Frances Adams-O'Brien, librarian, joined MTAS in October of 1999. Prior to joining MTAS, she worked in a specialty library in Florida. She holds a master's degree in information and library science and a bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology.
Melissa Ashburn, legal consultant, joined MTAS in November 2001. Prior to joining MTAS, Ashburn was an associate in a Knoxville law firm. She holds a doctor of jurisprudence and a bachelor's degree in English. She serves cities and towns in the middle and east Tennessee.
Pete Auger, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in December 2022. Prior to coming to MTAS, Auger served as the city manager for Novi, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Oakland University. He serves cities and towns in northeast Tennessee.
Hal Boyd, legal consultant, joined MTAS May 2024. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as the county attorney for Lake County and city attorney for Tiptonville, Tennessee for 11 years. Boyd holds a Bachelor of Science from East Central Oklahoma State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis School of Law. He serves municipalities in west Tennessee.
Doug Brown, coordinator I, joined MTAS in November 2006. He holds an undergraduate degree in political science and a master's degree in education. He works primarily with the Municipal Management Academy and the Elected Officials Academy programs.
Sherri Brown, administrative specialist II, joined MTAS in November 2012. Prior to joining MTAS, she was an accounting specialist for The Institute for Public Service, Administration Office. She holds an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. She provides administrative support for accounts payable, contracts, travel, payroll, financial reports, and support for consultants as needed.
Angie Carrier, municipal management program manager, joined MTAS in January 2018. Prior to joining MTAS, she served Johnson City, TN as the development services director. She has a master's degree in city management and serves municipalities in the east Tennessee.
John Chlarson, public works consultant, joined MTAS in June 1998. Prior to joining MTAS, he held a variety of positions in government, industry, and private consulting. Chlarson holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He serves municipalities in middle and west Tennessee.
Steve Cross, technical consulting program manager, joined MTAS in August 2017. He served as the technical consulting program manager from 2022-2024. In 2024, Cross became the permanent team manager. He holds a bachelor's degree in fire protection and a master's degree in leadership and public service. He serves fire departments in east and middle Tennessee.
HR Consultant Betsy Cunningham joined MTAS in February, 2020. Prior to joining MTAS, she served as the community & public relations manager for a local credit union. Her most recent experience in the field was with a local electric company where she served as human resources and safety manager. She served as director of human resources for Blount County for 8 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and serves municipalities in east Tennessee.
Dana Deem, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in January 2010. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as city manager in Clifton, Tennessee. Deem holds a master's degree in operations management. He serves municipalities in west Tennessee.
Yolanda Dillard, training and development consultant, joined MTAS in January 2020. Prior to joining MTAS, she served as the associate director, employer partnerships for the University of Memphis Career Services, a position she held since 2016. Dillard holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. She serves municipalities in west Tennessee.
Cyndy Edmonds, online training specialist, joined MTAS in December 2013. Prior to joining MTAS, Edmonds was the UT Office of Information of Technology (OIT). She holds a bachelor's degree in communication and media studies. As part of our training team, she determines how online learning might benefit the educational experience and professional development of Tennessee municipalities and their employees.
Desiree Eldridge, library & museum associate 1, joined MTAS in December 2023. Prior to joining MTAS, she was an Administrative Specialist II at UT Department of Nuclear Engineering since 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Urban Studies, a Master of Fine Arts, Graphic Design and a Master of Science, Information Science all from the University of Tennessee.
John Eskew, municipal court specialist, joined MTAS in January 2020. Prior to joining MTAS, he was a risk manager and assistant human resources director in the city of Clarksville. He holds a doctor of jurisprudence and a bachelor's degree in political science.
Lyshanda Ewing, administrative coordinator, joined MTAS in September 2023. Prior to joining MTAS, she served as a marketing specialist with Rural Metro of Tennessee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
Wes Fernandez, business manager, joined MTAS in May 2018. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting. Prior to joinng MTAS, he worked in the banking industry.
Nancy Gibson, administrative specialist II, joined MTAS in September 2006. She is responsible for reviewing ordinances and compiling lists for inclusion in codes, producing new codes (and revisions), and compiling updates of existing municipal codes for cities.
HR Consultant John Grubbs rejoined MTAS in March 2020. Previously, he was the human resource director with Portland, Tennessee and worked at MTAS for four years as a human resource consultant. He holds a master's degree in human resources management/personnel administration. He serves municipalities in middle Tennessee.
Jessica Harris, training and development coordinator, joined MTAS in July 2021. Prior to joining MTAS, she recently worked as a coordinator in the taxpayer services area of the Tennessee Department of Revenue. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a master's in adult education and training from Strayer University.
Brad Harris, finance and accounting consultant, joined MTAS in April 2012. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as the finance director for Athens, Tennessee. He is a CPA and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting. Harris serves cities and towns in southeast Tennessee.
Matt Hensley, training and development consultant, joined MTAS in March 2025. Hensley comes to MTAS from East Tennessee State University where he served as an assistant professor in the department of curriculum and instruction. He is an affiliate faculty in the Department of Theory and Practice at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Hensley also serves as a city councilmember for the town of Greeneville. He holds a Ph.D. in education with a concentration on social sciences.
Gary Jaeckel, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in September 1999. Prior to joining MTAS, he worked in Illinois cities. Jaeckel holds a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in political science. He serves municipalities in middle Tennessee.
Joe Jones, IT administrator, joined MTAS in April 2025 from the UT Knoxville Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department. Jones has 15-plus years of managing information technology systems. He has skills in troubleshooting desktops, laptops, hardware and network connectivity issues. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Joe has a bachelor's degree in IT management from American Military University.
Laura Kidwell, legal consultant, joined MTAS in October 2024. Prior to joining MTAS, she served at the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter in the Solicitor General’s Office. She is a graduate of Furman University and the Wake Forest University School of Law. She serves cities and towns in middle Tennessee.
James Lewellen, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in August 2024. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as the town administrator in Collierville for more than 15 years. He also worked as an assistant city manager and city planner in Germantown. Lewellen has a bachelor's degree in education and a master's in public policy and public administration from Mississippi State University.
Patrick Marsh, municipal management consultant joined MTAS in May 2024. Prior to joining MTAS, Marsh served as city manager of Fernley, Nev. Marsh holds a Bachelor of Arts from Augustana College in Illinois and a master’s degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University.
David Moore, police management consultant, joined MTAS in January 2019. Prior to joining MTAS, he spent more than 25 years in law enforcement. He serves municipalities in west and middle Tennessee.
Kelley Myers, administrative coordinator II, joined MTAS in November 2013. Before joining MTAS, she worked as a paralegal in a private litigation law firm. Myers holds a bachelor’s degree in English and an advanced paralegal certification.
Warren Nevad, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in April 1999. Prior to coming to MTAS, he served as city manager in Georgia and Florida. Nevad holds a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in business administration In 2008, he cofounded the Tennessee Renewable Energy & Economic Development Council (TREEDC). He serves municipalities in middle and east Tennessee.
Margaret Norris, executive director, joined MTAS in February 2001. She became executive director in August of 2017. She holds a master's degree in public administration and bachelor's degrees in psychology and spanish. Prior to joining MTAS as an employee, she once worked for the agency as a graduate intern. Her other experience includes work in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; South Pittsburg Tennessee; and Lumberton, North Carolina.
Stephanie Allen O’Hara, legal consultant, joined MTAS in January 2010. Prior to joining MTAS, she served as a judicial clerk. She holds a doctor of jurisprudence as well as bachelor's and masters’ degrees in business administration. She serves cities and towns in the east Tennessee.
Abner Oglesby, legal manager, joined MTAS in January 2016. He began his MTAS career as a municipal courts specialist before promoting to the manager of training. In 2023, he moved to his current position of legal manager. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as a special assistant attorney general. He holds a doctor of jurisprudence.
Johanna Owenby, training and development program manager, joined MTAS in June 2018. Her MTAS career began as a training and development consultant before promoting to the team manager in November of 2023. Prior to joining MTAS, Owenby was with UT Organizational and Employee Development. She holds a master's degree in educational psychology. She serves municipalities in east Tennessee.
Donald Pannell, fire management consultant, joined MTAS in December 2021. Before coming to MTAS, Pannell served as an assistant fire marshal for the Memphis Fire Department. He holds bachelor's degrees in political science and journalism from the University of Mississippi as well as a master's degree in operations management from the University of Arkansas. He serves municipalities in west and middle Tennessee.
Brad Peters, public works consultant, joined MTAS in July 2022. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as a town engineer and public works director for Greeneville, TN. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from UT Knoxville. He serves municipalities in middle and east Tennessee.
Honna Rogers, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in June 2013. Prior to joining MTAS, she worked for the City of Sevierville and was a post-graduate management fellow with MTAS serving the cities of Athens, East Ridge, and Cleveland. Rogers holds a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in history. She serves cities and towns in southeast Tennessee.
Del Sable, training and development consultant, joined MTAS in May 2023. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as director of distribution training and development for Jackson National Life Distributors. He also served as the manager of global operations for Franklin Templeton Academy. Sable holds a bachelor's degree in business management. He serves municipalities in middle Tennessee.
Karen Seay, administrative associate, started at MTAS in August 2023. Before joining MTAS, she was a legal assistant for a Knoxville law firm. She holds a paralegal studies certificate.
Lisa Shipley, information technology analyst, joined MTAS in 1995. Prior to joining MTAS, she worked at a large law firm. She holds a master's degree in IT and a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shipley also holds a graduate certificate in Online Teaching and Learning. She manages both system and website development.
Chris Shults joined MTAS in September 2014. He began his career as a grants and training specialist at MTAS, before promoting to the IPS/MTAS director position in 2025. He holds a doctorate in political science, a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in political science. Prior to joining MTAS, Shults worked for the University of Tennessee as a teaching associate in political science.
Eric Spencer, finance & accounting program manager, joined MTAS in October 2019 as a finance & accounting consultant. He was promoted to program manager in 2023. Prior to joining MTAS, he had 21 years of accounting experience, serving most recently as a controller/director of accounting for Savant Learning Systems. Spencer holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in accountancy. He serves municipalities in west Tennessee.
Kay Stegall, finance and accounting consultant, joined MTAS in March 2008. In the fall of 2024, she transitioned to the CMFO program lead. Prior to joining MTAS, she was employed by an accounting firm in west Tennessee. Stegall is a certified public accountant and holds a master's degree in business administration.
Jeff Stiles, police management consultant, joined MTAS in March 2024. Prior to joining MTAS, he spent more than 28 years with the Knoxville police department. He holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee. He serves municipalities in east and middle Tennessee.
Tonya Travis, finance and accounting consultant, joined MTAS in June 2021. Prior to joining MTAS, she served as director of finance for Spring Hill, Tennessee. From 2007 to 2018, she served as finance director for Fayetteville, Tennessee. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and is a Certified Municipal Finance Officer. She serves municipalities in middle Tennessee.
HR Consultant Peter Voss joined MTAS in February, 2020. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as the human resource director for the city of Hendersonville. Voss holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He serves municipalities in west Tennessee.
John Waddell, legal consultant, joined MTAS in December 2023. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as the senior associate counsel for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. He holds a Bachelor of Political Science from Lipscomb University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi. Waddell serves cities in middle Tennessee.
Rick Whitehead, municipal management consultant, joined MTAS in February 2004. Prior to joining MTAS, he served as a city manager in Tennessee and as a city attorney and city manager in Alabama. He holds professional degrees in public administration and law. Whitehead is a member in good standing of the Alabama State Bar and is currently licensed to practice law in Tennessee. He serves municipalities in west Tennessee.
Lyndy Wibking, librarian, joined MTAS in April 2024. She comes to MTAS from Roane State Community College where she served as a librarian since 2015. Wibking holds a Master of Science in Information Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts in English, all from the University of Tennessee.
Steve Wyatt, utility operations consultant, joined MTAS in September 1998. He holds a bachelor's degree in medical clinical science. Wyatt provides support to municipalities with their water management.
