Naomi Asher is executive director of the United Way of Anderson County. She is a graduate of Johnson University, where she double majored in music and theology. Asher also earned an M.B.A. in marketing from King University.

Gavin Baker, principal of Baker Labs in Knoxville, has taught thousands of people about social media over the past five years.

Baker has provided training and digital media consultation for companies such as Ruby Tuesday, Pilot Flying J, Volkswagen, and the United Way of Knox County.

Paul Boyles is president of Paul Boyles Executive Coaching, LLC. He has more than 35 years of progressive experience in human resources within the manufacturing, government, and hotel/casino industries. Boyles earned a B.S. degree in management at the University of Scranton.

James Brogan has an M.B.A. and is the president and founder of Brogan Financial. Brogan is a certified retirement financial advisor and a certified estate and trust specialist.

Brogan was named the 2011 National Advisor of the Year by Senior Market Advisor magazine and is also the host of Newstalk 98.7’s “More Living” with Jim Brogan.

Ronald Browning has taught UT non-credit courses in Spanish for several years.

Terrence Carter is the vice president of workforce and economic development for the Knoxville Area Urban League, overseeing a $3.4 million loan program and preparing grants and investment proposals. He has more than 25 years of experience in community, economic, and business development.

Carter has worked for Knoxville's Community Development Corporation (KCDC) and has served as executive director for the Partnership for Neighborhood Improvement. He earned a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee and a master's degree from Baruch College in New York City.

Carter is a results-oriented leader with demonstrated initiative and creativity.

Kendall Chiles is a freelance nature photographer with more than 25 years of photography experience. His photos have appeared in numerous books, magazines, and brochures, and he has taught various photography workshops for many years.

Smoky Mountain Field School instructor Wanda DeWaard is an experienced outdoor educator, sharing Earth Kinship with community groups, colleges, camps, nature centers, and teacher conferences since 1974.

Smoky Mountain Field School instructor Liz Domingue is a naturalist, guide, nature photographer, and environmental educator. Through photography, observation, and research, she has studied wildlife, plants, and the natural world throughout the United States and abroad.

Dr. Kelly Drummond is a certified professional in human resources through the HR Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management. As the current director of human resources with the City of Knoxville, Drummond administers the compensation/classification system, talent acquisition, pre-employment processes, employee training, employee relations, succession planning, and assist directors in employee discipline. She previously worked as the vice president of human resource and leadership development with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley and the executive director of human resources for Knox County Schools. She also served as a national trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and facilitated national trainings on leadership, human resources development, employee motivation, and personal effectiveness. Drummond earned a doctorate degree in education with a concentration in human resource development from Lincoln Memorial University.

Jody Dyer, owner of Knoxville-based Crippled Beagle Publishing, coaches authors of all experience levels through the writing process, from idea to published work. Dyer earned a bachelor's degree in finance at the University of Tennessee and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction at Lincoln Memorial University.

Executive chef Greg J. Eisele is director of the UT Culinary & Catering Program, which was recognized by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) as a quality program.

Eisele serves as the current president of the Smoky Mountain chapter of the American Culinary Federation, and he is a frequent guest chef on WBIR-TV in Knoxville.

Tennessee Rick Elliott is a retired teacher, guidance counselor, and school administrator who now spends his time behind the lens of a camera. Elliott is a certified professional photography by the Professional Photographers of America. Elliott earned a B.S. degree in education from the University of Cincinnati and a master's degree from Xavier University.

John Fawaz, a financial planner for over 22 years, graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in mechanical engineering. Fawaz is a CFP® Certified Financial Planner™ and ChFC® Chartered Financial Consultant®. He is a past president of the East Tennessee Financial Planning Association, alumnus of Leadership Knoxville and East Tennessee Regional Leadership Program, a member of the University of Tennessee Chancellor's Associates and Knoxville Estate Planning Council, and a former Knox Heritage board member. He is also a frequent guest speaker on WATE-TV (ABC affiliate) in Knoxville and maintains offices at UT Federal Credit Union.

Alexia Georghiou is the founder of The Knoxville Happiness Coalition & Life Betterment Through God. She has been a mental health therapist for over 20 years and recently completed a Leadership and Management Certificate online program from Wharton.

She contracts with individuals and organizations to foster engagement and motivation of employees, generate strategies for teams/organizations in transition, and develop healthy habits through life coaching. Georghiou believes the world is a better place because we are in it, and everything we do can shift the culture for the better good.

Randy Harms has more than 30 years of successful sales, management, and coaching experience. Harms earned a bachelor's degree in business management at North Carolina Wesleyan College.

Smoky Mountain Field School instructor Ila Hatter is an interpretive naturalist, artist, storyteller, wildcrafter, and gourmet cook with more than 31 years of experience teaching the cultural heritage of native plants. She is the producer of Roadside Rambles, a wild foods cookbook, and a video series titled Wild Edibles and Medicinals of Southern Appalachia.

Smoky Mountain Field School instructor Joey Holt grew up in the foothills of the Smokies and earned his 900-miler status in 2012. He has been a lover of the outdoors all his life, enjoying activities such as camping and hiking.

Deborah Johnson, a certified Microsoft Office specialist, has worked in various teaching capacities in private industry, government, education, and consulting. She has taught computer courses since 1989, including several versions of Windows and almost every version of Microsoft Office products.

Johnson earned a degree in business management from the University of Memphis.

Evonne M. Kautz, EA (Enrolled Agent) is a federally authorized tax practitioner empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is the recipient of the highest credential awarded by the Internal Revenue Service. In addition to preparing tax returns, she has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the IRS for tax issues including audits, collections, and appeals. Kautz is the founder of 5-Star Holdings, Inc., a tax practice in Knoxville.

Paul Lewis is a senior teaching lab and tutor specialist for the UT Department of Physics. He is an astronomer extraordinaire and shares his love of the night sky with others.

Tony Mayfield is a senior consultant at On-Target Innovations, LLC, a Tennessee-based technology and engineering consulting firm. He has over 30 years of experience in developing high-end projects, cost controls, information systems, process improvement, process re-engineering, and training with both commercial and government organizations.

He has a bachelor's degree in engineering, a master's degree in information systems, and is currently working on his doctorate in information systems.

Beth Meko is a lecturer in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a grant writer/information specialist for the Center for Information and Communication Studies at the UT College of Communication and Information (CCI). She assists faculty in the four colleges of the CCI with developing, editing, and submitting grant proposals to government agencies and private foundations. She earned a B.A. degree in English at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and an M.S. degree in information science at the University of Tennessee.

David Montgomery is the lead instructor for the UT Landscape & Garden Design certificate program. With a degree in plant and soil science and more than 25 years of experience as a landscape designer, he is highly knowledgeable in horticultural sales, landscape maintenance, and installation.

An instructor of horticultural topics since 2000, David's main emphasis, in all courses, is presenting practical, usable knowledge to those who want a visually stimulating and low maintenance landscape.

Jesse D. Nelson is founder of the Nelson Law Group, PLLC, in Knoxville, where he focuses on employee rights litigation. He is a frequent presenter at conferences on issues of employment discrimination, wage/hour issues, and unlawful retaliation.

Nelson earned a bachelor's degree in sociology at Lambuth University and a law degree at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Holly Rainey is a Knoxville-based photographer and social media manager for a variety of local businesses and non-profit organizations. Her clients include The Maker City, Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, and Knox Brew Hub. Rainey is a part of the League of Scruffy Photographers and specializes in street and portrait photography. She is also a contributor to the "8th of August" documentary project in Knoxville, Newport & Greeneville, Tennessee, and published a book in collaboration with the Black in Appalachia non-profit organization and East Tennessee PBS.

Tammie Smeltzer is a training specialist at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base near Knoxville and oversees a team of military and civilian personnel that develops curriculum in traditional classroom, online learning, and blended formats. She has worked more than 20 years in adult education. Smeltzer is also a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant with more than 20 years of service. Aside from teaching, she enjoys serving as vice president of the East Tennessee Military Association (ETMA) Credit Union. She holds a master's degree in adult education.

Shane Smith is a financial advisor at Quality Financial Concepts in Maryville, Tennessee. Smith earned a bachelor's degree in accounting at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He became a Certified Financial Planner in 2014 and completed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst program in 2022.

J. Wade Tipton owns and operates Gallery Portraits in West Knoxville with his wife, Joy. He is a certified professional photographer by the Professional Photographers of America. In 2015 Tipton was inducted into the Tennessee Professional Photographers of America's Hall of Fame. He holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Mississippi State University.

Amy Zubko serves as a human resources manager at North Wind Group, a government contracting holding entity. Amy is practiced in developing staffing plans and employee programs, managing employee compensation and benefit plans, and developing and implementing HR policies. Amy serves as a consultant on performance management issues, is a business coach and mentor, and works with managers to create development plans for staff.

Amy holds an M.S. in Human Resource Management and a B.S. in Business Administration, both from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.