The University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS), an agency of the Institute for Public Service (IPS), has announced the selection of the inaugural cohort for PULSE TN: Strengths-Based Leadership Intensive, a new statewide leadership program with a simple mission to amplify the beat of local leadership for a stronger Tennessee.

Rooted in the University of Tennessee System’s Grand Challenges initiative, PULSE TN convenes a selective cohort of municipal leaders, elected officials and community partners from across the state to address the challenges including strengthening rural communities, advancing K–12 education and overcoming addiction.

“The vision for PULSE TN is to help local leaders connect their individual strengths to something bigger than themselves,” said MTAS Training & Development Consultant and PULSE TN Program Lead Dr. Matt Hensley. “The Grand Challenges touch every community in Tennessee. PULSE TN is about building a statewide network of local leaders who are leading meaningful change where they live and serve—aligning local action for coordinated statewide impact.”

The program is intentionally collaborative in design and delivery, bringing together expertise and engagement from across all agencies within IPS. In addition, PULSE TN includes collaborative partnerships with campus and statewide leadership organizations, including the Jones Center for Leadership and Service at UT Knoxville and Leadership Tennessee. These collaborations help create a uniquely interdisciplinary leadership experience that connects local leaders with subject matter experts, statewide networks and applied learning opportunities across Tennessee.

Over the course of the multi-month program, selected participants will engage in immersive learning experiences across Tennessee’s three grand divisions, including strengths-based leadership workshops, expert panel discussions, service-learning opportunities and community engagement experiences tied directly to the UT Grand Challenges. The curriculum is grounded in CliftonStrengths and emphasizes self-awareness, adaptive leadership, collaboration and translating leadership into action.

A key component of the program is the development of participant-led “Strengths in Action” projects designed to create tangible local impact after the program concludes.

The inaugural PULSE TN cohort represents communities and organizations from across Tennessee and reflects a diverse mix of leadership backgrounds, professional expertise and civic engagement experience. Participants were selected through a competitive nomination and application process. 

Through programs like PULSE TN, MTAS and IPS continue advancing their mission of improving the lives of Tennesseans through responsive, practical public service support.

For more information about PULSE TN, please contact Hensley at matt.hensley@tennessee.edu. 

Participants:

Glen Mullins, Chairman, Bartlett Station Commission

Adrienne Batara, Marketing/Public Relations Director, Kingsport

Wendy Maness, Councilwoman, Clinton

Patrick Smith, City Councilman, Union City

Jason Horne, Assistant Director of Greeneville City Schools, Greeneville

Mary Lee Williams, Director of Administration, Bristol

Melanie Rice, Director of HR, Johnson City

Lori Phillip-Jones, Mayor, Oneida

Ryan Griffin, Mayor, McKenzie

Amanda Waddell, Director of Grants and Strategic Initiatives, Greene County    Partnership

Ruth Reno Anderson, Alderman, City of Puryear

Kendra Hopson, General Manager, Greene County Partnership

Martin Granum, City Manager, Red Bank

Lynn Broyles, Executive Director, Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition

Rafferty Davis Cleary, Cultural Administrator, Monterey

Chelsea Sadler, Director of Grants & Opportunities, Chattanooga

April Norris, Deputy Director of Schools, Tullahoma

Samuel Beyhan, Executive Director, Memphis