Lunch and Learn Speakers for 2022

September 14, 2022, Zoom – Ella Morin 

Master of Public Health Graduate Student and Outreach Worker for Vecinos (bilingual primary and mental health care clinic) 

Ella Morin graduated with an Honors Bachelor’s in Spanish (B.A.) and Biology with a Physiology concentration (B.S.) from Middle Tennessee State University in 2021. After spending two years in biology labs studying the genetic causes of disease, she became curious about the many social determinants of health that influence longevity. She decided to pursue a Master’s in Public Health through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in order to study health outcomes through a place-based health framework.  In addition to her studies, she also serves as a farm outreach worker for the non-profit Vecinos Inc. which is a medical home for the LatinX population of Western North Carolina. She notes her training in the humanities as being fundamental to an expanded perspective on the nuances of health and healthcare accessibility and values health as a human right.   

October 25, 2022, Zoom – Tyler Head 

Culture and Leadership Coach, DRYVE Leadership Group (DLG), Springfield, MO 

Tyler Head received a Bachelor of Science in Global Studies and Anthropology from MTSU in 2016 and has also completed the John Maxwell Leadership Development Certification.  In addition to his work at DRYVE, he is Co-Founder of Well Outdoor Retreats and Founder and Owner of Refine Leadership. The majority of his time is spent working with DRYVE Leadership Group as a business and Leadership Coach, which can be said in a much more earthy way as: “Professional People Be’With’er”. At (DLG), he walks alongside leaders and their people to develop a shared purpose and cultivate a culture of collaboration through a strategic process that invites and engages all relevant parties to the table from entry-level positions to executive leadership. He does this by repeatedly working with organizations through the following process: 1. Collaborate; have a conversation about what’s working, and what’s not working. 2. Create Clarity by defining the problem/s or issue/s, discussing what needs to be done, the order of importance, and what could get in the way. 3. Commitment; Directs participants to consider what are the next steps, who will be the point person, what will be the time frame, and when will all parties involved come back to the table.  

November 17, 2022, in person - Randy Purcell 

Visual Artist, Nashville, TN 

In 2009 Randy Purcell received a BFA in studio art at Middle Tennessee State University. Since 2010, exhibitions of his artwork include events like ArtFields, ArtPrize, Artclectic, Flying Solo at BNA, Dogwood Arts, and the Harding Art show. While Randy’s focus is on his process of transferring ink onto beeswax, his early interest in making furniture has resulted in the creation of pieces of functional artwork as well, including the Metro Arts Nashville “Bee-Cycle” bicycle rack and the ReTune Nashville effort to repurpose damaged musical instruments and equipment. He is a founding member of the Nashville Collage Collective, Four Artist TN, and the Mystery Art League. His work has appeared in publications like American Bee Journal, Nashville Voyager, Main Street Media, and the Tennessean. In 2020 he was featured on NPT’s Tennessee Crossroads. He has displayed in various places, including fine art galleries, schools, and restaurants, and has work in private collections across the United States and in Canada. Randy currently serves on the board of Number, Inc. (a publication on art of the south), Turnip Green Creative Reuse, and L'Evate (leadership organization in the Donelson/Hermitage/Old Hickory area)

December 6, 2022, in person – Sarah Hicks 

Exhibits Education Specialist at Discovery Center, Murfreesboro, TN 

Sarah Hicks has a B.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with a minor in linguistics from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. From 2017 to 2021, she taught English as a Second Language at the elementary level in Rutherford County, Tennessee. She is now in her second year as an English M.A. student at Middle Tennessee State University. Sarah is also a graduate assistant, working as a tutor in the University Writing Center and the Exhibits Education Specialist at Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. Her primary research interest is how narrative operates in interactive, immersive location-based experiences. She hopes to become a show writer or narrative designer. Outside of academics, Sarah enjoys rock climbing, yoga, long walks with her dog, sewing, and visiting themed interactive experiences like theme parks and escape rooms. 

December 8, 2022, in person - Regina Wilkerson Ward 

Regional Philanthropy Strategist, Donor Engagement 

Bethany Christian Services 

Regina Ward joined the headquarters of Bethany Christian Services as the Donor Engagement Regional Philanthropy Strategist in 2021. Bethany Christian Services strengthens and equips families to be the answer for vulnerable children, both in local communities and around the globe. They do this by protecting children, empowering youth, and strengthening families through quality social services. Regina oversees the development and implementation of fundraising strategies across her regional territories that cover east of the Mississippi River, and the global initiatives team while managing effective donor relationships. 

In previous roles, Regina spent a decade as a fundraiser for youth and health care organizations, raising $3.5M to serve the Middle Tennessee community and $16M to serve the Boys and Girls Clubs in Atlanta and 9 surrounding counties. She is thrilled to be back in the fundraising space! In addition to fundraising, Regina served as the Director of Education & Workforce Development at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.  There she worked with the local school districts and industry partners from the community, to bridge the skills gap and promote the future of the workforce in the county through initiatives in the K-12 education space. 

Regina is President of the Guild for the Discovery Center at Murfree Springs and serves on the boards for United Way’s Young Leaders Society, the Chattanooga Music Academy, and Siegel High School Humanities Academy. She holds a B. S. degree in Organizational Communication from Middle Tennessee State University and is a proud Blue Raider supporter. She loves her hometown, and the people that work to make it a great place to live and work. 

Originally from the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Cassandra caught the showbiz bug at a young age. When she was six, her parents took her and her brother to New York City where she was cast in the American Premiere of Children of Eden. In that production, she had the privilege of working with three-time Grammy winner and Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz. From there she followed the yellow brick road with Eartha Kitt and Mickey Rooney in the National Tour and Madison Square Garden productions of The Wizard of Oz as the Lullaby Baby in Munchkinland.  Her next adventure came with playing the role of Young Cosette in the National Tour of Les Miserables where she had the honor to be part of the Asia dream cast and the first Shanghai production alongside Broadway veteran Colm Wilkinson. In 2016, she performed in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular for the first time.  She returned to school to complete her bachelor’s degree in Theatre from MTSU and graduated summa cum laude in May of 2022.  She again performed in Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular as a principal artist this past holiday season.  She now lives in New York City and will share with us her current projects through a Zoom Lunch and Learn on April 27.  Please join us for this last meeting of the school year.