About the Conference
Strengthen toolkits, connect with champions, and leave rejuvenated to do the hard work
Since 2018, our annual conference has welcomed higher education's business schools and organizations for talks, actionable insights and stories from some of the brightest minds in the DEI space.
Speakers
Dr. E. LaBrent Chrite
President
Bentley University
Alyson Gallaher
Chief Community Engagement Officer
United Way of Greater Knoxville
Brewton Couch
Chief Strategy Officer
United Way of Greater Knoxville
Dr. Lerzan Aksoy
Dean
Fordham University,
Gabelli School of Business
Dr. McRae C. Banks
Dean
University of North Carolina Greensboro, Bryan School of Business
Dr. Janet A. Lenaghan
Dean
Hofstra University,
Frank G. Zarb School of Business
Rosite Delgado
Executive Director
Office of Equity and Inclusion
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Dr. Ian O. Williamson
Dean
University of California - Irvine,
Paul Merage School of Business
Dr. Lauren Cunningham
Keith Stanga Professor of Accounting and Cherly Massingale Faculty
Research Fellow
University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Haslam College of Business,
Dr. Anthony Wise
President
Pellissippi State Community College
Dr. Sonja Wiley
Associate Professor and Diversity Advisor
Stephenson Department of Entrepreneurship and Information Systems, Louisiana State University
Tanisha Baker
Director Equity and Inclusion Analyst,
Knoxville Utilities Board
Dr. Ashley King
Lecturer
Accounting and Information Management
University of Tennessee-Knoxville,
Haslam College of Business
Blane Ruschak
President
PhD Project
Dr. Stephanie Bryant
Executive Vice President and Global Chief Accreditation Officer,
AACSB
Jeremy Cook
Senior Vice President,
Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
East Tennessee Region
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Renee Kesler
Executive Director
Beck Cultural Exchange Center
Matt Ryerson
Chief Executive Officer
United Way of Greater Knoxville
![Dr. Janelle Coleman - UTK[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f0d22f_bf3671b05e354d35b2a15a81020a7f19~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_300,h_301/fill/w_216,h_217,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Dr_%20Janelle%20Coleman%20-%20UTK%5B1%5D.jpg)
Dr. Janelle Coleman
Executive Director for Diversity and Engagement,
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Dr. Javiette Samuel
Associate Vice Chancellor and Director of Community Engagement & Outreach,
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Tammy White
President and Chief Executive Officer
Leadership Knoxville
Dr. Stephen Mangum
Dean
University of Tennessee-Knoxville,
Haslam College of Business
Tyvi Small
Vice Chancellor
Division of Diversity and Engagement,
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Robert Loggins
​Human Resource Manager
Bush Brothers & Company
Lauren Longmire
Director of Regional Enhamcement, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Lamar Bryant
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Dr. Hettie A. Richardson
Interim Dean
Neely School of Business,
Texas Christian University
Dr. Sonja Martin Poole
​Professor of Marketing
University of South Florida
Sponsors
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Schedule
Wednesday, March 8
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Registration - Hilton Knoxville
501 W. Church Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
4:00 – 5:30 pm
University of Tennessee - Knoxville Campus Tour
Student Union - 1502 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN
*Comfortable attire encouraged*
6:30 - 7:00 pm
Depart hotel for dinner (shuttle provided)
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Opening Dinner – Neyland Stadium, Tennessee Terrace
1300 Phillip Fulmer Way, Knoxville, TN 37916
Remarks:
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Clarence Vaughn, BUSDEIC Annual Conference Host
-
Danielle Ammeter, BUSDEIC Chair
Community Building Exercise:
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Alyson Gallaher, Chief Community Engagement Officer, United Way of Greater Knoxville
-
Brewton Couch, Chief Strategy Office, United Way of Greater Knoxville