Our Board and Staff
Chairman of the Board - Dr. Charles T. Womack
The former Mayor of Cookeville, a urologist, a great hiker, and an Eagle Scout. He founded a smoking cessation program and a free clinic in Cookeville, started the Monterey to Cookeville rail with trail, and is now working toward a 100-mile Cumberland Wilderness Trail.
President and Executive Director - Kathleen Williams
Kathleen is not only the Foundation’s Executive Director, but is also President of the Board. Her work through the Foundation has preserved thousands of acres that conserve beautiful Tennessee natural treasures across the state. Under her leadership, the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation was recently awarded national accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. In 2011 Kathleen was recognized as Conservationist of the Year by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation for her leadership with Forever Green Tennessee, a successful effort to restore 16.5 million dollars for conservation in Tennessee's State Budget.
Executive Vice President - John Noel
John is an incredibly generous full-time volunteer for the environment and a pragmatic fighter. His work has helped save Rumbling Falls Cave under Fall Creek Falls State Park, and the Pigeon River from North Carolina’s upstream paper company pollution. He even saved an old growth forest (at great personal expense) which now bears his name – the John Noel Bon Aqua Woods State Natural Area.
Vice President, Middle Tennessee - Bob Philp
Bob is an attorney and a native of Old Hickory, Tennessee. He has been active serving as a volunteer on the boards of nonprofit environmental groups in California and Tennessee for over 25 years. Bob was also instrumental in getting steep slope ordinances approved to protect an old forest overlooking scenic Old Hickory Lake.
Vice President, East Tennessee - Mary Lynn Dobson
Mary Lynn, a resident of Rockwood, Tennessee is an enthusiastic, and irreplaceable member of the Board. A geologist by education, a wonderful botanist, a land donor, a lover of mountains and waterfalls, a volunteer with the Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and an always enthusiastic, optimistic advocate for conservation. She has made so many good projects possible for the Foundation and other conservation groups which she supports.
Treasurer - Ann Tidwell
Ann is a great community leader and volunteer. She is well known for her good work at Radnor Lake and Nashville Greenways. Ann has been a lifelong supporter of the environment and has been active with many conservation organizations.
Secretary - Doyle Newburry
Doyle is a lifelong resident of Tennessee and has a genuine love of the outdoors. He is an avid cave explorer (50+ year member of the National Speleological Society) and hiker with a special interest in the Cumberland Plateau region. Because of Doyle’s efforts, 3,700 acres were acquired by The Nature Conservancy and later transferred to the State of Tennessee, becoming the Pogue Creek State Natural Area.
Staff
- Nora Beck, Land Conservation Coordinator
- Jeanne Fitch, Executive Assistant
- Ashley Heeren, Assistant to Policy
- Chris Thompson, Development Manager
- Patti Madere, Director of Operations
- Robert McCaleb, Regional Land Conservation Director – South Cumberlands (Volunteer)
- Patricia VornDick, Program Assistant
- Steve Walsh, Director of Membership
Click any of the names of our staff to email them.
Board
Ex Officio
- Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, Blountville
- House Speaker Beth Harwell, Nashville
- Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Hendersonville
- Designee: Cody York
- State Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr., Memphis
- Co-Designee: Josh Stites
- Co-Designee: Joy Harris
Citizens
- Jim Emison, Alamo
- Janie Finch, Cookeville
- Brock Hill, Crossville
- Scott May, Memphis
- Gary Myers, Nashville
- Marshall Peterson, Knoxville
- Sam Powell, Signal Mountain
- Mack Prichard, Nashville
- Frank Ricks, Memphis
- Will Skelton, Knoxville
- Alan Sparkman, Nashville
- Bob Tuke, Nashville
- Estie Sheahan, Collierville
Advisors
- Joe Allen, Nashville
- Neal Appelbaum, Woodbury
- Lee Blackburn, Hendersonville
- Allen Branton, Cookeville
- Penny Brooks, Ashland City
- Bill Bruce, St. Mary’s, GA
- Shirley Caldwell-Patterson, Nashville
- Brenda Cardwell, Sparta
- Ross Cardwell, Sparta
- Mike Carlton, Nashville
- Director Ed Carter, Nashville
- Bill Coble, Nashville
- Dwight Barnett, Smyrna
- Bruce Clarke, Mountain Home
- Mary Mastin, Cookeville
- Keith Moorman, Nashville
- Patrick Morales, Townsend
- Bill Neal, Murfreesboro
- Trip Pollard, Sewanee
- Cyrus Rhode, Jr., Spencer
- Bob Richards, Nashville
- Axel Ringe, New Market
- Sam Rogers, Knoxville
- Wayne Russell, Crossville
- Del Truitt, Nashville
- Greg Wathen, Nashville
- Melinda Welton, Franklin
- Elaine Gordon, Nashville
- Mary Ann Crowe, Crossville
- Dr. David Dye, Memphis
- John Fenderson, Statewide
- Ric Finch, Cookeville
- Frank Fiss, Nashville
- Mike Foster, Smithville
- Mark Fraley, Nashville
- Randy Hedgepath, Burns
- Frank Hensley, Oak Ridge
- Rob Karwedsky, Nashville
- Gary Kimsey, Sweetwater
- Bill Lawrence, Union City
- Elaine Gordon, Nashville
- Robert McCaleb, Cleveland
- Phillip Miller, Nashville