Class Reflects a Diverse Collection of Emerging Leaders That Used History as a Foundation for Making an Impact in the Community
MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 30, 2019 – Leadership Memphis, whose mission is to prepare and mobilize leaders to work together for the good of the whole community, is proud to announce the graduation of its 2019 Spring FastTrack Class. The diverse group is comprised of approximately 40 emerging leaders who were motivated to dig deep into Memphis history in order to expand their capacity for building a greater community.
“We challenged this year’s class with something different, called ‘Legacy Projects’,” said Kaci Murley, Leadership Memphis Director of Programs. “Participants spent much of the year reflecting on what it means to ‘define legacy,’ asking ‘who writes history,’ and thinking about the impact they will have beyond the Leadership Memphis experience. The results of their efforts were impressive and clearly demonstrate how passionate this group is to think outside of their normal scope. They have a greater appreciation for diversity in culture, background, economics, community, and industry and I can’t wait to see how they capitalize on their experience to impact our community.”
For the Legacy Projects, the FastTrack participants were encouraged to research and explore a person, place, event, or organization that had a significant impact on Memphis’s history over that last 200 years, but perhaps is a story many people are unaware of or is not told enough. Some examples of the presentations included Memphis Massacre; Robert Church & Beale Street Beginnings; Dr. Carnita Atwater’s New Chicago Museum inside the New Chicago Community Development Corporation; The Best District in a Pinch; History of Memphis Street Names; and St. Jude’s Impact on Memphis Religious Community.
2019 FastTrack Spring Class:
| First Name | Last Name | Title | Company/Organization |
| Amanda | Abney | Accounting, Payroll & Benefits | BRIDGES USA |
| Cindricka | Arrington | Engineering Program Manager | Medtronic |
| Gortria | Banks | Finance Administrator | General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office |
| DeWayne | Breckenridge | Senior Estimator | Anderson Contractors Inc. |
| Eric | Brown | Program Manager | Friends of the Earth |
| Lucia | Clinkscales | Consultant | Think Inspire Marketing |
| Camille | Davis | Administrative Specialist | St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital |
| Robert | Davis, II | Principal at Ida B. Wells Academy, K-8 | Shelby County Schools |
| Ana | Duran | Senior Product Owner | ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital |
| Jerri | Green | Director of Community Engagement | Community Legal Center |
| Suzanne | Gregoire | Senior Manager | Memphis Public Libraries |
| Pamela | Griffin-Egwuekwe | Program Manager | Code Crew |
| Kiera | Harvey | Mortgage Advisor | Pinnacle Bank |
| Erin | Johnson | Code School Program Director | Code Crew |
| Wynett | Jones | Program Director, Books from Birth | Porter-Leath |
| Justin | Keeton | Director of Organizational Effectiveness | Methodist Le Bonheur Health |
| Lesli | Lee | Program Manager | Hilton |
| Derion | Lipford | Digital Product Analyst | ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital |
| Tori | Mason | Program Management Advisor | FedEx Services |
| Kristine | Nelson | Of Counsel (Attorney) | Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC |
| Heather | Nordtvedt | Marketing Manager | Saddle Creek |
| Jenikka | Oglesby | Sr. HR Business Strategist & Consultant | Shelby County Schools |
| Erika | Parrish | Assistant Principal | KIPP Memphis Collegiate Schools |
| Will | Patterson | Attorney | Wiseman Bray, PLLC |
| Tamarques | Porter | Information Technology Specialist/Network Engineer | U.S. Department of Treasury |
| James | Rogers | Contracts Manager | Shelby County Government, Health Division |
| Scovia | Rushing | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Lemuel | Russell | Senior Pastor | Testament of Hope Community Baptist Church |
| Samantha | Sandoval | Sr. Administrative Assistant | ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital |
| Kelly | Sealey | Manager, Professional Education | Axogen |
| JB | Smiley Jr. | Managing Attorney | Smiley & Associates, PLLC |
| Charles | Snyder | Director, Health Disparities Education & Community Engagement | University of Tennessee Health Science Center |
| Courtney | Taylor | Talent Management Consultant | F&H Solutions Group |
| Brad | Teplicky | Account Manager | Trane Commercial Systems & Services |
| Kristin | Watkins | Assistant General Manager | Aramark/Rhodes College |
| John | Wheeler | Community Resource Coordinator | Leadership Memphis |
Since 1979, Leadership Memphis has continually developed new ways to connect and create more effective community leaders. Among the more that 3,300 program alumni are mayors, City Council members, County Commissioners, City of Memphis executives, Shelby County executives, Federal Government executives, executives of civic and community organizations, public and private corporation executives, clergy representing over a dozen denominations, school or school system faculty and administrators, health care executives, professionals (doctors, attorneys, and accountants), and small business owners. Over 50% of Leadership Memphis’ alumni are Black or African-American, Hispanic, Asian, or another minority background.