CAS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Honorary Board
- Vice President of Marketing With FedEx
Aashish Gahlaut is a Vice President of Marketing with FedEx and a Memphis resident for over 25 years . He grew up in India and got his Masters in Industrial Engineering from the University of Alabama before joining FedEx. He is passionate about making Memphis a better place each day.
Amy Ruggaber is an expert in public policy within the arts and culture sector and has worked as a performing artist, educator, arts administrator, and advocate for 20+ years. She has worked with the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change in various contractor roles since 2018 and developed and designed two exhibits for the Hooks Institute at the University of Memphis: "Uplift the Vote" and "The Fayette County Civil Rights Movement and the Photos of Art Shay," which is currently on display at the Memphis International Airport. Most recently, she served as the Arts and Culture Social Policy Consultant for the "More for Memphis" project, working with cross-sector leaders and community members to analyze inequities in current policy systems and develop recommendations for legislation and interventions that would improve economic mobility for Memphis-based artists and culture-bearers. Previously, she was the manager of the award-winning Fellows Program for ArtsMemphis and has worked locally with Tennesseans for the Arts, Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Company, Hattiloo Theatre, and more. Deeply committed to shining a light on the vital role of the arts in communities, she is an experienced arts advocate and has led advocacy efforts and training across the state of Tennessee and nationwide. An Arts Integration and Community Engagement Specialist, Amy has written and directed over 60 devised theatre pieces with children and differently-abled individuals. She has a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in Public Policy and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Memphis, as well as a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Job Titles:
- Collection Development Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Collection Maintenance Supervisor & Library Assistant III
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Public Administration
Job Titles:
- Emerging Technologies Specialist, Head of the Sandbox. Creatorspace
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Biological Sciences
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- Senior Community Relations Specialist for the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Community Trust and Foundation
Claire Brulatour is the Senior Community Relations Specialist for the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Community Trust and Foundation, where she executes community relations efforts through charitable giving and volunteer initiatives in West Tennessee. Claire oversees a diverse portfolio of sponsorships related to the company's overall mission: to provide peace of mind through better health, including the Foundation's signature cause, building active, healthy spaces in communities across Tennessee. Claire serves as the Board Chair for the parks advocacy group, Bloom, the associate board of Make-A-Wish of Memphis and the Mid-South, and a past board member of Latino Memphis. She is a graduate of Leadership Tennessee Next as well as the New Memphis Institute's Fellows program. Claire received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and French from Christian Brothers University and a Master of Arts in English Literature from George Mason University.
Job Titles:
- Emerging Technology Integration Specialist & Head of the Sandbox Creatorspace
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Director of Pre - Professional Advising
Staff Sergeant Courtney C. Calhoun is the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Administration at Air Force ROTC Detachment 785, The University of Memphis. Sergeant Calhoun's primarily manages administrative and personnel records for the UofM Cadet corps as well as Detachment Cadre. He is primarily responsible for processing cadets throughout the officer training life cycle to include enlistments, scholarships, medical, tuition, cadet pay, categorization, field training preparation, mentoring, and commissioning. Additionally, SSgt Calhoun manages the unit's New Cadet Orientation, Government Purchasing, Information Technology, Equipment and Demand Reduction programs.
Staff Sergeant Calhoun is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aviation with 50 flight hours. Sergeant Calhoun then plans to apply for Officer Training School to become a fighter pilot in the Air Force.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Graduate Assistant, HAAMI
Curtis Ladrillo Chamblee serves as the Graduate Assistant at the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change. Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Chamblee completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees in communication studies before pursuing further studies at the University of Memphis in the Department of Communication & Film. His research interests revolve around the intersections of place, race, gender, and health, with a focus on understanding how these factors influence the representation and navigation of Black masculinity.
As a self-identified Blerd (Black nerd), Chamblee's passion for comics, science fiction, fantasy, and comic book movies has fueled his dissertation topic, which examines the impact of place on representations of Black masculinity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Through his research, Chamblee aims to shed light on how different spaces shape and constrain the portrayal of Black masculinity within popular culture.
Along with his research in comics, Chamblee also does research in social change. An important and timely area of research. Rhetorical fractals: an Afrocentric analysis of #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd, sounds like a significant contribution to understanding the ongoing cycle of state-sanctioned violence against Black individuals and communities. By applying an Afrocentric lens, Chamblee and his mentor likely provided valuable insights into the systemic and recurring nature of these injustices, shedding light on the need for sustained activism and structural change to break this cycle.
Prior to his role at the Hooks Institute, Chamblee served as a peer mentor for the HBCU Pipeline at the National Communication Association, where he guided undergraduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In his current position, Chamblee takes on administrative responsibilities, provides advising support, and advocates for students at the Hooks African American Male Institute (HAAMI) and A Seat at the Table (ASATT) programs.
Job Titles:
- ILL Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Professor
Daniel Kiel is the Fed Ex professor of law at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where he joined the faculty in 2008. Kiel teaches constitutional law, education & civil rights, and property law. In addition to his record of publications focusing on disparities in education, Professor Kiel is the director of The Memphis 13 (2011), a documentary sharing the stories of the first graders who desegregated Memphis City Schools in 1961. The film has been screened at universities, film festivals, museums, and schools across the country and was made possible in part by a research grant from the Hooks Institute in 2010.
The university recognized Professor Kiel on campus with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Award (2013), the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teaching Award (2017), and various honors within the law school. He has served on the Hooks Institute's National Book Award committee since 2012 and contributed a paper to the Institute's 2018 Policy Papers series. Professor Kiel is a native Memphian and a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and Harvard Law School.
As executive director of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis, Daphene R, McFerren is responsible for strategic initiatives, program development and implementation, staff management and financial oversight of Hooks Institute operations. Before joining the Hooks Institute, McFerren was in private practice in Washington, DC; was senior counsel in the Office of General Counsel at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission; was counsel to the late Attorney General Janet Reno; and was later Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland prosecuting, among other cases, forced labor and involuntary servitude cases involving foreign victims.
Job Titles:
- Director of Creative Content
Daven Baptiste is a distinguished Memphis-based filmmaker and accomplished director, specializing in commercials, film, and television. His impressive portfolio includes over 100 commercials, two independent films, and an array of viral videos. He started his career in Los Angeles as a Vice President, Creative, at the prestigious boutique advertising agency, Relevant Content + Media. There, DBaptiste oversaw campaigns for Nike, Coca Cola and 20th Century Fox, while meticulously cultivating his talents as an eminent photographer and masterful short-form storyteller. Presently, DBaptiste is in pre-production for "Interrupting Love," an inaugural installment of a profound cinematic trilogy meticulously set in the enigmatic landscape of Memphis.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Biological Sciences
Job Titles:
- Metadata and Catalog Librarian & Assistant Professor
Dr. Andrew Meyers is an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Memphis, where he served as vice president for research and executive director of the University's Research Foundation. He is a three-time winner of University's Superior Performance in Research Award and received the College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Research Award and the college's Meritorious Faculty Award. Meyers has also served as president of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. He has been a consultant to the U.S. Olympic Committee on issues of athlete and coach performance. Meyers is a graduate of Leadership Memphis and has been actively involved in community issues throughout the Mid-South.
Job Titles:
- Department of Earth Sciences
Job Titles:
- Founding Director, Professor Emeritus
The University of Memphis Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Bill Hardgrave as the 13th President on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, and he began his tenure on April 1, 2022. Previously, Dr. Hardgrave served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Auburn University since January 2018.
Dr. Bill Hardgrave was named the 13th President of the University of Memphis on Nov. 9, 2021, and began his tenure on April 1, 2022.
Hardgrave previously served as Auburn University's Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. He was dean of Auburn's Harbert College of Business from August 2010 through December 2017.
As the chief academic officer, Hardgrave led Auburn's 12 colleges and schools, including the College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Pharmacy, while overseeing academic resources, support units and instructional and research programs. He led initiatives designed to promote student and faculty success and ensured the quality of student learning at the graduate and undergraduate levels. In addition, he managed the procedures for faculty recruitment, appointments, promotions and tenure.
Hardgrave launched the Auburn University RFID (radio frequency identification) lab, Geospatial Research and Applications Center and the Center for Supply Chain Innovation. He also oversaw the creation of a Business Analytics undergraduate major, a PhD program in Finance and an online MS in Finance.
Job Titles:
- Department of Earth Sciences
Job Titles:
- Director of School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean
- Professor, Associate Dean
Job Titles:
- Associate Research Professor
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Department of Earth Sciences
Job Titles:
- Department of English Applied Linguistics
Job Titles:
- Coordinator of Graduate Studies
- Teaching / Graduate Studies Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Department Chair
- Interim Chair, Pat E. Burlison Professor
Job Titles:
- Community Relations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Physics and Materials Science
Job Titles:
- Systems Librarian & Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Administrative Associate II
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director, Academic Learning Support / UM3D
Job Titles:
- Department Head, Electronic Resources Librarian
Job Titles:
- Reserve Room Manager, Library Assistant
Job Titles:
- Local Technical Support Provider II
Job Titles:
- Undergraduate Success Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Graduate Student Outreach Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Prestigious American Law Institute
The Honorable Bernice B. Donald received her law degree from the University of Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, a LLM from Duke University School of Law, and an honorary Doctors in Law from Suffolk University. Prior to being appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 2011, she served on the U.S. District Court for over fifteen years.
Judge Donald is a member of the prestigious American Law Institute and the American Bar Association ("ABA") including ABA sections; Judicial Division, Appellate Judges, Criminal Justice, Labor and Employment Law, Antitrust, Civil Rights and Social Justice, and Litigation, as well as the Center for Human Rights, where she chairs the Dignity Rights Project. She has served as Chair of the ABA Center for Human Rights and chaired a committee which published an implicit bias resource book for judges and practitioners titled, Enhancing Justice: Reducing Bias. Judge Donald served as Chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section, focusing on issues concerning implicit bias, children of incarcerated parents, mass incarceration, and the collateral consequences of incarceration.
Kenya Hooks is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia in 1996 and started her professional career at National City Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio. Hooks relocated to Memphis in 2003 to attend law school and received her Juris Doctor from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2008. She is married to Michael Hooks, the great-nephew of Benjamin and Frances Hooks. She worked as a legal assistant for Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks throughout law school and until he died in 2010. Hooks worked in private practice as a civil litigator for Bruce Turner, PLLC from 2010-2013. In 2013 she began her career at the City of Memphis as an Assistant City Prosecutor, prosecuting violations of the City Code and working in partnership with the District Attorney General's office to reduce blight in the Memphis community. In Jan. 2019 she was appointed to Chief Prosecutor at the City of Memphis and in 2022 she was elected as Judge of Memphis Municipal Court, Division 1.
Job Titles:
- Building Management Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Biological Sciences
Job Titles:
- Member of the Public Relations & Communication Staff
- Director of Media & Public Relations
- Media
Job Titles:
- Director of Administration
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator
Jessyka transitioned her career to the University of Memphis from the private sector in 2002, when she assumed the role of Administrative Secretary in the Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics. In 2008, she received her Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) rating from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). She became the Administrative Associate for both the Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate and the Department of Economics in the fall of 2020, before proudly joining the Staff of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change as Administrative Coordinator in the spring of 2022. Away from the University, Jessyka is also a writer with a creative bent toward music, art, and varied other ventures.
Supports the Executive Director and oversees the Administration Office and student hiring.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Executive Director
Represents the Libraries on campus, in the community, and on the state and national levels.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Assistant Professor of Teaching / Online Coordinator
- Online Advising Coordinator
John Gilmore earned an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Memphis in 1999. He earned a Master of Divinity from the Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University 1987. Professor Gilmore has taught in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Memphis as an adjunct since 1999. He became full-time in the department in 2018. He has also taught at Christian Brothers University in the College of Adult and Professional Studies. Mr. Gilmore has worked extensively in several neighborhood revitalization efforts, including Peabody-Vance and Cooper-Young. In addition, Gilmore worked in HIV/AIDS as a trainer, program manager, and tester. Gilmore designed a faith-based Caregiver Training for HIV/AIDS ministries instituted in several cities. He is active in several interfaith efforts in Memphis. Currently, he teaches several classes and is the coordinator for online courses.
Expertise and Interests
Joylisa Scott is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. She received both a Bachelor of Science in Food and Resource Economics and Master of Business Administration from University of Florida. Joy has over 10 years of sales and operations leadership experience at PepsiCo. In her current role as Transformation Manager, she provides training and change management support to PepsiCo sales and operations leaders on new internal processes. Prior to this, she served as the General Manager of PepsiCo for the Greater Memphis area where she led sales, delivery, and warehouse operations for the area. In this role, she also partnered with local organizations such as Collierville Chamber of Commerce, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis Grizzlies, and Boys and Girls Club of Memphis to solidify the organization is a staple in the Memphis community.
Job Titles:
- Undergraduate Representative to the Faculty
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Innovation and Scholarly Engagement & Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Religious Studies
Job Titles:
- Manager of Marketing and Communication
Job Titles:
- Director, College Development I
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant I
Job Titles:
- Member of the Emeritus Board
- President of Operations at A2H, Inc
Logan Meeks is a partner and president of operations at A2H, Inc., the leading architectural, engineering, and planning firm in the Mid-South region. He serves on the executive committee of the firm as a partner. In addition to his service on the Hooks Institute Community Advisory Board, Meeks is a board member at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
He is a member of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis and the University Club of Memphis. Meeks is also active on several technical engineering boards for local and state organizations. Meeks served as the Hooks Institute Advisory Board Chair from 2014- January 2018.
Job Titles:
- Programs Research Advisor
Elena Delavega, Ph.D., MSW, is an associate professor at the Department of Social Work at the University of Memphis (UofM), where she teaches social welfare policy, advanced community practice, and poverty. Her research is complex and multifaceted and consists of three broad areas: understanding poverty, social and economic exclusion, and promoting social and economic development. Delavega evaluates the research component of the Hooks African American Male Initiative and plays an integral role in the writing and publication of the Hooks Institute's Policy Papers.
Job Titles:
- Instructional Technology Trainer
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Marketing Manager With FedEx
Marvin Todd is a Marketing Manager with FedEx. He's a native Memphian with experience in marketing, project management and strategic planning and implementation. He's the Board Chair for Vision Prep Charter School and mentors youth via recreational sports programs at the Kroc Center. He's a 2011 graduate of the New Memphis Institute's Fellows program and received his Bachelors' degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and later received his MBA from Dowling Institute.
Job Titles:
- Virtual Instruction Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
- Member of the Public Relations & Communication Staff
- Senior Vice President
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Coordinator
Oversees the Libraries event coordination & collaborations, marketing, social media, and development.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Instructor, Undergraduate Advisor
- Teaching / Undergraduate Advisor
- Undergraduate Advising Coordinator
Kenneth Latta received his MA in anthropology from the University of Memphis in 2014. Prior to joining the faculty in 2018, he served as the Coordinator of Special Projects for local nonprofit Center for Transforming Communities (CTC), where he supported community organizing efforts in a variety of low-income neighborhoods in Memphis. While at CTC, he also oversaw all of the organization's program evaluation, using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate the impact of the organization's community organizing and community building strategies. Prior to joining CTC, Kenny completed research into the impact of community gardens in Memphis neighborhoods as part of larger collaboration with local nonprofit GrowMemphis and faculty from the department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research. Kenny earned a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Christian Brothers University in 2010.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Honorary Board
Ms. Johnnie R. Turner was born in Hughes, Ark., to sharecropper parents. When she was 3 years old, her parents escaped with their children under the cloak of darkness and made their way to Memphis, where she later graduated from Manassas High School in the top 5% of her class. Her activism began during her years at LeMoyne-Owen College where she participated in sit-ins and was subsequently arrested. She returned to Memphis and taught for 30 years at Memphis City Schools, assuming leadership roles, including serving as executive director for the Memphis Branch of the NAACP. Ms. Turner represented District 85 in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. Awards include Who's Who in Black America, Great Women of the 21st Century, Shelby County Schools Hall of Fame, and Legislator of the Year.
Job Titles:
- Digital Initiatives Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Honorary Board
Patricia Hooks Gray is the daughter of Rev. Benjamin L. Hooks and Frances D. Hooks. She is an innovative educator who taught language arts and social studies in the Princeton School District in Cincinnati, OH. Pat created and presented reading units for teachers at Core Knowledge Conventions across the country. Her master's degree as a Reading Specialist was earned at Xavier University in Cincinnati.
For twenty-one years, she was an Adjunct Professor at Xavier teaching undergrad and graduate-level courses in reading. Her time is spent supporting the Education Ministry with teenagers at her church. She is an avid reader and researcher of relevant issues and topics in society.
Job Titles:
- Electronic Resources Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Graduate Representative to the Faculty
Job Titles:
- Project Manager at the FedEx Institute of Technology
Raminder (Rami) Lotay is a Project Manager at the FedEx Institute of Technology, the applied research arm of the University of Memphis. In his current role, Rami focuses on providing workforce development opportunities to corporate, non-profit and government organizations. He provides research support to the 7 research clusters located at the FIT and countless researchers across the UofM. He also works closely with local technology community partners on events, hackathons, etc. Rami received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Memphis and is a graduate of the New Memphis Institute's Fellows program.
Job Titles:
- Director of Student Services
Job Titles:
- RIS Librarian & Assistant Professor
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Director, Interdisciplinary Studies
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Associate Director of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change
Rorie Trammel is the associate director of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change. Trammel plays an integral role in the activities of the Hooks Institute, including administrative and operations duties, fundraising and donor relations, and coordination of the Institute's National Book Award. Trammel also oversees strategic planning and implementation of the Hooks African American Male Initiative (HAAMI). Trammel is a native of Rochester, NY, and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Science, in Education, from the University of Memphis. She is also a former UofM employee, having worked in the Office of Development for fourteen years. Rorie worked for the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South for fourteen and a half years, first as executive director of urban programming and later as vice president for advancement. Rorie was a volunteer radio reader for WYPL, the radio station at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, for many years. She is a member of the New Memphis Institute. Previously, she served on the boards of directors for Partners in Public Education (PIPE), the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Le Bonheur Center for Children and Parents, and the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Senior Vice President and Community Lending Manager at Pinnacle Financial Partners
Steve Swain is a senior vice president and community lending manager at Pinnacle Financial Partners. Steve is a native of Alabama and joined Pinnacle in 2019. He relocated to Memphis in 1997. He leads the lending production office teams and partners with consumer, mortgage, and community development to deliver lending programs. Steve serves on Pinnacle's Corporate Social Responsibility committee, Community Development committee, and Retail Credit committee. Prior to joining Pinnacle, he held several senior leadership roles with First Horizon and Associates First Capital Corporation. He received his bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. Steve currently serves as vice president of the Memphis CRA Association. He is a past board member of Operation HOPE, Inc. - HOPE Inside National Advisory Board.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Physics and Materials Science
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
- Member of the Public Relations & Communication Staff
Job Titles:
- Evening Supervisor & Library Assistant III
Job Titles:
- Digital Content Specialist