Blueprint Dinner
The Blueprint Dinner is a professional networking event designed to connect UTC students to the UTC and Chattanooga communities to share their leadership experiences and provide insight from their collegiate and career journeys. This year’s mentors are an inspiring group of professionals are currently working at UTC, and graduated from UTC and other insitutions, who continue to lend their talents to UTC and Chattanooga. They are all committed to impacting the lives of students through leadership, service and mentoring.
Blueprint Dinner - Campus Connections
Speaker: Dr. Michael Williams
When: November 20, 2024
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30 pm
Dr. Michael Williams
Director of the Africana Studies Program and Professor of History at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Michael Vinson Williams is the son of James and Delois Williams of Etta, Mississippi. He is the oldest sibling in a close-knit family of seven sisters and three brothers and has two beautiful adult daughters named Ayo and Marimba; a two-year-old son named Ezeani; and 17-month-old triplets named Jasiri, Zanani and Khari. He is happily married to Dr. Patrie Williams. Williams and his siblings graduated from a home instructional program developed and implemented by their parents. Afterwards, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and sociology, a Master of Arts in history and the Doctor of Philosophy in history from the University of Mississippi. He was also among the University’s first Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society’s initiating class. His research and teaching interests include social and political resistance movements, grassroots activism, Civil Rights struggle and conflict, Black intellectuals and radicalism and various aspects of African history. He has spoken extensively on the Civil Rights movement, Mississippi NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Wiley Evers, and the impact of the civil rights struggle on the social and political development of America.
Eddrick Brooks
Coordinator of Club Sports & Sports Complex at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Eddrick Brooks is a native of Chattanooga, TN. He celbrates his accomplishment as a proud class of 2009 UTC legacy alumnus recieving his Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He also graduated from the Baylor School Class of 2004. His dedication and commitment shows as he has shared he plans to stay at UTC until early retirement and seek to be rehired. Several expereinces has attributed to his longevity as he transitioned from student staff to a professional staff member at UTC. He attended the Mack McCarthy & Henry Dickerson's UTC Basketball Camp every summer as a child with his, to celebrating UTC Men's Basketball NCAA Sweet 16 attendance in 1997 as a fan of Mocs Basketball and Johnny Taylor, UTC legend to refereeing his first Intramural Flag Football game where the ARC currently stands. He continuoisly demonstrates his passion for UTC and exemplifies the philosophy of students first .
Yancy Freeman Jr.
Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at theUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Yancy Freeman Jr. is passionate about improving marginalized areas and is a committed public health advocate and higher education professional. Yancy helps potential students in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, with the admissions process as a Veteran Admissions Counselor at The University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. His work reflects a deep commitment to empowering students and helping them overcome barriers to success.Yancy’s educational background, including a Master’s degree in Public Health, has equipped him with a unique perspective on the intersection of health and education. His previous role as an Outreach and Enrollment Specialist at Erlanger underscored his dedication to increasing access to health resources, as he worked directly with underserved populations to connect them with essential healthcare and enrollment services. Beyond his professional duties, Yancy actively contributes to community initiatives such as the Annual Minority Health Fair in Chattanooga, where he serves as a committee member. He is also involved in the MOC (Men of Color) Academy program, a strategic initiative aimed at empowering incoming freshman students through early access to college resources and support networks. This program embodies his commitment to preparing the next generation of college students. Yancy’s service-oriented mindset and dedication to social impact make him a powerful role model for young African American students. Through his career and community work, he exemplifies resilience, commitment, and a dedication to creating meaningful change in both educational and healthcare spaces.
Maurice Green
Student Success Specialist for Student Support Services at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Maurice R. Green, originally from Philadelphia and raised outside Atlanta, is the oldest of seven boys. A graduate of Eagles Landing High School in McDonough, GA, Maurice initially pursued athletics at Foothill Community College in Palo Alto, CA, before attending Benedict College in Columbia, SC. Following a career-ending injury, he transferred to Georgia Southern University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s in higher education. While there, he reinvented himself by joining the Collegiate 100, eventually serving as its president for two years. Maurice now works with Student Support Services at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, dedicated to supporting students in their educational journeys.
Laurenz Howard
Coordinator of Student Success Programs at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Laurenz is a native Memphis, TN, is a dedicated higher education professional and a two-time alumnus of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, holding both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Communication and Information. As a first-generation college graduate, Laurenz is committed to advancing educational access and fostering inclusive opportunities for underrepresented students. His passion lies in creating pathways for student success, particularly for those from diverse backgrounds, and he takes pride in empowering others to thrive in academic and professional spaces. (If needed to be longer) Laurenz remains dedicated to supporting students in realizing their full potential, guided by the impactful mentorship he himself received.
Kenneth Jones
Senior Associate Athletic Director of Compliance at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Ken Jones is in this 11th year at UTC after joining the department in November 2014. He was promoted to Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance in August 2023. He began as the Director of Compliance before earning a promotion to Assistant AD in July 2015 and Associate AD in January 2017. Jones oversees all aspects of compliance for the athletics program, as well as administrative oversight of the men's and women's golf programs. An integral member of the athletics executive team, he has served on the search committees in the hiring of men’s basketball coaches Matt McCall, Lamont Paris and Dan Earl, women's basketball coach Shawn Poppie and Deandra Schirmer and men's golf coach Blaine Woodruff. Jones serves as a member of the NCAA Men's Golf Committee. He is also part of the working group that oversees all aspects of name, image and likeness as it relates to student-athletes at UTC. He is also a 2017 graduate of the University of Tennessee Leadership Institute. The UT Leadership Institute's purpose is to increase participants’ understanding of leadership in higher education and promote leadership effectiveness in the University system. Jones came to the Scenic City from Wilmington, N.C., where he was compliance coordinator at UNCW. He spent six years with the Seahawks after his year as compliance assistant at Arkansas from 2007-08. He earned his undergraduate degree in Agribusiness Management from Alcorn State in 2006. Jones followed with a master’s in Agriculture Economics at Arkansas in 2008. He served as a soil conservationist with the USDA/NRCS during the summers of 2004, 2005 and 2006 before turning to a career in collegiate athletics. Jones is married to the former Afton Jackson.
Dr. Darrell Walsh
Assistant Professor of Sociology in the Cultural Social Justice Studies Department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Darrell R. Walsh joined the faculty at UTC in 2005 as a Sociology Lecturer. He earned his B.S and M.Ed. in sociology and Counseling Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Before joining the department, he served as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. Received his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Currently, assistant professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in sociology with a specialty in Political Economy. He is a retired Civil Affairs Army officer (LTC) who has been deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan. His teaching and research focus is on wealth inequality. At UTC, he teaches Introductory sociology, Marriage and the Family, American Diversity, Military Sociology, and Sociology of the Black Community. Dr. Darrell R. Walsh joined the University of Tennessee of Chattanooga professionally in 1990 as an Admissions and Financial Aid officer after completing his B.S. degree in sociology. He also received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army, starting a military career, serving 31 years until recently retiring in 2015 as a Lieutenant Colonel (LTC). While at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as an Admissions/Financial officer, Dr. Walsh was instrumental in the diversity recruitment efforts across the state and within the region. After receiving his master’s degree, Dr. Walsh served as the coordinator of the Freshman Seminar, teaching first-time freshman how to be successful at the collegiate level while also directing the Higher Ground summer program designed to instruct local high school students committed in attending UTC to be successful. Shortly after acceptance into a sociology doctoral program at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a concentration in political economy, Dr. Walsh joined the UTC sociology department as a lecturer in 2005. He also pursued interest in military sociology. As a Finance and Civil Affairs officer in the military, his doctoral studies were interrupted by three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. During his military service, he has received several US decorations and badges, such as the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Afghanistan Medal with Campaign Star, and the Army Service Ribbon, overseas served in designated imminent danger pay area, service in Kuwait. After each deployment, Dr. Walsh returned to his teaching role in sociology while also resuming his doctoral studies. On campus, he has served in many student-oriented organizations as an advisor and mentor. After completion of his doctoral studies, Dr. Walsh was appointed as a tenure-tracked Assistant Professor. He has several accollades from being a 3-year Board Member of the Mary Walker Foundation, Lifetime Member, 40 years of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity Incorporated, Mentor of local high school and undergraduate youth, Black Faculty and Staff Executive Member, since inception, a Faculty Senator. He has a student-centered coupled with promoting the University throughout the city and state with various stakeholders.
The Blueprint Dinner is a professional networking event designed to connect UTC students to the UTC and Chattanooga communities to share their leadership experiences and provide insight from their collegiate and career journeys. This year’s mentors are an inspiring group of professionalswho have graduated from UTC and other insitutions, who continue to lend their talents to UTC and Chattanooga. They are all committed to impacting the lives of students through leadership, service and mentoring.
Blueprint Dinner - Communty Connections
Speaker: Dr. Bryan Samuel
When: November 28, 2023
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30 pm
Dr. Bryan Samuel
Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - University of Alabama in Huntsville
Dr. Samuel has acquired a broad perspective on public university administration, Student Affairs, Multicultural Affairs and Equity and Diversity through a career progression that has included working at a small state college, a large national university, a mid-sized campus of a state university system, and the central administrative offices of a multi-campus university. Over a 20 year tenure in higher education, Dr. Samuel has had operation and staff leadership experience helping university and secondary educational leaders to understand issues along the diversity continuum and helping to develop policies and programs responding to underlying needs. With particular emphasis on access, diversity and inclusion, his responsibilities have spanned recruitment, retention, programming and advocacy. In each area, Dr. Samuel has initiated programs that not only made a difference in students’ and employees’ individual lives, but also fundamentally improved institutional dynamics and the climate of the organization. Dr. Samuel has received numerous campus, state and national accolades including but not limited to the 2011 Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel Trio Achiever Award, 2005 University of Nebraska Board of Regents Kudos Award, the 2003 University of Nebraska Equity in Opportunity Fellowship, and the 2000 Noel Levitz Retention Excellence Award. Dr. Samuel earned both a Bachelor’s of Science 1993 and Masters of Education 1995 from UTC. In 2005 Dr. Samuel earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Higher Education 2005 from the University of Nebraska.
Chris Brown
Director of Community Centers City of Chattanooga
Chris Brown is an outgoing professional specializing in city government administration for the past 15 years. He also provides advisory services to local government agencies and programming entities for the greater Chattanooga area. In 2014, Mr. Brown was appointed as Executive Assistant to the Administrator for the City of Chattanooga Department of Youth and Family Development. He oversaw the day-to-day operations of the administrative office that provided strategic planning for youth and family sustainability. During his tenure,Mr. Brown has developed an array of progressive approaches to enhance departmental personnel in innovative technology and financial accountability. In 2017, Chris was promoted to Management and Budget Analyst with the City of Chattanooga Department of Finance and Administration. He oversaw the preparation of the city-wide budget, monitoring and oversight of department budgets and expenditures as well as compliance with rules and regulations. In 2022, Mr. Brown was appointed, Director of Community Centers for the Department of Community Development. Under his leadership, he provides strategic direction and oversight of the City’s community centers.
Bryant Fairley
Director of Engagement Division of Access and Engagement - UTC
Bryant Fairley is the Director of Engagement for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Division of Access and Engagement. In his role, Bryant works collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, and partners to facilitate dialogue, foster collaboration, and inspire students to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Focused primarily on outreach and community engaged learning, Bryant strives to encourage faculty to incorporate engaged learning pedagogy, empower students to learn by doing good, and establish equitable and democratic-reciprocal relationships with campus partners. Bryant has a B.A. in Public Administration and earned his M.A. in Organizational Leadership.
Ken Jones
Senior Director of Procurement, Vendor Relations, and Minority & Women-Owned Business EPB
Ken Jones, a distinguished native of Chattanooga, TN, whose passion for community engagement and empowerment shines through his outstanding accomplishments. As a devoted family man, Ken takes immense pride in his daughter Sydney, son Keion, and cherishes the joy of being a grandfather to two grandsons, Aiden & Korbyn, and a granddaughter named Halo Grace. Driven by a strong commitment to making a positive impact, Ken actively participates in entrepreneurship, mentoring, and community development initiatives. His unwavering dedication to core values and a genuine desire to serve others fuels his relentless efforts towards enhancing the well-being of his community. Ken's academic journey showcases his dedication to excellence. He achieved an Associate's degree in Electrical Electronics Engineering Technology from Chattanooga State Technical Community College, a testament to his technical proficiency and commitment to professional growth. Subsequently, he furthered his education at the prestigious University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, earning both a Bachelor's degree in Business Entrepreneurship and an MBA in Business Analytics. In October 2000, Ken launched his illustrious career at EPB (Electric Power Board of Chattanooga) as a network technician. Over the years, he adeptly navigated the complexities of delivering phone, video, and internet services within EPB's expansive service territory. Embracing various leadership positions within the organization, Ken honed his skills, embraced innovation, and fostered a culture of collaboration with colleagues. Today, Ken's exemplary expertise and leadership have earned him the distinguished role of Senior Director of Procurement, Vendor Relations, & Minority and Women-Owned Business at EPB. Ken Jones stands as an exemplary figure in the professional landscape, embodying the spirit of excellence and dedication, and his impact on the community reverberates with purpose and accomplishment.
Dylan Rivera
Director of Policy Planning and Implementation City of Chattanooga
Dylan Rivera currently serves as the City of Chattanooga’s Director of Policy Planning and Implementation in Mayor Tim Kelly’s administration, marking the first-ever Latino appointed to a Mayor’s Office position in the City of Chattanooga’s history. His work directly impacts closing generational health, safety, and prosperity gaps in Chattanooga’s minority communities. A first-generation graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, he studied public policy with a minor in criminal justice. Dylan’s previous roles include Director of Innovation Special Projects for the City of Chattanooga, Assistant Political Director for the Tim Kelly for Mayor Campaign, and Project Manager for the Southeast Tennessee Development District. Dylan Rivera is also the first-ever Latino brother in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Psi Lambda chapter since its founding on May 15, 1926. Additionally, he volunteers as a board member for YCAP, an intervention program focusing on at-risk youth, serves as a member of Rotaract through the Chattanooga Rotary, is the Southeast Tennessee representative for Fuerza, a political action committee working to advance Latino representation in political positions throughout the state, and is the awardee of Chattanooga’s Choice in the 2023 Latino Leadership Awards.
Troy Rogers
Public Safety Coordinator City of Chattanooga
Troy Rogers currently serves as the Public Safety Coordinator for the City of Chattanooga under Mayor Tim Kelly’s Administration. Troy also serves as the head of the Citizen Safety Coalition, a passionate group of concerned citizens who come together to create solutions for our community's most sensitive population. Troy is one of the lead speakers for the United Way fundraiser campaign. Troy studies social economics and how society has shaped certain urban areas. Social economics defined is as behavior based on economics and opportunity. Troy does not feel that any kids are born bad but have had to make decisions without all the resources and exposure. When he came to the City he began to look at the “WHY” behind the crime and uses a tier system that we have implemented to empower our muted census.
Larviso Wright
Chief of Staff to the CEO UNUM
Larvizo Wright has worked at Unum for nearly 6 years and currently serves as Chief of Staff to the CEO. Prior to that role, he was Assistant VicePresident, Corporate Audit within their Global Internal Audit division. In addition to be a business leader at Unum, he also spends time supporting I&D initiatives through being a co-lead for the upLIFT employee network, an active member in the UNITEd employee network, and helping younger professionals develop through mentoring and coaching. Prior to his time at Unum, he worked at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee for 12 years in various financial reporting and auditing roles. Larvizo has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, an MBA from Capella University, and is a licensed CPA through the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy. In terms of community service, Larvizo serves as Treasurer and board member of the Erlanger Health System Foundation and Treasurer UTC Alumni Board where he chairs the Diversity & Engagement Committee. In his free time, he loves to spend time with his family wife (Brinkley), daughter, (Layla), son (Logan) and dog (Wrigley - golden doodle), reading, and exercising.