He is also a member of the Bearden Village Council and Knox Heritage, and is a 2016 Leadership Knoxville Graduate. As a planning commissioner, his goals are to encourage and ensure reasonable and appropriate land uses and to apply planning standards that are equitable and beneficial to the entire community.

Gary Human is employed with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development as the East Tennessee regional director. Prior to this appointment, he served as a business development consultant in the region’s Knoxville office.

As a regional director, his responsibilities include overseeing the regional activities, working with new industries considering locating in East Tennessee, and working with existing industries with expansion opportunities and problem resolution. Human oversees the 16-county region and covers eight counties and two communities which include Anderson, Blount, Cocke, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, the city of Oak Ridge and the Tellico Reservoir Development Agency (TRDA) in Vonore. Human has been employed with the state of Tennessee since 2004.

Before joining TNECD, Human was employed with the East Tennessee Human Resources Agency (ETHRA), the Roane Alliance and Roane County Industrial Development Board.

Human is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He is a 1996 Leadership Roane County graduate and currently lives in Roane County.

Shannon Jackson serves as Executive Director of College and Career Readiness for Knox County Schools, a role she has held since 2022. In this position, she leads the alignment of secondary school counseling, career and technical education, and advanced academics through the development of the 865 Academies, a transformational high school model that connects students with community partners to prepare them for enrollment, enlistment, or employment after graduation.

Jackson brings more than 25 years of experience in education, having spent her entire career with Knox County Schools and Metro-Nashville Schools. Prior to her current role, she served as Secondary Reading and English/Language Arts Supervisor for Knox County Schools for over a decade, guiding curriculum and instruction across the district's secondary schools. She began her career as an ELL teacher with Metro-Nashville Schools before spending 14 years as an English teacher at West High School in Knoxville.

A strong advocate for workforce readiness, Jackson has been instrumental in building partnerships between Knox County high schools and local businesses, nonprofits, and organizations — from industry job shadows and teacher externships to district-wide hiring expos that connect students with real-world career opportunities.

Jackson holds a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where she also completed her undergraduate studies as a College Scholar with a focus on English, Russian, and Education.

Indya Kincannon was sworn in as the 69th Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, with a commitment to putting people first.

Mayor Kincannon’s number one priority is public safety. In just her first 2 years in office, she committed nearly $2 million to purchase the city’s first-ever body-worn cameras for Knoxville police. She also implemented the City’s first co-responder model that partners licensed mental health professionals with officers.

Understanding that public safety must be a collaborative effort, Mayor Kincannon created Knoxville’s new Office of Community Safety in 2021 to concentrate on violence interruption efforts in the city.

Affordable housing is another critical element for a thriving community. That is why in 2021, with tremendous community support, Mayor Kincannon committed  $50 million for the newly created Affordable Housing Fund.  

When it comes to jobs and economic development, Mayor Kincannon hit it out of the park with her support of a new multi-use stadium in Knoxville. This project is helping to revitalize a site that has sat vacant for decades. The stadium and surrounding redevelopment will bring thousands of jobs to the City, with a total estimated economic impact of $480 million.

Mayor Kincannon knows that equitable access to opportunity requires reliable public transportation and affordable high speed internet.  That is why in January of 2021, Mayor Kincannon introduced the Freedom Pass, which allows all students, through high school, to ride city buses for free.  She also championed the development of municipal broadband, which is currently being installed across the City and into rural areas of East Tennessee.

Mayor Kincannon has continued to move Knoxville forward, all while helping the City navigate the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, the City of Knoxville provided dozens of testing and vaccine clinics, initiated a robust COVID information campaign, and paid first responders hero pay for their work on the front lines.

Prior to being elected to office, Mayor Kincannon had a diverse career and extensive record of service including 10 years as a member and Chair of the Knox County Board of Education, where she pushed for high quality public schools in every neighborhood.  Mayor Kincannon has been a teacher, a budget analyst, and a paralegal for the Department of Justice, where she served as an undercover housing tester for the Civil Rights Division and helped translate for the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Division.

Mayor Kincannon has always been an active member of the community.  In addition to serving as an officer of the 4th & Gill Neighborhood Organization, she was President of the Beaumont Magnet PTA, President of the West High School Foundation, and a 10-year member of the Project GRAD Board.  Mayor Kincannon and her family love to travel and she has led Habitat for Humanity trips to Guatemala and Bolivia.

Mayor Kincanon was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Urban and Regional Planning.  Prior to that, she earned her B.A. in history from Haverford College.

Mayor Kincannon is married to University of Tennessee Law Professor Ben Barton and is the proud mom of two daughters. She resides in North Knoxville and can often be found on the city’s trails and greenways

Lauren Longmire serves as Vice President of Economic Development for the Knoxville Chamber. In this position, she leads the development and execution of the Chamber's business expansion and attraction strategies, working in alignment with the region's five-year vision, Path to Prosperity, and its broader economic direction, The 2030 Protocol.

Longmire has spent nearly 15 years with the Knoxville Chamber, building a career focused on regional growth and community development. Prior to her current role, she served as Director of Regional Enhancement, partnering with Chamber team members, investors, and partners to advance regional prosperity through improvements to the business climate, entrepreneurial and small business support, infrastructure development, and inclusive talent attraction. She began her tenure at the Chamber as Director of Member Services, managing member programs, retention initiatives, and internal projects for nearly eight years. Before joining the Chamber, she worked as a Marketing Manager for Panache Hair and Body.

Longmire holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Logistics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and remains active in the region's business and entrepreneurial community, supporting initiatives that connect talent, capital, and innovation across East Tennessee.

Dr. Brett Malone serves as President and CEO of the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm Development Corporation (CFDC), where he leads the strategic growth of the University of Tennessee's premier innovation and research campus. He is focused on strengthening partnerships among academia, industry, entrepreneurs, and government to accelerate research commercialization, attract high-growth companies, and expand East Tennessee's innovation ecosystem.

Prior to joining CFDC, Dr. Malone served as President and CEO of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, where he transformed the research park into a thriving innovation hub, increasing revenue by 50 percent in just three years while expanding partnerships across Virginia. Earlier in his career, he co-founded Phoenix Integration, led the company to a successful exit, and served as Chief Operating Officer of Intrexon (now Precigen), helping guide the company through its early growth and IPO.

A Virginia Tech aerospace engineering Ph.D., Dr. Malone has built collaborations with organizations including Boeing, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, DARPA, and Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory. His career has centered on building innovation ecosystems that connect research, entrepreneurship, and industry to drive economic growth and technology commercialization.

Brad Maul serves as President and CEO of the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency (ETEDA), where he leads regional economic development efforts across a 15-county region. He works with local communities, industry partners, and regional stakeholders to attract new investment, support business expansion, and strengthen East Tennessee's position as a premier destination for economic growth.

Prior to joining ETEDA, Brad served as Director of Economic Development for Clayco, one of the nation's largest privately owned real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build, and construction firms. Earlier in his career, he held economic development leadership roles with KPMG, the Tennessee Valley Authority, ETEDA, and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, building extensive experience in site selection, business recruitment, regional marketing, and utility-driven economic development.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a degree in Business Administration, Brad brings a collaborative, regional approach to economic development and has dedicated his career to helping communities create jobs, attract investment, and foster long-term economic prosperity.

Rickey McCallum serves as Vice President for Cherokee Farm Development Corporation and Executive Director for Innovation Partnerships and Economic Development at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In his dual role, he leads efforts to connect UTK’s research, talent, and innovation assets with private-sector, government, and community partners. His work builds and aligns industry partnerships with a strategic pathway to engage with university researchers, students, and specialized facilities.

Marc Nabhan earned his PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Vanderbilt University, where he co-founded Optomar Technologies, a medical device company focused on wearable solutions for addressing malnourishment in critical care settings. He currently serves as Director of Entrepreneurship and New Ventures at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he works with students, faculty, and community innovators to de-risk and validate emerging technologies and accelerate their path to commercialization. Marc equips early-stage founders with practical frameworks for customer discovery, business model development, and product–market fit. His work sits at the intersection of research, commercialization, and venture development, and he is passionate about helping entrepreneurs turn strong ideas into scalable, market-driven companies.

Ashlee Price is the Director of Talent at the Knoxville Chamber, where she leads efforts to strengthen the region’s workforce pipeline and connect employers with top talent.

She brings a career built across recruiting, talent acquisition, workforce development, and education. While employed with Pilot, she served as a Talent Acquisition Coordinator followed by Collegiate Recruiter. She previously directed the College and Career Access Program at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, leading federal grant-funded initiatives that supported first-generation and underserved students. Her career began in the classroom as an elementary educator with Knox County Schools.

She holds a Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction and Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, Elementary Education from Middle Tennessee State University. She remains active in the community through her role on the YWCA Knoxville Executive Board and volunteers her time with ReLaunch, a low-barrier nonprofit supporting the local unhoused community.

Sally Porter is Vice President of Strategic Impact and Workforce Development at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville. With over a decade of experience in career education, project coordination, and grant management, she is known for creating workforce programs that help underserved populations build meaningful, sustainable careers. A proud “late bloomer,” Sally began her higher education journey after turning forty. She earned an Associate in Applied Science from Big Sandy Community & Technical College, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Morehead State University, a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University, and a Master’s Certificate in Public Financial Management from the University of Kentucky.

Her leadership has driven initiatives such as apprenticeships with the TN Road Builders Association, K‑12 career camps, adult education pathways, and pre‑apprenticeship programs for justice‑involved individuals. She and her husband, Ray, make their home in East Tennessee and enjoy time with their son, Cody, daughter‑in‑law, Lindsey, and grandchildren, Palmer and J. Clay.

Kusum Rathore is the vice president of UTRF’s Knoxville Office. In this role, she negotiates and manages licenses, builds strategic alliances, and oversees technology transfer and intellectual property management for the diverse technologies coming out of the UT System. Rathore also leads the development of strategic industry partnerships to promote the commercialization of UT technologies.

As vice president of UTRF’s Knoxville Office, Rathore works with innovators from UT Knoxville, UT Chattanooga, the UT Institute of Agriculture, the UT Space Institute and the UT Institute for Public Service.

Prior joining to UTRF, Rathore worked at Thermo Fisher Scientific as an innovation and commercialization manager, focusing on licensing advanced therapies such as viral vectors, cell therapy, and mRNA manufacturing. Rathore holds a bachelor’s degree from Rajasthan University, a master’s degree from Delhi University in India, and a Ph.D. in Oncology and Cancer Biology from UTK.

Dr. Patricia Weaver is the Vice president of external affairs at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville since 2022 and previously vice president for workforce and economic development at Cleveland State. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University, a Master of Arts in Education (K-12) from Tusculum College and a Bachelor of Science in Education (Marketing Education) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before moving to Pellissippi, she was an administrator at Cleveland State from 2006 to 2022 and an adjunct instructor there from 1996 to 2022. She previously served as an educator in Monroe County Schools and had managerial experience in the financial services industry and an electric power cooperative.

R.J. Youngblood serves as the Director of Economic Engagement and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In this role, she advances partnerships with government agencies, industry, community, and statewide organizations to drive innovation and economic prosperity. She supports the university’s mission by fostering partnerships to support collaborative research, entrepreneurship, and the translation of academic discoveries into real-world impact.

Liza Zenni’s career in non-profit administration has spanned more than 25 years.  Since 2002 she has served as Executive Director of the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville, a membership-based organization of artists, arts and culture organizations, historic homes, and arts supporters in 12 East Tennessee counties. Liza led the creation of the Emporium Center in 2004 and now manages its spaces, providing homes for arts organizations, artist studios, and countless exhibits which have returned more than $1M in artwork sales to local artists. Under her leadership, the Alliance created Knoxville’s first united arts fund in 2012. In the past year, the Alliance granted more than $2M in general operating support to arts and culture not for profits and project support to individual artists. Guided by her vision, in 2027 the Arts & Culture Alliance will complete construction on the Furnace, an arts immersion and live performing arts theater.