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Trustees
Dakasha Winton (Board Chair)
Dakasha Winton is senior vice president and chief government relations officer for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, which has 6,500 employees and serves 3.4 million members in the state and across the country. In this role, Winton leads the company’s state and federal government relations efforts and oversees analysis of proposed legislation. She also serves as the BlueCross liaison to federal and state industry associations and advocacy groups. Winton most recently served as director and associate general counsel for state government relations and public affairs for BlueCross and was the primary liaison to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and other state agencies. In this capacity, she played a principal role in regulatory oversight matters, compliance implementation, and program and policy design.
Before joining BlueCross, Winton was chief counsel for Insurance, Securities and TennCare oversight divisions of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. She was also a staff attorney for the department.
Winton graduated cum laude from Tennessee State University and earned her law degree from the University of Memphis. She is a member of the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations, and the American Health Lawyers Association. She serves on multiple volunteer boards and was appointed to both the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Tennessee Credit Life Advisory Board.
Charles Traughber (Board Vice Chair)
Charles A. Traughber is a versatile and accomplished leader and dedicated attorney with over 15 years of experience in corporate law. He has worked on matters in manufacturing, retail, financial services, healthcare, and real estate. He has demonstrated exceptional skills in managing complex commercial transactions, ensuring compliance with regulations, assessing and mitigating risk, and leading high-performing teams. He also has a passion for counseling the next generation of business leaders and speaks on matters regarding emerging legal trends and in-house counsel leadership at national conferences.
As Division General Counsel for Bridgestone Americas, Inc., Charles leads a team of attorneys, paralegals, and compliance and audit professionals that provides (1) real estate legal services for Bridgestone’s retail, office, and industrial properties, (2) general corporate legal services for several Bridgestone business units including its diversified businesses, air springs, and US and European tire and auto retail stores, and (3) legal, compliance, audit, and governing board support for Bridgestone’s credit card operations. Charles also serves on Bridgestone’s Audit Committee, which oversees (i) accounting and reporting practices, (ii) the preparation of financial statements, (iii) the performance of internal audit, and (iv) compliance with legal, ethical, and accounting requirements. Prior to joining Bridgestone, Charles was a Senior Associate General Counsel for LifePoint Health, Inc. where he managed a variety of legal, business, and asset management issues related to real estate for more than 70 hospitals in 22 states. He began his legal career as an Associate Attorney for the Nashville-based law firm Waller, which later merged with Holland & Knight.
A lifelong Tennessean, Charles was born in Chattanooga and resides in Nashville with his wife and two children. His volunteerism in the Nashville community, includes board service with the Tennessee State University Foundation, Preston Taylor Ministries, Youth About Business, New Level Community Development Corporation as well as serving as a commissioner and Vice Chair on the Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission and providing pro bono legal services through the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee, tutoring Metro Nashville Public Schools high school students, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students at his alma maters. Charles earned his Juris Doctorate at the University of Tennessee Law School and Bachelor of Business Administration at Tennessee State University.
Trevia Chatman
Trevia Chatman is president of Bank of America, Memphis. In this role, she is responsible for connecting clients, teammates, and communities to the full power of the franchise, driving business integration across eight lines of business. She also leads the efforts to deploy Bank of America’s resources to help advance economic mobility and build strong communities. In addition to serving as the president, Trevia is the Market Executive for Memphis. In this role, she leads the development and execution of the market strategic plan which is designed to drive responsible growth, employee engagement and corporate reputation. She also coordinates sponsorships, fosters collaboration with nonprofit leaders and stakeholders, and mobilizes her team of talented volunteers to drive positive change in the community. She is actively involved in the bank’s culture of inclusion efforts as the Executive Sponsor for the Black Professional Group of Tennessee and a member of Leadership, Education, Advocacy, & Development for Women. She is a graduate of the bank’s Women’s Next Level Leadership Program and a recipient of the Bank of America Global Diversity and Inclusion award.
Trevia joined Bank of America in 2018 as a leader with a proven track record of success in growing market share by developing high performing teams, driving revenue, establishing strong community relations, and executing effective marketing strategies. Over the span of twenty years, she has held several leadership roles in consumer banking – serving local, regional, and national banks. She has additional experience in private banking, marketing, performance management and legislative relations.
Trevia is a passionate advocate that collaborates with various nonprofits and city leaders to mobilize socioeconomic change through program development and implementation, fundraising, and strategic planning. She serves on the board of trustees for Tennessee State University as well as the board of directors for the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. She is an Executive in Residence for the University of Memphis, a New Memphis Fellow, and member of the Leadership Tennessee Signature Program. Trevia’s advocacy and impact to the community has garnered recognition including the Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 award, Top 40 under 40 Urban Elite Professionals award, the Memphis Business Journal’s Power 100, and the Memphis Grizzlies’ HBCU Empowerment award.
Trevia is a native of Memphis. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Tennessee State University. She is married to Keith Chatman, and they have three amazing boys.
Dimeta Smith Knight
Dimeta has over 20 years of financial accounting, auditing, tax preparation, and consulting experience. Previous roles include Internal Auditor, Financial Systems Implementation Consultant and Chief Financial Officer. She has consulted with small to large size corporations, sole proprietorships, and partnerships from various industries within for profit and nonprofit sectors. Because of her extensive knowledge of small business operations and financial performance she has become a great resource for the Nashville business community. Dimeta has facilitated seminars and workshops for various organizations including the Small Business Administration, Pathway Women’s Business Center, and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Dimeta is currently the Chief Executive Officer and President of Dimeta Smith, CPA, LLC, an accounting and consulting firm located in Nashville, TN.
Dimeta previously served as an adjunct accounting professor, lecturing on all disciplines of accounting. Her previous community service includes serving as treasurer of the West End Home Foundation and Williamson Christian College. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, where she leads the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. She was recently appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees for Tennessee State University.
Dimeta was recognized as a 2018 Woman of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal. She received the Rising Star Award presented by the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce and the Power Moves Award in Finance presented by PK Williams Enterprises. She was also a 2021 Athena Nominee. In 2023, Dimeta received the Leader in Diversity award from the Nashville Business Journal and a special recognition award from the Tennessee Society of CPAs.
Dimeta received her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with a major in Accounting from Tennessee State University and Master of Accountancy Degree from Belmont University. A native of Nashville, Dimeta has a passion for sharing financial information, serving in the community, mentoring young people, and spending time with her family.
Jeffery Norfleet
Dr. Jeffery Norfleet serves as Interim President at Shorter College. Dr. Norfleet plays a pivotal role in overseeing the daily operations, leadership, and vision at Shorter College.
Prior to joining Shorter College, Dr. Norfleet served as the Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies, and Director for the Quality Enhancement Plan at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. In these distinguished roles, he provided oversight for program and unit assessments, initiated, and coordinated strategic planning, as well as provided instruction and mentorship to graduate and doctoral students. Dr. Norfleet engaged multiple stakeholders across the university and external community to advance the university’s mission.
With 14 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Norfleet’s journey also includes pivotal roles at the Tennessee Board of Regents, the governing authority for Tennessee’s public two-year colleges and technical colleges, and as the Director of Academic Affairs for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the state’s higher education policy agency. In these capacities, he championed the development of new academic programs, coordinated off-campus instruction, guided accreditation processes, and spearheaded initiatives aimed at enhancing the success of Black males in higher education.
Dr. Norfleet earned his Bachelor of Science in Humanities and Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Tennessee State University. He later earned his Doctor of Education in Leadership and Professional Practice at Trevecca Nazarene University. Dr. Norfleet and his wife are the proud parents of three children. Additionally, he is a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc.
Marquita Qualls
Marquita M Qualls, PhD, is the founder and principal of Entropia Consulting, a boutique management consulting firm. She uses her unique combination of scientific and business expertise to effectively create strategic, innovative, operational, and financial value across diverse roles. She has established a strong reputation among senior level and executive leaders within governmental, higher education, corporate, and nonprofit sectors by bringing order to chaos and turning intent into results.
Her professional career is rooted in the Research and Development at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a leading pharmaceutical company. During nearly a decade at GSK, she held roles of increased global responsibility spanning drug development, technology evaluation, program management, business process improvement, people development, and global strategic planning in the Preclinical and Finance divisions.
Dr. Qualls is a former National President of a professional technical organization and was a member of the team that created the Leadership Development System® for the American Chemical Society, the world's largest professional scientific society. She has served on the editorial advisory board of Chemical & Engineering News, a member of the Chemical Science Roundtable of the National Academies, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship for the National GEM Consortium, and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence with Innovate Mississippi.
Based in Nashville, TN, she currently serves on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN, is a member of Rotary Club of Nashville, and a Life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. She enjoys traveling, puzzles, cooking, being an active auntie, and watching collegiate and professional football. Dr. Qualls holds a B.S. and PhD in chemistry from Tennessee State University (c/o 94) and Purdue University, respectively.
Terica Smith
Terica Smith is a native of Jackson, Tennessee. In the Fall of 1999, Ms. Smith began her education at Tennessee State University on a full Presidential Scholarship. Upon graduation from Tennessee State University with highest honors, Ms. Smith attended law school at The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law and obtained her Juris Doctorate in 2006. Upon receiving her license to practice law, Ms. Smith returned home and joined West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. as a Staff Attorney. In 2013, Ms. Smith joined the 26th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney in the Child Support Division. In this role she set and enforced child support orders to ensure that children and families in Madison, Henderson, and Chester counties received the support they needed.
On January 19, 2023, Madison County Mayor AJ Massey appointed Ms. Smith to serve as Deputy Mayor and Director of Human Resources for Madison County. In this role, Ms. Smith is leading human resource management for the county and working closely with Mayor Massey on initiatives and programs to promote growth in and improve the lives of the citizens of Madison County.
Ms. Smith is an active volunteer with the Jackson Madison County School System and was recognized as the 2021-2022 Parent of the Year for Northeast Middle School. Ms. Smith has served as President of the Jackson Madison County Library Board of Trustees and as a board member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce Leadership University. She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Jackson. Currently, Ms. Smith is a member of the board of directors for JONAH Affordable Housing, Mission Convalescent Nursing Home, and the Friends of Heart. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Governor Bill Lee appointed Ms. Smith to the Board of Judicial Conduct in 2019 and to the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments in 2023. She serves as a hearing officer to the Board of Professional Responsibility. Ms. Smith is very active with the Tennessee Bar Association and currently serves as the Secretary of the TBA Board of Governors, is the Cochair of the TBA Leadership Law program, and Past President of the Young Lawyers Division. She is a 2013 graduate of the TBA Leadership Law. She has also served as past chair of the Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity, member of the Executive Director Search Committee, and Strategic Planning Committee of the TBA. On March 28, 2024, Governor Bill Lee appointed Ms. Smith to the Tennessee State University Board of Trustees.
Dr. Artenzia Young-Seigler (Faculty Trustee)
Artenzia C. Young-Seigler currently serves as the Chairperson of the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Life and Physical Sciences and the Immediate Past Chair of the Faculty Senate. She received her PhD from Meharry Medical College (Neuroscience Concentration) and completed a postdoctoral position at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Department of Nephrology. Dr. Young-Seigler joined the TSU faculty in 2001 and has risen to full professor status. She graduated from TSU in 2020 with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology.
Dr. Young-Seigler has over two decades of higher education experience and a long record of shared governance, having served two terms as Faculty Senate Chair. She is also a proud Veteran of the U.S. Armed Services.
Tyler Vazquez (Student Trustee)
Tyler Vazquez is a senior at Tennessee State University and a Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Institute Scholar from Charlotte, North Carolina. Mr. Vazquez formerly served on the TSU student $2.1 Billion Committee, the Student Government Association as class secretary, and the Beta Kappa Chi National Science Honors Society as chapter president. Currently, he serves as president of the Minority Association of Premedical Students, is a member of Leadership TSU Cohort VIII, and is a research assistant, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He hopes to become the first doctor in his family, empowering communities through healthcare access and eliminating barriers for Black Americans in medicine and research. Mr. Vazquez is honored to humbly serve as Student Trustee.