NCEL Staff

Trent Clagg serves as a Training Specialist of the Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership (NCEL) at the University of Tennessee's Institute of Public Service.  Originally from Idaho, Trent Clagg has been involved in service and leadership for several years.  He is the product of three generations of leaders and speakers.  He is a graduate of Lee University earning a degree in Communications, with an emphasis in Telecommunications.  Later on he received his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University. He married Mary Hamilton in 2000, and they moved to Lenoir City, TN.  In 2002, he accepted the position as the Manager of the Clayton Performing Arts Center at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, TN.  After serving almost ten years, Trent accepted a position at Lincoln Memorial University to work in the Assessment department and successfully aided the Carter and Moyers School of Education in attaining the honorable National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Accreditation (NCATE).  Trent has served in multiple leadership capacities in his career including a local non-profit where he has served as a motivational speaker since 2006.  He has been a featured speaker at several camps in the Pacific Northwest as well as many venues in East Tennessee.   He enjoys spending time with his family, discovering the outdoors, and horseback riding.  Trent and his wife Mary have three beautiful daughters, Abby, Annabeth, & Amelia. 

Patrick Mills serves as Coordinator of the Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership (NCEL) at the University of Tennessee’s Institute of Public Service. Before coming to NCEL, Patrick Mills served as Training Coordinator for University of Tennessee’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS). While at MTAS, Mills coordinated events statewide for the many programs MTAS offers. Mills has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee. He is an active member of the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Patrick Mills is from Maryville, Tennessee; he is an active member in the community and in his free time, loves being outdoors, traveling and playing golf.  

Jeff Stiles serves as the Leadership Programs Manager of the Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership (NCEL) at the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. Jeff Stiles served the citizens of Knoxville as an officer with the Knoxville Police Department for 28 years, retiring as a Captain. During his career, he served as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, patrol lieutenant, police academy instructor, supervisor of the Field Training Program, Organized Crime Unit supervisor, Training Director, and Commander of Tennessee’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. He also served as a member of the Department’s Special Operations Squad (SWAT) for 20 years. Jeff is a graduate of the University of Tennessee. He is also a graduate of the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (Class 256). He completed his Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 2014. For nearly 25 years, Jeff has facilitated and managed training sessions for local, state, and federal government employees, as well as numerous private companies across the nation. In his free time, he enjoys camping and hiking. He is married to Amy and has three children and three grandchildren.