Personnel and Compensation Committee

Miles Burdine was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Regents on December 14, 2017, by Governor Bill Haslam to fill the 1st congressional district seat and was reappointed for another six year term by Governor Bill Lee.

Burdine is a native of Kingsport, Tennessee, and is the President and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce.  One of the chamber's main focus efforts under Burdine's leadership for many years has been education and workforce development. 

Danni Varlan was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Regents on September 29, 2010, representing the second congressional district. She was reappointed to serve a second term in 2013 and a third term in 2019.

Shane Hooper was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Regents to represent the fourth congressional district. Shane is President/CEO of the Shelbyville-Bedford Partnership, a local economic development organization focusing on industrial recruitment and retention, workforce development, and community development. He graduated from Itawamba Agricultural High School and Lipscomb University. After graduation, he served his country as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Shane earned a Master's in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Thomas "Tom" White was appointed by Governor Bill Haslam to the Tennessee Board of Regents on February 16, 2017, representing East Tennessee as an At-Large Representative and was reappointed for another six year term by Governor Bill Lee.

White is the former Senior Vice President, Investor Relations for Unum Group. He was responsible for investor relations and communications with rating agencies.  He was also responsible for assisting in setting the Company’s corporate philanthropy program.  

Barry Stephenson was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Regents to represent the third congressional district. Mr. Stephenson is a chemist with over 55 years of experience including 44 years in senior management positions in analytical testing laboratories. His experience includes all aspects of laboratory operations, administration, project development and management, and business development. In 1998, he was instrumental in the commercialization of Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, formerly a DOE contractor laboratory at K25 Uranium Emichment Facility in Oak Ridge.

Nisha Powers was appointed by Governor Bill Lee to serve as the 9th congressional district representative. She is President of Powers Hill Design, LLC – a civil engineering firm that she established in 2005, located in Downtown Memphis.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and has worked in the engineering community in Memphis since 1997.