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Russ Miller, CAE, Sr. Vice President, TMA
Successful Marketing Strategies
As the Senior Vice President for the TMA, Miller is responsible for the creation and direction of all corporate communications efforts, membership marketing strategies, information system and web development, strategic planning and educational programming. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Society of Association Executives and is a member of the Leadership Council for Shared Health, Inc. With a degree in public relations and journalism from Auburn University, Miller has been with the TMA since 1987. In 2007, he received his accreditation as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association Executives.
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Rae Young Bond, Executive Director,
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society
Successful Marketing Strategies
Active in the community, Bond serves on several boards and healthcare task forces including the TN Leadership Council for Shared Health and the Chattanooga Medical Group Management Association. She has received numerous honors for her leadership and volunteerism including the Athena Award from the Greater Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, the Ronald McDonald House Big Red Shoe award and named Chattanooga’s Women of Distinction by the Lung Association. Before moving to Chattanooga, she was director of public affairs for the National Governors’ Association, editor of a national newspaper and an award winning journalist. She is a graduate of Towson State University.
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Brian Williams, Executive Director, Hands on Nashville (HON)
Don't Fly Solo - Volunteer Recruitment, Engagement and Retention
Since joining HON in 2007, Williams has orchestrated a 200% growth in the number of volunteers connected to community service opportunities via HON. As a leader in disaster and recovery organizations, Williams is at the center of the dialogue about how service agencies can respond in the face of a disaster – locally and nationally. In July 2010, he accepted the George W. Romney Excellence Award at the National Conference on Volunteering & Service, acknowledging HON as an outstanding affiliate for 2010. Williams received his Master of Social Work with honors from the University of Tennessee, and he is a Licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker.
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Rosalind Kurita, Former Tennessee State Senator
From the Roots Up
Kurita served 12 years in the State Senate where she was Speaker Pro Tempore and the highest ranking woman in the Senate. During her years as a local and state elected official, she sponsored health care legislation that has impacted the lives of many Tennesseans. As a senator, she worked to strengthen child safety seat laws and raise cigarette taxes. Senator Kurita has been recognized as Legislator of the Year by the TN Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, TN Child Care Association, American Lung Association and the Human Resource Agency. She was also nominated by the TMA for the Nathan Davis National Award given to outstanding legislators.
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Mimi Bliss, Bliss Communications
Getting Your Message Out
Since founding Bliss Communications in 1997, Bliss has prepared thousands of executives, elected officials, physicians, community leaders and other professionals to handle the public spotlight. She has more than two decades of communications experience spanning the fields of journalism and public relations. She was an on-camera reporter for ABC and NBC television affiliates and a freelance field producer for the Today Show and NBC Nightly News. In other previous positions, Bliss served as corporate spokesperson for a major restaurant chain and managed media relations for a hospital. She earned a degree in public policy from Duke University. She lives in Nashville.
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Carol Norfleet, CMP, DMCP, Executive VP and COO, Destination Nashville
We're Having A Meeting
Norfleet is a leader in the meeting planning industry. In March 2009, she was awarded the Joanne O’Connor President’s Award from the Association of Destination Management executives for her leadership roles and dedication to industry education. As a faculty member for the Belmont University Event Certification Program, Norfleet is a requested presenter on meetings industry issues as well as the CMP program. She received her Certified Meeting Professional designation in 2000 and her Destination Management Certified Professional designation in 2002. Carol has her B.S. and M.B.A. from Austin Peay State University.
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B W. Ruffner, MD, TMA President (2010-2011)
Taking the Lead
Dr. Ruffner is a medical oncologist and internal medicine specialist from Chattanooga and the current President of TMA. He has held a host of leadership positions at the TMA. He has served on several committees on the TMA Board of Trustees, is a current member and former chair of the TMA Insurance Issues Committee, the chair of the eHealth Technology Task Force and a TN delegate to the AMA. He also serves on the executive committee of the Health Information Partnership for TN and is active in Project Access. Dr. Ruffner has been on staff at UT College of Medicine at Erlanger for 33 years and served in several faculty positions including assistant and interim dean. He is a graduate of Duke University School of Medicine.
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Glenn Thayer, Guest Moderator
Who Gives A Hoot (Social Media)
Thayer is a professional conference moderator specializing in content strategy and audience learning. He has worked with a wide range of clients including the National Homeland Defense Association, Pfizer, IBM and Morgan Stanley. Thayer has served as president of the Colorado Springs Customer Service Association and sat on numerous non-profit boards such as The Ute Pass Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Education program and the International Special Events Society Rocky Mountain Chapter. He is currently the Social Media chair for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Meeting Professionals International. Thayer holds a degree in business management and lives in Colorado.
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Brent Atkinson, MBA, Director, Finance & Administration, TMA
Dollars and Sense
Atkinson joined the TMA in 2005 and is the director of finance and administration. He is responsible for financial reporting, human resources, foundation/society management and building administration. He also serves as staff liaison to the Tennessee Medical Education Fund. Atkinson is a member of the American Association of Medical Society Executives. He received B.A. degrees in accounting and business management from Pensacola Christian College and his MBA from Belmont in 2002.
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Yarnell Beatty, Esq., Director, Legal & Government Affairs Division, TMA
Dollars and Sense
Beatty serves as the TMA’s general counsel and oversees the legal, government affairs, insurance, and eHealth departments. Since joining TMA in 2001, he has served on a number of boards and committees including the TN Physicians’ Quality Verification Organization Board of Governors, the Executive Council of the TN Bar Association Health Law Section and on the CLE Committee of the American Society of Medical Association Counsel where he was elected Treasurer for 2011. Beatty also served three years as special advisor to the Tennessee Medical Group Management Association Executive Council. He earned a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University and received his law degree from Emory University School of Law.
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Don Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, TMA
Partnering For Success
A veteran in Tennessee’s medical industry, Alexander has committed his career to the TMA’s mission of protecting the health care interests of patients and enhancing the effectiveness of physicians throughout the state. He joined the TMA as a field representative in 1973 and quickly moved into a leadership role within three years. During his tenure, Alexander has been a part of healthcare milestones, including the advent of managed care in the 1980s and the 1994 launch of TennCare, as well as serving on a number of industry and civic boards. A native of Nashville, Alexander received his bachelor degree from David Lipscomb University and Masters of Public Health from University of Tennessee.
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Douglas J. Springer, MD, FACP, FAGG, TMA Membership Chairman
Successful Marketing Strategies
Dr. Springer is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He has served as president of the medical staff at Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital, president of the Sullivan County Medical Society, and currently is chairman of Membership for the TMA. He attended medical school at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; residency at the University of Calgary; and fellowship at Queens University, Kingston Ontario, Canada.
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