Tennessee Historical Commission Board Members

Sam Elliott – is a member of the Chattanooga law firm of Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon, PLLC. He graduated from the University of the South and received his law degree from the University of Tennessee. First appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission in 2005, he served as chairman from 2009 to 2015. He is a past president of both the Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar Associations and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. He has served on the board and as president of the Friends of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (now National Park Partners), and on the boards of the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association and the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society. Mr. Elliott is the author or editor of four books, all relating to Tennessee during the Civil War:  Soldier of Tennessee: General Alexander P. Stewart and the Civil War in the West (1999), Doctor Quintard: Chaplain C. S. A. and Second Bishop of Tennessee (2003) Isham G. Harris of Tennessee: Confederate Governor and United States Senator (2010, co-winner of the Tennessee History Book Award) and John C. Brown of Tennessee:  Rebel, Redeemer and Railroader (2017, winner of the Tennessee History Book Award), and also was the editor of the Chattanooga volume of the Tennessee Historical Society’s Tennessee in the Civil War series. He has written a number of essays and articles on Tennessee history, and occasionally speaks on matters pertaining to his research. 

Ray Smith – is the Historian for the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is also Board Member of American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation; and Y-12 National Security Complex Historian (retired), photographer, film producer, newspaper columnist and author. Smith graduated from the United States Air Force electronics technical school, attended the University of Tennessee, and holds a certificate from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. He has written a weekly local newspaper column on the history of Oak Ridge, Historically Speaking, since 2006. He has published hardback books of annual volumes of these articles each year. For nine years he also wrote a second weekly newspaper column, Y-12: Oak Ridge Treasure, National Resource. He has produced or co-produced several documentary films, some of which are available online at https://www.y12.doe.gov/about/history/video-gallery Ray’s most recent documentary film, produced in January 2018, is Ed Westcott – Photographer, a tribute to the famous Manhattan Project and Department of Energy photographer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYvzw9f8M8A. Smith has served on the American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation Board of Directors for several years, and presently chairs the Nominating Committee and is on the Executive Board.

Susan Williams - is a current board member and past president of the East Tennessee Historical Society. She has served in the Cabinet of two Governors and on the staff of a third. Williams is a former board member of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), where her work in establishing a new land policy for that entity led her to being recognized as “Land Conservationist of the Year” by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. Williams served on the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees for 12 years. In 2007 and 2008, Williams was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Tennesseans” in “Business TN” magazine. 

Beth Campbell – is owner of Rock Island Foods, a distributor for Frontier Soups, is a member of the Republican State Executive Committeewomen, former chair of the Northport, Alabama Historic Preservation Commission, and was vice chairwoman of the Heritage Commission of Tuscaloosa County.

Doris McMillan – is Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at New Hope Academy in Franklin and owner of Seams by Doris, LLC. With wardrobe credits for Hallmark Channel movies and the Oprah Winfrey Show, Mrs. McMillan has worked with Country Music icon Naomi Judd for over two decades and helped to outfit numerous celebrity shows—including performances by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Tim McGraw, Sheryl Crow, and Tyler Perry. Mrs. McMillan’s advocacy work for women and children has received recognition in the form of awards and the title, “Williamson County Trailblazer.” In 2002, the Ford Motor Company’s annual report paid homage to her preservation efforts in behalf of the African American Heritage Society and McLemore House Museum. Mrs. McMillan established the “The Black Tie Affair” and Pioneer Family program to celebrate African American contributions in Williamson County, and has served on the boards of Herstory, Mercy Children Clinic, African American Heritage Society, Haiti Hospital Foundation, Inner City Coalition, Franklin Tomorrow, 4H of Williamson County, and the Williamson County Library. She is a Jack and Jill of American Associate. The Franklin Breakfast Rotary, City of Franklin Parks and Recreational Advisory Committee, National Federation of Colored Women, National Council of Negro Women, Top Ladies of Distinction, Golden Hour Bible Study Club, and the Mt. Zion Church of God Holiness Young Ladies Christian League also benefit from her community service.

Reggie Mudd - is the owner of Mudd Properties, a real estate company that specializes in commercial, industrial, residential and historical buildings. Mudd is native of Bardstown, Kentucky and a graduate of Centre College, where he was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2011.  In 1997 Mr. Mudd retired from Cracker Barrel as Senior Vice President of Operations/Chief Operations Officer. In 2011, he was appointed by Gov Bill Haslam as the regional director for Economic and Community Development for Northern Middle Tennessee. A former president of the Gallatin Noon Rotary Club, he has received numerous honors, including being twice named as Gallatin Citizen of the Year. Mudd is a Class of 2013 graduate of Leadership Middle Tennessee, and he is a former board member and vice chair of the Tennessee Preservation Trust.

Loni Harris – is a master gardener who is interested in historic horticulture and historic gardens. Following the devastating tornado of 2003, she served on the restoration committee for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church she served on Bishop and Council for the Diocese of West Tennessee. Mrs. Harris is a member of the Tennessee Preservation Trust, the Tennessee Historical Society, and the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities.

Beverly Robertson – is President & CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, the first female in the Chamber’s 182 year history and the first African American to hold this position. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Memphis State University and completed graduate level management courses through the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Robertson was recently named as one of the “Women of the Century”  in Tennessee by USA Today. Her career began in the corporate offices of Holiday Inn Worldwide, where she worked her way through the ranks to become acting Vice President of Marketing Communications. Under her leadership as President of the National Civil Rights Museum, the institution raised $43M, which was used to complete an $11M facility expansion and secure the museum’s future with $32M toward capital and endowment assets. Mrs. Robertson has a solid reputation as a focus group facilitator, having led numerous groups for Fortune 500 companies.

Laura Todd -  Laura Todd is the Principal for Downtown District Consulting and has over 20 years of experience with the Main Street Program. Todd is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, holding a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Banking and Finance. She has received a designation of Tennessee Certified Economic Developer by the University of Tennessee/Institute of Public Service, a designation as a Main Street America Revitalization Professional by the National Main Street Center, and was a licensed Mortgage Banker underwriter. Todd served for over 15 years as the executive director of Main Street Collierville, where during her tenure the town was recognized by Parade Magazine as the “Best Main Street in America”. Todd has served as the past chair the Shelby County Historical Commission and the town of Collierville Historic District Commission for 12 years. She is currently serving on the Tennessee Preservation Trust Board of Directors, as the Vice President of the Rural Heritage Trust of Southwest Tennessee Board of Directors, and as a member of the West Tennessee Historical Society and Leadership Collierville Board of Trustees.

Victor Ashe - has a long history of public service going back to 1968 when he was elected State Representative from Knox County for 3 terms then elected to the state senate in 1975 where he served 9 years. He served as executive director of the Americans Outdoors Commission from 1985 to 1987. He was then elected Mayor Knoxville in 1987 where he served 16 years becoming the longest serving Mayor in Knoxville history.  In 2004 he was nominated by President George W Bush to be Ambassador to Poland and confirmed by the US Senate, where he served 5 years, becoming the longest serving American Ambassador to Poland. President Barak Obama appointed Ashe to the Broadcasting Board of Governors in 2010 and confirmed by the US Senate. Ashe's degree from Yale University in 1967 is in American History and he has a Law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1974. Ashe is married to the former Joan Plumlee, and they have two children: J. Victor and Martha.

Warren Dockter, Ph.D. – grew up in Grainger County and worked with his family’s sign company in Blount County. He then attended the University of Tennessee – Knoxville to earn his undergraduate degree in history and political science. He went on to receive his Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham in England; was awarded a fellowship at University of Cambridge, and has been a historian at Aberystwyth University in Wales. Dockter is the President and CEO of the East Tennessee Historical Society, where he brings an extensive knowledge & passion for history, experience in public engagement, management and fund raising in the non-profit sector including work with the International Churchill Society, British Institute of Ankara and Aberystwyth University.

James D. Kay Jr. - is a founder and partner at the law firm Kay Griffin and Evans, PLLC. He is a graduate of Auburn University and received his law degree from Washington & Lee University. A native of Nashville, Kay is a well-known Nashville historian, lecturer, collector, and preservationist. Kay has served on the Battle of Nashville Trust, Inc. board since 2004, serving as president from 2007-2010 and 2019-2021.

Dan Pomeroy - is the retired Chief Curator and Director of Collections of the Tennessee State Museum, a post he held since 1989. He began his career at the State Museum in 1977, after serving as Deputy Director of the Tennessee American Revolution Bicentennial Commission. Pomeroy attended the Citadel and holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in College Teaching in History, with and emphasis in Southern U. S. History, from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is a former president of the Tennessee Association of Museums (TAM) and the Tennessee Historical Society.

Timothy B. Smith (Ph.D. Mississippi State University, 2001) - is a veteran of the National Park Service and currently teaches history at the University of Tennessee at Martin. In addition to numerous articles and essays, he is the author, editor, or co-editor of more than twenty books with several university and commercial presses. His books have won numerous book awards, his trilogy on the American Civil War’s Tennessee River campaign (Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, and Corinth) winning a total of nine book awards. He has recently finished a five-volume study of the Vicksburg Campaign for the University Press of Kansas and a new study of Albert Sidney Johnston for LSU Press.

Kelly Wolfe – owns a homebuilding and development company. He served as mayor of Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town, for nine and a half years. Knowledgeable in historic zoning matters, rules and regulations, Wolfe has undertaken several historic renovation projects including a home built in 1864 sitting on the corner of Main and Second in Jonesborough that was in violation of the town’s Demolition by Neglect ordinance before his restoration efforts.

Hobart Akin grew up in Blount County, Tennessee, exploring the coves and mountaintops of East Tennessee. He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, graduating in 2006 with a degree in Classics. In 2008, Akin began his career with Tennessee State Parks as a Seasonal Interpretive Ranger at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park in Manchester. In 2010, he joined the park’s full-time staff as a park ranger, leading tours and interpretive programs at the site and providing emergency response. In 2012, he moved to Fort Loudoun State Historic Area in Vonore, where he worked with the living history program. While at the park, Akin helped develop several award-winning interpretive programs and exhibits. He developed several award-winning interpretive programs, such as a partnership with Skype in the Classroom, to bring the story of Fort Loudoun to a global audience. In 2016, he received a master’s degree in public history with an emphasis in Cultural Resource Management from Middle Tennessee State University. In his current role, Akin is Tennessee State Parks’ Planning and Exhibits Manager and State Parks Historian. He regularly works with parks across the state to develop park exhibits and perform interpretive programming. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in the public history program at Middle Tennessee State University.

Phil Hodge – is the Tennessee State Archaeologist and Director of the Tennessee Division of Archaeology. In this role, he leads the Division of Archaeology’s staff of professional archaeologists in a statewide program of archaeological research, planning, and education. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Southern Mississippi. With twenty-five years of experience in Tennessee archaeology, Hodge has worked on archaeological sites across the state. Motivated by a commitment to professional and community service, he served for a decade as an elected Board member to the Tennessee Council for Professional Archaeology, including a term as President, seven years as editor of Horizon & Tradition, the newsletter of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference, and as a long-term volunteer with the Wilson County Black History Committee. Hodge has published peer-reviewed research on Middle and Late Gulf Formational Period pre-contact cultures and contributed many articles to state and regional publications. His current research interests include Reconstruction-era African American archaeological sites and the use of geographic information systems and technology in archaeology.

Jamie Ritter – is the State Librarian and Archivist of Tennessee. He holds a Master of Science in Library and Information Science as well as a Master of Science in Organizational Creativity and Innovation from Drexel University. Ritter joins the Tennessee State Library and Archives after serving as the State Librarian of Maine for eight years. He is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Chief Officers for State Library Agencies.

Ben Silverman - is the Director of Appointments for Governor Lee’s Office of Boards and Commissions. Originally from Goodlettsville, TN, Silverman graduated from the University of Alabama with degrees in English and Political Science before joining the Lee Administration as Personal Aide to the Governor in 2020. After serving through the Governor’s reelection campaign and visiting every county in the state, he became Director of Appointments in January 2023.

Carroll Van West – is the Tennessee State Historian. Dr. West has been with the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) since 1985, where he was appointed director in 2002. He holds a B.A. from MTSU, a M.A. from the University of Tennessee, and a PhD from the College of William and Mary. West is also the director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and co-chair of the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission. West was the longtime editor of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly, a collaborative partnership between the Tennessee Historical Society and Tennessee Historical Commission. He was also Editor-in-Chief of the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture and authored Tennessee’s Historic Landscapes.