Workforce Development Committee

Tennessee native, Layah Garton, was appointed by Governor Bill Lee on August 4, 2023 to represent the board as Student Regent. She graduated high school in the summer of 2022 and began diesel school in the fall of 2022 at TCAT Nashville. Her estimated graduation date is summer of 2024.

Ms. Vanessa Pilkinton was appointed by Governor Bill Lee to serve as a Faculty Regent from 2023 to 2024. She will serve as a non-voting member until June 30, 2023 and then move into the voting faculty regent position from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

Mr. Mark H. George was appointed by Governor Bill Lee to serve as the West Tennessee At-large representative. George is the Chairman of IMC Companies. He started the company as Intermodal Cartage in 1982 with one truck and one driver. Over the last 40+ years, IMC Companies has become the nation’s largest marine drayage provider with over 3,000 team members and truck terminals in every major ocean port and rail terminal in the United States. Additionally, he serves as a board member of the American Trucking Association and is the Chairman of the Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference.

Kyle Spurgeon was appointed by Governor Bill Lee to represent the 8th Congressional District. He is president/CEO of the Greater Jackson Chamber, Jackson, TN. The organization represents over 1000 business members in Jackson-Madison County and parts of West Tennessee. Before joining the chamber, Spurgeon was vice-president, corporate relations for Jackson Energy Authority. He has also served as marketing director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. He has helped facilitate project locations representing more than $8 billion in capital investment.

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.

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.