2026 ATD Nashville Board

Shelly Reed, CPTD (she/her)
President
president@atdnashville.org

Shelly Reed is a Senior Training Specialist at HUB International.  With over 15 years of talent development experience, she has gained expertise and skills in many different areas of L&D. She currently serves on ATD's Chapter Recognition Committee (CRC) which identifies, recognizes, and shares chapter best practices. She has a passion for volunteering in the bleeding disorders community and also serves as a Lived Experience Expert on the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation's Research Advisory Council as well as a Legislative Ambassador for the Hemophilia Federation of America.

Shelly has a B.A. in Organizational Communication and Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and holds a CPTD certification issued by the Association for Talent Development. In her free time, she loves to read, travel, cook, check out restaurants in the Greater Nashville area, and spend time with her husband and rescue dog.

Becky Stottlemyer (she/her)
President-Elect
president_elect@atdnashville.org

Becky Stottlemyer is the Director of Education and Training at Advocate Capital, Inc., where she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for empowering others. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, is a certified paralegal, a certified Professional Life Coach and a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor. Additionally, she has completed the Dale Carnegie Course, earning the Highest Award for Achievement, a testament to her dedication and capability as a leader and educator.

Becky is deeply inspired to foster positive relationships. She focuses on equipping individuals and organizations with the tools and knowledge necessary to succeed in their personal and business objectives.

She is a member of her local Junior Service League and enjoys volunteering her time to support local organizations. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their grown son, and the family dog, Zak.

Josh Jeffries, CPTD, SHRM-SCP (he/him)
Past President
past_president@atdnashville.org

Josh Jeffries serves as a Learning and Development Advisor at Pinnacle Financial Partners. With 25 years of experience in corporate L&D, he has a broad range of expertise that encompasses a variety of disciplines within ATD’s TD Capability Model. Josh has a passion for volunteerism most recently working on the Grant Advisory Committee as a Learning and Development Subject Matter Expert for the American Association of State and Local History and as a Learning Consultant for Unsilenced. Josh holds a degree in Political Science/Sociology from Buena Vista University. In addition, he holds a CPTD certification issued by the Association for Talent Development and a SHRM-SCP issued by the Society for Human Resource Management. 

Arie Bell (she/her)
Director of Operations

operations@atdnashville.org

Arie Bell is a Talent Development Manager at The Ōnin Group, where she leads learning, talent, and performance initiatives for the organization. With experience spanning recruiting, operations, and organizational development, she builds practical, data-informed programs that drive stronger onboarding, leadership capability, and overall employee success.

Jennifer Brown, ACC, M.S. (she/her)
Vice President of Finance
finance@atdnashville.org

Jennifer Brown, ACC, M.S. is an executive coach and organizational development professional with nearly 20 years of experience in human resources, leadership development, and learning strategy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Union University and a Master’s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).

Jennifer is the founder of Better Coaching & Consulting and an affiliate of the Positive Psychology Group. She combines behavioral science with practical experience to help individuals and teams create meaningful, lasting change. Her coaching approach leverages data-driven assessments such as the Hogan Assessments and VIA Strengths to build self-awareness, enhance leadership effectiveness, and strengthen team dynamics.

Regina Taute (she/her)
Vice President of Member Experience
membership@atdnashville.org

Regina Taute is an experienced leadership and talent management consultant with over 25 years of expertise in organizational development. She is the founder of Collective Growth Coaching and Consulting, where she partners with organizations to create wildly practical talent strategies that drive results. Regina is a GACC and ACC Certified Coach and holds certifications in MBTI and Hogan assessments, which she leverages to help leaders and teams thrive.

As VP of Membership Experience for ATD Nashville, Regina is dedicated to creating meaningful connections, delivering value to members at every stage of their careers, and fostering a vibrant, welcoming community for learning and development professionals.

Outside of work, Regina enjoys the organized chaos of taxiing her two young boys from one activity to the next and spoiling Walter, the family dog, who keeps everyone entertained.

Daniel Walker, M.Ed. (he/him)
Director of New Member Experience

Daniel Walker, M.Ed. currently works on the executive team for his Fraternity headquarters implementing learning and development initiatives for the undergraduate student population, professional staff and alumni volunteers.  He has a passion for developing the potential of others to do their best work. His role includes planning and executing training events, managing Educational Foundation resources, supervising the organization's leadership consultant team, and developing key stakeholder relationships. 

Kelsey Briley (she/her)
Director of Member Retention

kbriley@atdnashville.org

Kelsey Briley is the Assistant Director for Data Enhancement at Vanderbilt University and leads a team responsible for maintaining and optimizing the database to support fundraising efforts. She is also the founder of Your Subject Matters, where she helps experts turn their knowledge into teachable content. With a master’s degree in chemistry, Kelsey has built her career around making complex ideas clear and engaging. She is energized by the ATD community and looks forward to welcoming new members to the thriving, connected Nashville chapter.

Anthony Gerstner (he/him)
Vice President of Programming
programs@atdnashville.org

Anthony Gerstner as is a master facilitator with over 17 years of experience working in technical companies, including Microsoft and veho, who specializes in providing engaging training sessions that better equip the attendees to retain key information. Currently he is the Manager of Professional Services for eSkillz. Anthony holds a BS in Computer Information Systems.

Anthony empathizes with his audience and consistently strives to deliver valuable experiences. He believes that when people see the value in information, everyone benefits. This ability to connect with his audience is a key strength that he applies when developing, designing, and implementing training programs.

Marianne Luther, M.Ed., PHR (she/her)
Director of Programs

Marianne Luther is a seasoned Learning and Development professional with over 15 years of experience designing and delivering impactful training programs across higher education and corporate environments. She currently serves as a Program Manager at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, where she leads professional development initiatives and instructional design projects for external learners. Marianne holds two master’s degrees, one in Education and Human Resource Studies and other in Higher Education Administration. She has her PHR and is currently studying for her CPTD.

In addition to her professional work, Marianne is deeply committed to community service. She volunteers regularly with St. Jude and is a proud member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA), an international service organization dedicated to leadership and philanthropic outreach.

Lei Comerford is a highly effective Executive & Leadership Coach, Facilitator, Speaker, and AI Transformation Expert experienced helping organizations improve productivity, effectiveness, and engagement.  Lei has over 20 years of strategic and operational experience in healthcare, specifically the bio-pharmaceutical and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industries, as well as over 5 years in hospitality. Lei has dedicated years to delivering best practices in customer service, coaching, mentoring, project management and facilitation to individuals, businesses, and organizations.

Lei is a master facilitator certified in a variety of assessment tools and holds the PCC accreditation through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). 

She has held many internal leader roles in corporate settings as well as is the founder of her own consulting firm.  She has delivered leadership development programs, implemented internal coaching and mentoring programs, coached 1:1 with leaders at varying levels, and designed annual learning portfolios, team journeys, and onboarding programs.

Lei has a passion for helping others reach beyond their goals through increased self-awareness with an objective to empower effectiveness and engagement with each client! Lei gives back to the local and global community through volunteer efforts with The Association for Talent Development (ATD) Nashville chapter, Vanderbilt's Women in Business (WiB) mentoring program, Humanitarian Coaches Network (HCN), and serves as an Advisor for Healthcare Business Women's Association Ambassador Program.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in Resort and Commercial Recreation from Georgia Southern University.

Kelly Knowles
Director of Book Club

Kelly L. Knowles is owner of Kelly K Consulting. She is a national speaker known for her ability to inspire and engage audiences virtually and in-person. She is a published author and has over a decade of experience in training and development for large law firms.

She has certifications in Six Sigma, Color Code Personality Science, and Adult Learning (Association for Talent Development). Kelly earned her BBA and MBA from Middle Tennessee State University.

Kelly is a published author of the book Chin Hairs and Other Things Mama Didn’t Tell You: From Surviving to Thriving in Your 20s and 30s. Her audible book of the same title is a worthwhile listen.

She is passionate about adult learning, helping people realize and develop their potential, and enabling adult learners to improve their everyday effectiveness by authentically maximizing their skills.

Emma Liedy, APTD (she/her)
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
marketing@atdnashville.org

Emma Liedy serves as a Learning and Development Manager at Absolute Storage Management. With six and a half years of combined experience in corporate L&D and classroom education, she brings a diverse skill set in designing and delivering impactful learning programs. Emma is passionate about fostering growth and development, both in the workplace and the community. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education and Teaching from James Madison University. In addition, Emma holds an APTD certification, reflecting her commitment to professional excellence in learning and development.

Paula O'Brien (she/her)

Director of Marketing - Programs

Paula O'Brien is an Instructional Designer at A. O. Smith, where she brings creativity and science of instruction to a variety of eLearning programs and knowledge base articles using a broad range of skills, including explainer video scripting and editing, avatar video production, and eLearning design and development. With 19 years of Instructional Design expertise, she acquired skills in needs assessment, curriculum design and development, facilitation, and project management while continuing to master her craft. She volunteers as the ATD Nashville Instructional Design SIG leader to mentor others in the fields of Talent Development and Instructional Design. She serves her community through volunteer efforts ringing in a bell choir and serving as Eucharistic Minister at her church.

Paula earned a Graduate Certificate of Instructional Design and a Master of Education and Human Development through George Washington University, a Masters of Human Resources Management through Rollins College, and her Project Management Professional (PMP). In her free time, she loves listening to live music, outdoor cycling, traveling, cooking, food photography, visiting family, and spending time at home with her cat, Olivia.

Jeannie Borland (she/her)

Director of Marketing - Conferences

jborland@atdnashville.org

Jeannie Borland, a Nashville native, is a seasoned talent and performance leader with a proven track record of driving organizational growth through people-focused strategies. She has held key roles at top organizations including Toyota, Cummins, AccentCare, Viega, and Newport Healthcare, where she led transformative initiatives in performance management, leadership development, employee engagement, and recognition programs. Jeannie specializes in aligning business goals with talent strategies, creating programs that elevate leaders, energize teams, and deliver measurable results. Her approach is purposeful and strategic, grounded in the belief that development should be both human and impactful, empowering leaders to change lives and organizations to thrive.

Outside of work, she loves interior design, music, and marching band, and enjoys life with her two beloved dogs. 

Nicholas Brown, M.Ed. (he/him)
Vice President of Conferences
conferences@atdnashville.org

Nicholas Brown is an Instructional Designer at Cracker Barrel. With over ten years of experience in training and development, Nicholas specializes in instructional design and is a microlearning expert. He has a passion for empowering L&D professionals and curating conferences that connect people and spark new ideas. Nicholas holds a Master’s degree in Education from Bryan College and a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Rachel Paskash (she/her)
Director of Conferences
rpaskash@atdnashville.org

Rachel has shared the last 10 years with her partner, Luke, and they have just recently become parents to their little girl, Madeline (7 months). Outside of work, Rachel enjoys crafting (sewing, crocheting, and knitting), DIY house projects, and spending time at the beach.

Rebekah Osteen (she/her)
Vice President of Community Relations

Rebekah Osteen, MA, MPS, ACC serves as Associate Director of Graduate Enrollment for Lipscomb University's College of Pharmacy and is co-founder of Trellis Growth Partners, where she designs supportive frameworks that transform human potential into organizational effectiveness.

As a credentialed professional coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), she enjoys working with change seekers and changemakers as a trusted thinking partner. Her expertise spans talent development, leadership and organizational development, systems and design thinking, conflict management, and alternative dispute resolution. She partners with others to move from stuck to strategic, drift to direction, and good to great.

Rebekah is excited to bring 20 years of diverse professional experience to the ATD Nashville board.

Lonette Robertson, APTD, PSM I (she/her)
Director of Community Relations & Membership Strategy

Lonette Robertson is an instructional designer, learning and performance strategist, and community engagement advocate based in Middle Tennessee. She brings over 15 years of experience across education, corporate training, and nonprofit leadership. At Corpay, she develops scalable onboarding and training programs that prepare high-impact roles to be role-ready through structured learning paths, simulations, and targeted resources. 

As Scholarship Chair for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Lonette builds and sustains relationships with area high schools by representing the chapter at college and career fairs, overseeing the annual scholarship fundraiser, and encouraging students to apply for scholarship opportunities. She is passionate about providing learners with tools for success in classrooms, boardrooms, and beyond. 

Lonette holds an MFA and MAT from the University of Memphis, a BA in English and Theatre Arts from the University of the South, and certifications as an Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) and Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I).

Julia Osteen, Ed.D., ACC (she/her)
Vice President of Professional Development

Julia Osteen is an adjunct professor of Education and Organizational Leadership at Lipscomb University and co-founder of Trellis Growth Partners. At Trellis, she designs supportive frameworks that enable individuals and teams in education, healthcare, and nonprofits to flourish, transforming human potential into organizational success.

Dr. Osteen holds an Ed.D. in Leading Organizations and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University and an Ed.S. in Learning Design and Technology from the University of Georgia. With over 39 years of experience in diverse educational settings, she has dedicated 27 years to faculty professional development. As the former Director of Lipscomb University's Center for Teaching and Learning, she co-founded an innovative peer coaching program for faculty across the university's colleges.

A credentialed professional coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Julia is honored to serve her clients as a trusted thinking partner and looks forward to contributing to ATD Nashville's mission of developing talent development professionals.

Rebecca Woodard, M.Ed., CPCC, PCC (she/her)
Director of Career Strategy

Rebecca Woodard is a leadership coach and talent development professional with deep experience developing people and programs across healthcare, life sciences, and professional services. As a Certified Master Coach and Facilitator of The Leadership Challenge, she supports professionals at all levels through Challenger, Gray & Christmas, guiding career transitions with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

She specializes in leadership development, career growth and transitions, and change enablement, bringing a supportive, strengths-based lens to every engagement. Today, she works in performance and organizational development for Wellpath. Rebecca previously served on the Advisory Board for Mindful Leader and as Treasurer for PeaceWorks, a local domestic violence shelter. She looks forward to partnering with ATD Nashville to advance its mission of developing professionals.

Rebecca is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Prosci Change Management Practitioner, EQ-i 2.0 facilitator, and holds multiple leadership certifications. She is passionate about creating compassionate, human-centered workplaces where people can learn, grow, and thrive.

Tamara D. Jones, MPS, SHRM-CP (she/her)
Vice President of People Experience

Tamara D. Jones is an accomplished HR and Learning & Development professional dedicated to cultivating growth, equity, and engagement across all levels of an organization.

As Assistant Director of HR at MDHA, she leads initiatives that enhance leadership capability, organizational culture, and employee performance. Her career reflects a deep commitment to community and service, including volunteering with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, and local workforce development programs. Tamara’s work centers on helping people discover their potential and build meaningful, lasting impact through purpose-driven development.