What is your vision for Knoxville 10 years from now?

Knoxville is a great city with so much opportunity for continued growth and economic development. My vision for Knoxville is that we continue to partner with the local business, industry, and the University of Tennessee to attract new business that appeals to a younger generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

What is Knoxville’s Best Kept Secret?

I just love the bakery items at Wild Love Bakehouse and think its one of Knoxville’s best kept secrets!

What would you do to strengthen Knoxville?

I think its important for Knoxville to be a community at the forefront of innovation, technology, and economic opportunity for all sectors of our local community. being thoughtful with our community growth plans, and making strategic investments in helping improve quality of life issues will strengthen our community.

What is your favorite Knoxville memory?

I remember visiting Knoxville as a a young teen for the 1982 Worlds Fair. It was so much fun to see the many different pavilions, rides (Gondolas) and exhibits. To still see the Sunsphere in Knoxville is a great reminder of this memory.

What is your favorite book or what book is currently on your nightstand?

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins

What is the best advice you have received from a mentor, and who was that mentor?

The best advice that a mentor provided to me early in my career is that we must always be good stewards of the resources, responsibilities and that we’ve been entrusted to oversee. That mentor was Dr. Rita Moser, and she was my direct supervisor for nearly 15 years before she retired.

What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?

The best advice that I would give my 16 year old self is that “I won’t be defined by others.” Allowing others to define who you are one risks losing parts of oneself. We are complex individuals who shouldn’t be defined by single characteristics or perceptions.