Ashley Gomez
High School Counselor of the Year by the Tennessee School Counseling Association.
Ashley Gomez (’99), a 17-year veteran of Indianapolis-based Republic Airline, has been named the company’s chief pilot. Since joining Republic in 2000, she has logged more than 8,500 hours as a captain. She worked as a flight instructor/check instructor at MTSU before joining the company, which offers about 900 flights daily to 105 cities.
Daniel Clark (’10), Goodlettsville, was hired as the membership and special events manager for the International Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. Marie Jolly Carter (’11), Shelbyville, joined the practice of Dr. Frank Jayakody as a family nurse practitioner.
2000s, cont. Nathan Browning (’02), Fayetteville, was appointed assistant principal of South Lincoln School. Sonya Sanderson (’02), Lake Park, Georgia, was the recipient of the Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s 2016 College/University Education Teacher of the Year award. She serves as interim head of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at Valdosta State University. Amanda Virgillito (’02), Nashville, is the sole proprietor and lead publicist for Squeaky Wheel Public Relations. The firm focuses on a variety of Nashville-owned food and beverage brands.
relationship manager of the Franklin location of First Advantage Bank. Stephanie Russell (’05), Olathe, Kansas, was named account lead for Sage Communications, overseeing marketing communications plans for a roster of clients including John Deere and NovaSource. Nicole Zeller (’05), Nashville, recently opened her own public relations/marketing firm in Nashville, called Brickshore Media. She previously worked at another PR firm on Music Row as the senior publicist for 10 years. Spring Brindley (’06), Flintville, was selected as the new supervisor of career technology education for the Lincoln County School System.
Lucie Burchfield (’03, ’15), Murfreesboro, joined Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro as major gifts officer.
Cory Turner (’06), Gallatin, was named vice president and business development officer for Crestmark in the Transportation Division.
Margaret Campbell (’04, ’13), Fayetteville, was named the new supervisor of federal programs for the Lincoln County School System.
Whitney Crear Altman (’07), Hendersonville, joined Barge, Waggoner, Sumner, and Cannon as human resources generalist.
Charles “Tony” Graves (’05), Franklin, was appointed senior vice president / business
Stuart Rhinehart (’08), Murfreesboro, was promoted to the rank of district chief
46 MTSU Magazine
for the EMS division of the Nashville Fire Department. He had served the department as a paramedic since 2001. Stephen Trageser (’08), Murfreesboro, was named music editor for the Nashville Scene. Nathaniel Williams (’08), Murfreesboro, was selected as assistant director of the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department. He previously served as recreation superintendent since 2011. Lacey Buchanan (’09), Woodbury, published Through the Eyes of Hope (Charisma House, 2017) detailing the story of her son, Christian, born with a medical condition that is so incredibly rare that it is one of only 50 known cases in the world. Brad Lamb (’09), Murfreesboro, joined Regions Mortgage as an assistant vice president/ mortgage loan officer. He previously worked with First Tennessee Bank.
2010s Angela Cahill (’10), Tullahoma, a counselor at Community High School, was named state
Allyson Gelnett (’11), Downingtown, Pennsylvania, was hired by BBR Music Group as director of Northwest regional promotion for label imprint Stoney Creek Records. M. Ryan Rippy (’12), Branson, Mississippi, was promoted to organizational development officer at the corporate headquarters of Trustmark National Bank in Jackson, Mississippi. Thomasena Garner (’13), Madison, Alabama, a seventh-grade life science teacher at Liberty Middle School, was honored as Secondary Teacher of the Year for the Madison City Schools District. Austin Heithcock (’13), Franklin, joined Churchill Mortgage as a licensed loan partner. Debra Carpenter (’14), Liberty, was recently promoted to marketing director at Conversational Receptionists. She previously worked as the company’s content marketing manager. Lindsey Mapes (’14), Murfreesboro, is the new education director for The Arts Center of Cannon County.