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Karl Dean served as the sixth Mayor of Nashville and Davidson County. He was elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.
Dean first held public office when he was elected as Nashville’s Public Defender in 1990. He was re-elected in 1994 and 1998. He served as Metro Law Director from 1999 to January 2007, when he resigned to run for the office of mayor.
Karl Dean has taught at Vanderbilt Law School, Belmont University and Boston University.
TNWAC Secretary and Board member Allan Ramsaur has been an active leader in the Tennessee legal community for more than 40 years, serving both as an executive and as an active member of the Nashville, Tennessee, and American bar associations.
Ramsaur earned his bachelor’s degree at Lambuth University and his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He began his career as legal counsel for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Retardation.
He then moved to the Tennessee Association of Legal Services (TALS) first serving as a staff attorney and later as executive director. While at TALS, among his accomplishments were the passage of a mandatory school breakfast program and the adoption of IOLTA funding for Tennessee.
Mr. Ramsaur was equally successful at the Nashville Bar Association, where he increased membership by 50 percent, increased the number of CLE hours provided dramatically and almost doubled the number of pro bono cases handled by bar members.
He went on to lead the Tennessee Bar Association in 1998 where he brought about growth in membership and programs, as well, helping the TBA become the largest professional organization in the state.
As an active bar member, he has also served on several ABA committees, including the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants and the Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Services, the Special Committee on Prepaid Legal Services and the Prepaid Institute, and Special ABA Committee on Veterans Services. At the TBA he was chair of the TBA’s Governmental Affairs Committee, as president of the TBA’s Young Lawyers Conference and a member of the TBA’s Board of Governors.
Mr. Ramsaur has also served as president of the Tennessee Society of Association Executives, and as secretary and vice president of Bethlehem Centers in Nashville. Presently he serves as Treasurer of Tennesseans for Historical Justice.
He is married to Jimmie Lynn Ramsaur, a former Assistant United States Attorney. They have two grown children Kate and Ben.
Bill Diebenow enjoys a career that spans real estate and travel industry responsibilities. Today, Bill advises clients with residential property needs in Middle TN for Compass RE. He started his career at CB Commercial (now CBRE), and his experience includes residential and commercial transactions as agent, buyer, seller, investor, tenant, landlord and cross-county corporate relocation.
Earlier, Bill pursued a passion for global travel. He served in leadership and sales development roles within a number of tour companies, cruise lines and hospitality tech businesses. One major benefit was the opportunity to visit over 100 countries, including multiple cruise explorations to the Arctic and Antarctica.
Bill’s favorite and most rewarding role was to rally his World Leaders Symposium staff to create a series of extraordinary, educational travel events. Partnering with prestigious museum and university alumni organizations — such as Vanderbilt, the
Smithsonian, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, MIT and UC Berkeley — the company developed a roster of distinguished experts and opened doors not otherwise available to a typical traveler.
Celebrated personalities including Madeleine Albright, James Baker, Tom Brokaw, George and Barbara Bush, Sam Donaldson, Mikhail Gorbachev, Benjamin Netanyahu, Shimon Peres, and Condoleezza Rice participated as host speakers and cruise companions.
Bill graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont, majoring in East Asian Studies with an emphasis in Mandarin Chinese language. He also lived and studied abroad in Taiwan; at Beijing University in China; and at the Institute for American Universities, Aix-en-Provence, France.
Sabrina Miller is a senior vice president with Pinnacle’s commercial banking team in Nashville, TN, responsible for providing distinctive service and effective advice to business and private banking clients.
Before joining the firm in 2022, Miller was a senior vice president with the Truist Commercial Banking division in Nashville, where she worked for nearly 10 years focusing on for-profit and not-for-profit clients. Prior to relocating to Nashville from New York, she spent eight years on Wall Street focusing on foreign exchange markets and was a relationship manager, foreign exchange specialist at Bloomberg L.P.
Sabrina earned her bachelor’s degree with cum laude honor at the University of Mississippi with a double major in banking & finance and international business.
Sabrina serves on the board of directors for TNWAC and the board and finance committee for The Martha O’Bryan Center and is past board treasurer. She is a Class 63 alumna of The Young Leaders Council.
Originally from Brazil, Sabrina moved to the United States at the age of 17 when she was recruited by The University of Mississippi on an NCAA division 1 tennis scholarship and became a naturalized American citizen in December of 2013.
Tim graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in 1973 and from Tulane University’s Engineering School in 1977. He received a Master of Arts in International Commerce from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at The University of Kentucky in December, 1978 – and he then moved to New York City to begin his career in finance. In 1983, he received an Accounting Certificate from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
In 1979, he joined Euro Brokers Harlow as a Eurodollar and Eurodollar CD broker; and he later transitioned to Bankers Trust Company, working in their bond department.
Tim married the former Alison Schmidlapp from Oyster Bay, LI; and in 1985, they moved back to Nashville where they raised three children. He joined Nelson Capital Corporation, a diversified merchant banking firm that advised corporate clients on debt and equity financings. In 1995, he purchased a distributor and fabricator of adhesive products, selling the business to a private equity firm in August, 2008. He then joined Covenant Surgical Partners where he managed surgery centers.
He subsequently entered the insurance industry; and then, FirstBank contacted him and offered him the position of Nashville Market President. He has now been with FirstBank since 2016 where he currently serves as Senior VP and Regional Director of Private Banking.
Tim served as President of Belle Meade Country Club in 2012 where he continues to enjoy playing golf. He started the “Boulevard Bolt,” a Thanksgiving Day run/walk benefitting the Homeless. He has also served on the Board of various civic entities, was on the Board of Zoning Appeals for the City of Belle Meade and City of Forrest Hills – and was elected Commissioner for the City of Forrest Hills.
Celeste’s career has focused on the U.S. – Japanese relationship. She learned Japanese as an exchange student in Japan between high school and college and majored in Japanese studies at Duke University (BA) and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies – SAIS (MA). She helped build the Japan Center at SAIS, worked with a Japanese company to promote U.S. – Japanese trade and investment, and served as a consultant. Celeste also enjoyed over ten years with United Way of Greater Nashville overseeing the major donor program, the Tocqueville Society.
Elena Camacho Byrd, born in Lausanne, Switzerland, grew up in Cuba before she and her family fled during the Cuban Revolution to move to the United States. Elena received a BA in English and Sociology, as well as a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She studied Land Economy at the University of Cambridge. She received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Elena spent over fifteen years working in public health writing grant proposals and assisting physicians in patient care, primarily in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In the United States, she has served as a teacher and tutor for students of all ages. She is now an active volunteer in the Nashville community, where she is a long-term Board member of the Tennessee Poison Center. Elena is fluent in English and Spanish. She is married to Barney Byrd, and has three grown children.
Neisler received obtained her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, Master of Science in Agriculture Extension Education, and B.S. in Agriscience Education and Animal Science from the Michigan State University.
Scott works with middle-market clients and provides custom solutions to meet their complex and evolving needs. Scott’s job is to deliver the entire global suite of solutions at Bank of America with a personalized service you would expect from a smaller bank. Prior to Bank of America, Scott spent 15 years in New York working at JPMorgan Chase in International Trading and Risk Management with stops along the way in London. He graduated from Oneonta State College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Alex Fath is a demonstrated leader with an “Always Forward” mindset and over a decade of experience in the global supply chain industry. As the Director of Health & Safety for North and South America at GEODIS, he excels in guiding teams through change management and high- stakes situations, integrating health and safety standards across business acquisitions, and employing cutting-edge technology to enhance workplace safety. His field experience operating in Latin America—specifically in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil —provides him with on-the- ground expertise in regulatory compliance, safety culture adaptation, and risk management within diverse cultural and regulatory landscapes.
A technology optimist, Alex champions the role of artificial intelligence in transforming health and safety outcomes. He has piloted generative AI and machine learning initiatives within the supply chain industry, implementing AI-powered tools and robotic technology to proactively prevent workplace incidents. His expertise has led him to professional panels, including recent discussions on “How AI Enhances EHS Performance,” where he shared insights on AI’ potential to revolutionize Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) practices.
Prior to his corporate career, Alex served over a decade in the U.S. military, where he progressed from enlisted Infantryman to Signal Officer. His military background sharpened his capacity for decisive leadership, crisis response, and the development of resilient teams under pressure. These experiences underpin his approach to risk management, crisis preparedness, and adaptable leadership within complex operational environments.
Alex is also a dedicated contributor to his community, a member of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee World Affairs Council and mentoring as a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. His leadership style is rooted in fostering accountability, resilience, and alignment with organizational goals.
Samuel Waitt was born in Iowa on October 28, 1994. He spent his formative years in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he immersed himself in history and geography. While embarrassed of it at the time, the most impactful experience was his victory in the 2007 New Mexico State Geography Bee and attending the national Finals in Washington, DC.
After graduating from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee in 2013, Sam went on to earn a Bachelor’s in Political Science and International Affairs from Furman University and a Master’s in International Affairs from Middle Tennessee State University. He works as a freelance writer and podcaster in Nashville.Sam has traveled extensively around Europe, including to once-unreachable nations in the continent’s eastern half such as Serbia, Bosnia, Lithuania, Poland, and even Russia. He has also visited Israel and New Zealand. Sam is also an avid and passionate golfer, but admits his golf skills will never be fully up to par. No matter the state of his golf game, politics and international affairs will always be his passion.
Charles Richard (Dick) Bowers served as the United States Ambassador to Bolivia from 1991 through 1994. During that time, the American Embassy in Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, was the largest and most complex U.S. embassy in South America.
Ambassador Bowers was born in Missouri, grew in the San Francisco Bay area, and studied political science, economics and international relations at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his BA, cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1966 and his MA degree in 1967. He then immediately entered the U. S. Foreign Service. From 1961 to 1964 he was on active duty with the U.S. Army and served as a Russian linguist in West Berlin at the height of the Cold War.
As a career member of the U.S. diplomatic corps, Ambassador Bowers served in the American Embassies in Panama, Poland, Singapore, Germany and Bolivia. During tours of duty at State Department headquarters in Washington D.C., he traveled to over 75 counties on negotiating, fact-finding and trouble-shooting missions. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1995.
During his diplomatic career, Ambassador Bowers received numerous awards, including the Meritorious Service Award for sustained superior performance from President Reagan and the State Department’s Superior Honor Award. He also was given the Order of the Condor, the highest honor Bolivia gives to foreigners, and the Order of Merit of the Bolivian Armed Forces. He speaks fluent Spanish and German, and has a good knowledge of Russian and Polish.
Ambassador Bowers is an avid sportsman who enjoys mountain climbing, water sports and backpacking. After retiring from diplomatic service, he “thru-hiked” the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine with his dog, Happy. He then moved into the suburbs south of Knoxville, TN and served on numerous civic committees and boards. He was the President of the Maryville Rotary Club in 2002-2003 and is currently a member of the Brentwood Rotary Club. In 2011-12 he served as the Rotary District Governor for Middle and West Tennessee. From 1998-2006 he served as the Chairman of the National Advisory Council of Maryville College. While living in East Tennessee, he hiked all 900 miles of marked trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In 2004 he reached the top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s highest mountain and thus completed his quest to be the first Tennessean to reach the highest point of each of our 50 states.
Ambassador Bowers’ wife, Kay, is the Executive Director of the New Level Community Development Corporation in Nashville. They have five adult children and 11 grandchildren in their blended family.
Lieutenant General Lawrence D Nicholson, USMC (Ret.) retired after 39 years of active duty service to our nation in October of 2018 as the Commanding General of III Marine Expeditionary Force in Japan. He was born in Toronto, Canada, and commissioned after graduating from The Citadel, in Charleston SC in 1979. From 1980-1990 he served as an Infantryman in the First Marine Division, and as a Series and Company Commander at MCRD San Diego. From 1990-1993 he served at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Additionally, he has served as a United Nations Observer in the Middle East in 1994-95, at NATO HQ in Brussels, Belgium from 2002-04, as the Commander of the Warlords of 2nd Bn 2nd Marines from 1999-2001, and as the Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon from 2010-2012. LtGen Nicholson earned a master’s degree from the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. and is a 2002 graduate of the NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy.
Multiple combat tours include service as the G-3 (Operations) of the 1st Marine Division in Ramadi, Iraq during 2004-05, and as the Commander of the 5th Marine Regiment in Fallujah, Iraq 2006-07. He commanded Task Force Leatherneck and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Helmand Province Afghanistan from 2009-2010. He later returned to Afghanistan in 2012 as the CJ-3 Operations Officer for the ISAF Joint Command (IJC). LtGen Nicholson commanded the famed 1st Marine (Blue Diamond) Division at Camp Pendleton California from 2013-2015.
From 2019 to 2022 LtGen Nicholson served as the Vice President for Execution and Leadership for the H.T. Hackney Company in Knoxville, TN.
Today he serves as a Senior Mentor for the Joint Staff and travels globally to numerous Large-Scale Exercises in support of the Department of Defense. LtGen Nicholson is a Distinguished Senior Fellow (Non-Res) for the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. He is also a member of the Spirit of America Advisory Board, and supports numerous veteran and wounded warrior focused organizations. He and his wife Deborah enjoy spoiling their 9 grandchildren, and enjoy hiking and spending time in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Thomas Alan Schwartz is the Distinguished Professor of History and Professor of Political Science and European Studies at Vanderbilt University. Originally from Rochester, New York, he studied at Columbia and Oxford Universities, and completed his doctoral dissertation at Harvard University under the supervision of Professor Ernest R. May and Professor Charles Maier. He is the author of the books America’s Germany: John J. McCloy and the Federal Republic of Germany (Harvard University Press) and Lyndon Johnson and Europe: In the Shadow of Vietnam, also Harvard University Press. He was the co-editor with Matthias Schulz of The Strained Alliance: US-European Relations in the 1970s, (Cambridge University Press). His most recent book is Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography, published by Hill and Wang in 2020. He is the recipient of fellowships from the Social Science Research Council, the German Historical Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center, and the Nobel Institute. He served on the Historical Advisory Committee of the Department of State and was the President of the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations.
Susan Turner Haynes joined Lipscomb University as an assistant professor in political science in 2015 after receiving her PhD from George Mason University. She published her first book, Chinese Nuclear Proliferation, with the University of Nebraska Press in 2016. Her second book, Faith in Foreign Aid, will be published with Routledge in 2024. In addition to her books, Haynes has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Policy & Politics, Asian Perspectives, Asian Security, PS: Political Science and Politics, Strategic Studies Quarterly, The Nonproliferation Review, and Comparative Strategy. She has also authored chapters in the Ashgate Research Companion on Chinese Foreign Policy (2012), and in Routledge’s Nuclear Modernization in the 21st Century (2020). Haynes has been invited to present her research at the Department of Defense Strategic Multilayer Assessment Group and at the Air War College. Haynes is a member of the International Studies Association (ISA) and American Political Science Association (APSA) and serves as an advisory board member for the Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC).
Yuri Cunza is the president and CEO of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NAHCC). He is a long-time advocate for Latino entrepreneurs and workers and has played a significant role in promoting participation, volunteerism, and philanthropy within the community. He is also the co-founder of the NAHCC Foundation and serves as a liaison between the chamber’s membership, the community, and the NAHCC Board of Directors. Throughout his career, Cunza has emphasized the importance of essential workers, particularly people of color, and has been an advocate for those affected by economic challenges.
Originally from Peru, Cunza moved to Argentina to study medicine before coming to the United States, where he shifted his focus. He earned a B.F.A in Film Directing at what is now Watkins College of Art at Belmont University and continued his education in nonprofit management at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business. In 2012, he completed an Executive Education program in Strategic Management and Innovations in Governance, focusing on Principled Negotiation, Adaptive Leadership, Executive Core Qualification, and Public Sector Innovation at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Yuri Cunza is a seasoned Hispanic-American media professional, filmmaker, journalist, visual artist, and business and Hispanic community advocate. He is the founder and Editor-In-Chief of the Spanish-language newspaper La Noticia Nashville (Hispanic Paper Publishing) and the founder/owner of Y&K Entertainment, a film production and media consulting company based in Nashville. Yuri has written guest columns in several English-language local and national publications, and his voice is covered by news media outlets on topics such as immigration, Hispanic and small businesses, cultural appreciation, civic engagement, and affordable housing. He has consistently advocated to ensure that members of the Hispanic community are not left behind during government election cycles.
In 2018, Yuri Cunza was elected to the board of directors for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a national organization representing over 5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. He currently serves as the Chamber Regional Representative Region 6 Chair.
Yuri represents his community and the state of Tennessee by serving on prominent boards at the local, regional, and national levels.
