Office of the President & CEO
Charles Wood
President & CEO
Leads all Chamber efforts. Serves as primary interface with the Chamber Board. Directs senior management team.
Amanda Dagg
Executive Assistant to the President & CEO
Provides administrative support to the president and CEO, as well as to the Chamber’s senior staff members and Board of Directors.
Finance & Operations
Joshua Murphy
Chief Financial Officer
Leads all efforts related to accounting, finance, human resources, information management, legal and risk management, compliance, and facilities operations, as well as providing ancillary support to collaborative initiatives.
Uzma Shahbaz
Accounting Manager
Manages the daily operations of the accounting and finance department with primary responsibility for financial reporting, cash and treasury management, accounts receivable, and employee compensation and benefits.
Dustin Harris
Senior Director, Information Technology
Directs the daily operations of the Chamber’s information management systems, computer hardware and telephony systems including maintenance, updating, and acquiring new systems to ensure seamless operation and minimize downtime.
Lauren Topping
Applications Manager
Responsible for deployment and maintenance of membership database and other application, SharePoint and reporting.
DonTée Merriwether
Facility Operations Manager
Provides a full range of support services to ensure the optimization of Chamber facilities, including tenant relations, vendor management, maintenance, room setup, technology support, and other duties related to the efficient and effective use of the 811 Building.
Membership
Ben Cairns
Vice President, Membership
Generates revenue for Chamber and Foundation by developing strong relationships with existing and potential members and stakeholders. Promotes transformational investments for the Chamber and supports ongoing fundraising efforts and investor engagement for the Foundation.
Jack Westbrook
Member Relations Executive
Generates revenue for the Chamber by building relationships with potential members and onboarding new members. Supports member businesses by engaging them in Chamber activities to promote retention and lasting relationships.
Ben Thompson
Member Relations Manager
Plays a key role in growing and supporting the Chamber’s business community. Focused on recruiting new members, building strong relationships, ensuring long-term retention, and promoting Chamber Foundation engagement.
Brenda Harrison
Administrative Coordinator
Responds to and routes in-bound calls from Chamber members and people seeking information about the Chattanooga area. Provides administrative support to various Chamber departments. Prepares and sends relocation packets.
Ross Katayama
Manager, Engagement and Volunteer Leadership
Provides support by performing coordination and execution of Council related activities including board and regular monthly meetings as well as other membership related duties.
Kerry Beth Carico , IOM
Senior Director, Investor Engagement
Leads and directs all programs and initiatives designed to deliver superior benefits and services to our top investors, including top investor engagement and relationship-building. Directs the Chattanooga Chamber Signature Event Sponsorship Program. This includes retention of sponsors and execution of benefit delivery. Oversees social media marketing as related to external events.
Caroline Pfister
Events Coordinator
Coordinates the end-to-end execution of Chamber programs and events including Signature Events, AM Networking Events, and Business After Hours. Responsible for logistics, sponsorship fulfillment, vendor coordination, and attendee experience.
Carly Carter
Member Services Coordinator
Provides administrative, program, and logistical support in the Member Investor Services Department. Primary lead for ribbon cuttings and the Chamber’s Ambassador volunteer program.
Public Policy
Diversity & Inclusive Growth
Darian Scott
Director, Talent and Economic Inclusion
Directs the Chamber’s economic inclusion efforts by engaging with and recruiting historically disadvantaged segments of the community while promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and workforce development.
Economic & Talent Development
Adam Myers
Vice President, Economic and Talent Development
Manages and coordinates all efforts related to economic development including business recruitment, existing business, and research. Serves as the Chamber’s primary business recruitment officer.
Miriam Hamilton , TCEcD
Director of Research
Leads Chamber’s research efforts, which include compiling statistical data sets related to economic and workforce development. Assists with information gathering for recruitment RFIs, members, investors and regional economic development partners.
Tessa Gwyn , TCEcD
Manager, Economic Development
Identifies and advocates the retention and expansion of existing businesses and attraction of new businesses in the Chattanooga Chamber’s key target industries for office sectors in the greater Chattanooga area.
Joshua Harris
Economic Development Coordinator
Provides coordinated administrative, project, data, and event support to the Economic Development Department.
The INCubator at the Hamilton County Business Development Center
Marcherie Savage
Director of Entrepreneurial Development
Manages The INCubator program that provides resources for growth and financial stability for 70+ start up business. Serves as staff liaison to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.
Kendall Davis
Operations Coordinator
Supports the daily operations and property coordination needs of the INCubator, with a focus on facility coordination, administrative support, and ensuring a positive client experience.
Kwang No
Janitorial Technician
Provides janitorial and light maintenance services for The INCubator.
Marketing & Engagement
Jeremy Henderson
Vice President, Marketing & Engagement
Leads Marketing Communications and leadership Development and serves as Chamber spokesperson. Builds the Chamber brand and manages marketing communications on the national, regional and local levels. Leads in developing and executing a world-class communications program through managing activities that advance, enhance and protect the brand reputation of the Chattanooga Chamber, the Chamber Foundation and their respective programs.
Jamison Shimmel
Director, Leadership Development & Community Engagement
Develops and manages an aligned talent engagement system for greater Chattanooga — focusing on the professional development of early career, mid-career and established professionals through programs including Leadership Chattanooga, Leadership Chattanooga Alumni Association, Protégé Chattanooga, Young Professionals of Chattanooga, and more.
Caleb Stambaugh
Creative Director
Creates digital content for the Chamber. Serves as in-house videography and podcast producer. Updates and maintains Chamber’s website.
Chaeli Foriest
Leadership Development Coordinator
Coordinates the logistics and support of Leadership Chattanooga, Leadership Chattanooga Alumni (LCAA), Young Professionals of Chattanooga (YPC), and Protégé programs.
Hannah Mitchell , MBA
Associate Marketing Coordinator
Develops and implements a content and engagement strategy for the Chamber’s social media accounts and oversees the production pipeline for several blogs and print publications.
Chattanooga 2.0
Sonia Stewart
Executive Director
As Executive Director of Chattanooga 2.0, the Cradle-to-Career partnership of Greater Chattanooga, leads Chattanooga 2.0 in building cross-sector partnerships to ensure every student has the resources and support they need to unlock their full potential.
Jennifer Andrews
Director of Early Childhood Strategies
Leads work to improve child outcomes through systems coordination and alignment across the early childhood sectors of health, learning, and family supports. She serves as the facilitator of the Early Matters action team and helped drive the creation and implementation of the 2025 Early Childhood Action Plan.
Brandon Hubbard-Heitz
Chief Strategy Officer
Aligns and leads community-wide efforts to increase early literacy in partnership with Hamilton County Schools while also collaborating with stakeholders to improve whole child supports outside of school time.
Rachel Kramer
Director of Data Strategy & Impact
Designs comprehensive strategies for using data and metrics as part of Chattanooga 2.0’s work including program evaluation and the development of birth-to-career data tools and visualizations to communicate with diverse audiences and stakeholders across our community.
Jasmine Fernandez
Director of Adolescent Strategy & Collective Impact
Leads the development and execution of Chattanooga 2.0’s adolescent strategy, with a focus on creating the conditions, systems, and aligned support necessary for young people to thrive. Key architect for the collective impact work helping to align partners, resources, and policy to drive measurable outcomes.
Ashley Williams
Children’s Funding Coordinator
Helps coordinate innovative projects to support Hamilton County’s early care and education system.
J’darius Cameron
Program Coordinator
Helps coordinate innovative projects to support Hamilton County’s early care and education system.
Haile Nottage
Director of Chattanooga Future Fund
Leads the development of the Chattanooga Future Fund, a career pathway initiative working to ensure that Hamilton County students progress toward post-secondary plans.
Alexandra (Al) Shappley
Chattanooga Future Fund Engagement Coordinator
Supports the Chattanooga Future Fund team with program and event coordination, marketing, and administrative tasks to help advance the impact of the Chattanooga Future Fund.
Kristen Buckley
Literacy First Program Manager
Manages the day-to-day operations of the AmeriCorps Literacy First K–2 Tutoring program, focused on program coordination, tutor support, and compliance with AmeriCorps regulations.
Jessica Friedman
Director of Viable Pathways to Prosperity
Provides project management and implementation support for the Viable Pathways to Prosperity initiative.
Deonte Grimes
Viable Pathways Advisor
Supports young adults in Chattanooga 2.0’s Viable Pathways to Prosperity initiative from recruitment to training and employment. Provides hands‑on advising, partner coordination, and progress tracking to support long‑term career success.