Who’s Who 2026

Every year, when we compile this list, we ask ourselves these questions: What has this person done for Memphis? How have they shaped our city in the past? And how are they guiding us towards a brighter future? Being a “news-maker” seems obvious, but a “mover” or (especially) a “shaker” isn’t always so clear. Even so, we believe this year’s “Who’s Whos” have made a lasting impact on the community. Take a look and let us know if you agree.

RAUMESH AKBARI

A member of the Tennessee Senate since 2019, representing District 29, and currently the Democratic leader, Akbari took a leading role in the 2025 legislative session for projects as varied as funding for a new Shelby County jail and increased support for K-12 girls sports. She is a leader of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators and served as financial secretary of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. A member of the Commerce and Labor Committee and the Ethics Subcommittee, she served on the National Criminal Justice Task Force and as the Marshall Memorial Fellow in Europe for the German Marshall Fund.

IKE ANAND

Named president and CEO of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities in July 2025, Anand is in charge of the powerhouse fundraising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. ALSAC is midway through a six-year, $12.9 billion strategic plan — the largest initiative in the organization’s history — to advance research and treatments for childhood cancer. He served as ALSAC’s chief operating officer from 2020 to 2025. Anand was previously global vice president of strategy for the Expedia Group.

JEN ANDREWS  

The first official employee of the Shelby Farms Park Alliance, in 2016 Andrews was named CEO of the renamed Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. Prior to her current role, she led communications and development for the conservancy, including leadership of the $75 million capital campaign for park improvements (among those, the Shelby Farms Greenline, Woodland Discovery Playground, and the Heart of the Park). Her stewardship includes daily operations along with generating support and revenue to further enhance the future of Shelby Farms Park.

WARD ARCHER

A board member of Contemporary Media, Inc. (publisher of this magazine), Archer’s accomplishments include the creation of Archer-Malmo (now Archer), Tennessee’s largest and most successful advertising shop. He created Music + Arts Studio for recording artists and film sound mixing, and brings contemporary music to the world through his creation of Archer Records. Archer also founded Protect Our Aquifer to ensure that the Memphis Sand Aquifer stays clean and accessible to future generations. Now he spends much of his time at the Archer Farm & Forest in Fayette County, where he’s part of a national carbon sequestration program.

SHANTE K. AVANT

A 27-year veteran of the nonprofit sector, Avant began her tenure at the Women’s Foundation of Greater Memphis in 2008. Now, she is the organization’s president and CEO. A former member of the school board, Avant is Chair Pro Tempore of the Shelby County Commission, representing District 5. She was the first Black woman to be elected to a newly formed district in Shelby County, and only the second to hold her current title. 

EKUNDAYO BANDELE

The founder and CEO of Hattiloo Theatre has written and directed plays across the country and led a $10 million capital campaign. Bandele established the accredited Hattiloo Institute of Black Theatre Studies at LeMoyne-Owen College and launched cultural exchanges with theaters in South Africa, Norway, Nigeria, and Rwanda. 

BRETT BATTERSON

As president and CEO of the Orpheum Theatre Group since 2016, Batterson leads the theater and its next-door facility, the Halloran Centre, in their presentations of Broadway shows, concerts, comedy, and community events. He helped create Mending Hearts Camp, a program for young people who have experienced the death of a parent, and shaped the expansion of the High School Musical Theatre Awards. He is the founder of the Memphis Cultural Coalition, a roundtable of city leaders in arts and culture.

KIMBERLY & WILLY BEARDEN

As executive director of Elmwood Cemetery, Kimberly Bearden creates innovative programs like outdoor film showings and guided tours, where actors portray Elmwood’s famous residents. She is co-author with husband, Willy, of Elmwood Cemetery and has contributed to academic publications on cemetery culture. From Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Willy has produced documentaries on blues, cotton, and garage bands, and has published books on local history. In 2010, Willy released the feature film, One Came Home, and has produced Memphis Memoirs segments for WKNO and hosts Dialogue with Willy Bearden for library channel WYPL. In 2024, Willy released his autobiography, Mississippi Hippie.

CRAIG BREWER

The director of Hustle & Flow put Memphis on the filmmaking map in 2000 with his groundbreaking digital feature The Poor & Hungry. Brewer reunited with his Hustle stars Tarji P. Henson and Terrance Howard during their stint on the hit series Empire, and later for Fight Night, an award-winning series on Peacock which also included Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Hart. His two films with Eddie Murphy, Dolemite is My Name and Coming 2 America, were both streaming hits. His 2025 film Song Sung Blue earned an Academy Award nomination for star Kate Hudson. Brewer is currently developing a biopic of Snoop Dogg for Universal Pictures. 

DOUGLAS V. BROWNE

Since 2003, Browne has been president of Peabody Hotels & Resorts. He has served as board chair of the Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association and was the 2022 board chairman of the Greater Memphis Chamber. Browne was named a 2023 Inside Memphis Business CEO of the Year — and is a competitive ballroom dancer.

DR. PETER BUCKLEY

As chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center since 2021, Buckley serves as CEO of the six doctoral programs in the UT system in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a board member of the Schizophrenia International Research Society. Buckley is the author of more than 300 articles in psychiatric research and 200 book chapters.

STEWART BURGESS

Named director of the Children’s Museum of Memphis in 2019, of more than 600 children’s museums in the U.S., Burgess is the only director with professional experience in early childhood education. The Fresno, California, native earned a Ph.D. and planned a career in academia, but when his wife took a job with Wright Medical, Burgess became early childhood director at St. George’s School. Over the years, he has continually added new exhibits, with the goal “to provide a space for playful learning.” 

MAURICIO CALVO

In 2023, Calvo became one of the first Latinos to hold public office in Shelby County when he was appointed to the school board. He is currently the president and CEO of Latino Memphis, an organization devoted to empowering the third largest community in Memphis by providing immigration and legal services, connecting people with healthcare and job opportunities, and advocating for Latino issues in government and the private sector. “For many Latinos living in Memphis, we are the first step in their pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families,” Calvo says. 

NED CANTY

Since 2011, Canty has served as director of Opera Memphis and initiated nationally acclaimed efforts to popularize the art form. In addition to traditional productions, he has brought initiatives from pop-up performances to commissions of bold new works. The company’s “30 Days of Opera” takes opera to the public and modernizes the art form by blending it with newer genres. Last year it hosted the Opera America conference — the smallest company to ever host the influential gathering of opera producers.

ELIZABETH CAWEIN 

Founder and executive director of Music Export Memphis, a nonprofit that creates opportunities for Memphis artists beyond the city, Cawein has served the Memphis music scene since 2011. At Music Export Memphis, she created an exporting office that uses public and private support to share Memphis music. Previously, in 2011, she founded Signal Flow Public Relations, a boutique PR firm to serve Memphis music. Outside of Music Export Memphis, Cawein also provides strategic consulting at Sound Diplomacy, an organization that combines music and advocacy, and teaches as an adjunct music urbanism professor at Rhodes College.

PAUL CHANDLER

As president and CEO of Memphis River Parks, Chandler oversees the nonprofit organization that manages numerous public spaces along the Mississippi River riverfront, including Tom Lee Park, Mud Island, Greenbelt Park, and Martyrs Park. He is the former executive director of the Germantown Performing Arts Center, where he led the design and creation of The Grove and Germantown’s public art master plan.

ASHLEY COFFIELD   

The CEO of the regional Planned Parenthood affiliate since 2013 first volunteered with the organization as a Rhodes College student. In 2018, Coffield oversaw the merger of the Memphis and Nashville affiliates to form Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi. Under her leadership, the affiliate provides reproductive healthcare via four health centers and PP Direct (a telehealth app), comprehensive sexual health education, and advocacy for reproductive rights. 

STEVE COHEN

The congressman served nearly two decades in the U.S. House of Representatives and planned to run for another term, but this spring, the GOP-controlled General Assembly split his district into three parts that Cohen says were “drawn to beat me.” He’ll finish his job in Washington in January after a 47-year career in public service from the Shelby County Commission to the Tennessee Senate to Congress. Equal parts maverick and establishmentarian, Cohen saw his national stature certified in 2025 by his appointment to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He was an early advocate of impeachment during Donald Trump’s first term and recently submitted articles of impeachment against Chief Justice John Roberts. Cohen sponsored an official House apology for slavery and, as chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, conducted hearings on potential reparations for African-American citizens.  

JENNIFER COLLINS

The president of Rhodes College since 2022 previously spent eight years as law school dean of Southern Methodist University. Earlier in her career, Collins was a member of the law faculty at Wake Forest University, where she created that university’s first LGBTQ+ Center and Women’s Center.

DR. REGINALD COOPWOOD

Since 2010, Coopwood has served as president and CEO of Regional One Health, the primary source of medical care for much of our city’s population, in addition to providing trauma and burn care for the region. His work is complemented by a commitment to improve community well-being. A major project will be moving Regional One to a new campus at the former Commercial Appeal building on Union.

CERELYN “CJ” DAVIS

In 2021, Davis became the first woman chief of the Memphis Police Department. In 2024 city council members declined to approve her reappointment by Mayor Paul Young. One reason was unease about her sponsorship of the MPD “Scorpion” unit, which included five officers charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols. She continued to serve on an interim basis, however, and was ultimately confirmed by the council as police chief last year as homicides and violent crimes trended downward. 

CHRISTOPHER DAVIS 

The president of LeMoyne-Owen College since 2024, Davis is the first pastor in the role, and hopes that tying the college back to its church roots will reinvigorate its future. Davis is the 14th president of the nation’s fifth-oldest HBCU; he is also senior pastor at St. Paul Baptist in Whitehaven. His appointment comes after years of instability, but he’s ushered in optimism for finances, enrollment, and retention. Since becoming president, he has launched a bachelor’s degree in religion and reinstated voluntary weekly chapel service. Additionally, FedEx has joined to invest in the college’s success. 

HUNTER DEMSTER

Co-founder of Vecindarios 901, a rapid-response network to report Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities, Demster uses videos shot on a phone and social media to document law enforcement interactions. From Demster’s and other activists’ recordings, the ACLU filed a lawsuit that challenges Memphis Safe Task Force Agents from criminalizing civilians who record their actions up-close. At V-901, Demster supports individuals ICE targets and tracks ICE raids, where he takes calls reporting ICE activity across Memphis and alerts the community on social media. 

MICHAEL DETROIT

For more than three decades, Detroit has been the face of Memphis theater. The executive producer of Playhouse on the Square oversees casting, production, and outreach/education programming of the city’s largest professional theater operation, and created the largest U.S. professional audition conference (Unified Professional Theatre Auditions). Detroit has appeared as an actor or voiceover artist in stage productions, TV commercials, and nine feature films. 

DR. JAMES DOWNING      

The president and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 2014, Downing has led a $12.9 billion commitment to accelerate progress in the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases by expanding St. Jude clinical care and scientific programs in Memphis and around the globe. He was instrumental in launching the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, an ambitious sequencing effort to discover why childhood cancer arises, spreads, and resists treatment. Downing has championed St. Jude Global, a program dedicated to raising pediatric cancer survival rates internationally. He is stepping down as CEO before the end of 2026 and will move into a faculty role in the Department of Global Pediatric Medicine.

LAKEISHA EDWARDS 

By trade a social worker, Edwards now serves as executive director of the UrbanArt Commission (UAC). Under her leadership, UAC’s public art projects have celebrated the unique and diverse stories of 27 Memphis neighborhoods, with an increased focus on community-led initiatives. Other efforts like their Tiny Gallery, Billboard Gallery, and free exhibition space have supported local artists. 

STEVE EHRHART

For three decades, Ehrhart has been executive director of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic, one of the oldest annual postseason games in college football, broadcast internationally on ABC. The annual economic impact of the game is estimated at more than $20 million. This season’s matchup — between teams from the SEC and Big 12 — will be played on January 2, 2027. He was general manager of the original Memphis Showboats (1984-85) and inducted into the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. 

JIMMY GENTRY

Southern food connoisseur, James Beard Award semi-finalist, and The Lobbyist owner, Gentry’s experience ranges from catering to vegetable fine dining. Co-founding the largest boutique catering company in the Mid-South, Paradox Catering & Consulting, Gentry mastered private aviation catering, the art of charcuterie, and exclusive dining with the Paradox Underground Experience series. His downtown restaurant, The Lobbyist, has received numerous accolades, with his signature corn mash named a 1924 New York Times’ Best Dish of the Year and his restaurant elevated to Michelin Recommended status.

GLORILLA

Ever since her single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” produced by Hitkidd, went platinum in 2022 and landed her a contract with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group, the artist born Gloria Hallelujah Woods has held her crown as one of rap’s reigning queens. With her 2024 debut album, Glorious, yielding more hits, she toured the world with Megan Thee Stallion and headlined at FedExForum last year. Nationally, she’s the face of “Glo’s BBQ Jacked Burger” at Checkers and Rally’s food franchises, where she once worked; locally, she’s the star who donated $25,000 to Melrose High School.

ROBERT GORDON

The author of several classic histories of Memphis music and culture, including It Came From Memphis, Memphis Rent Party, Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters, and Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion. Gordon is also a filmmaker, including the film versions of Respect Yourself and Can’t Be Satisfied; Best of Enemies, an Emmy-winning history of the 1968 Buckley/Vidal debates; and Very Extremely Dangerous. His contribution to Written in the Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos brought him two Grammys. His latest documentary, Newport & The Great Folk Dream, premiered at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival. 

AL GREEN

With a surprise appearance at the 2024 New Year’s Eve celebrations at Morgan Freeman’s tiny Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the man also known as Bishop of the Full Gospel Tabernacle let it be known that he was not above mingling with his more worldly ’70s masterpieces, produced by Willie Mitchell for Hi Records. He also dips into recording new secular music, as with 2018’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” or his 2023 take on Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” featured, along with covers of the Bee Gees and R.E.M., on his 2026 EP, To Love Somebody.

MICAH GREENSTEIN

The senior rabbi of Temple Israel, Greenstein has devoted more than three decades to Memphis’ 170-year-old synagogue, the largest Jewish congregation in a five-state Southern region. He was recognized as Memphis Magazine’s inaugural Memphian of the Year in 2013 for reaching across racial and religious lines to cultivate a more relational community. Greenstein was named one of America’s Top 50 Rabbis by Newsweek/The Daily Beast.

CARMEON HAMILTON 

The interior designer first started attracting attention in 2011 when Hamilton started writing about making spaces more beautiful in a blog intended for her friends. Her renown grew beyond that circle, and her business took off in a big way. In 2021, she won the grand prize on the HGTV reality competition show Design Star: Next Gen, which led to her own filmed-in-Memphis reality show, Reno My Rental, which brought affordable elegance to the masses. She recently introduced her own line of rugs. With almost 200,000 followers on Instagram, the in-demand Hamilton is more than a designer — she’s a “Life Curator.” 

PENNY HARDAWAY

The greatest basketball product in the history of a city that loves its hoops, Hardaway will be coaching his ninth season at the University of Memphis when the 2026-27 season tips off in November. He won at least 20 games in each of his first seven seasons before enduring a 13-19 season last winter (the program’s worst record in 56 years). His Tigers won the 2025 AAC regular-season and tournament championships, though Memphis has still won only one NCAA tournament game on his watch. Hardaway was the national player of the year as a senior at Treadwell High School (1990), an All-America at then Memphis State (1993), and twice first-team All-NBA with the Orlando Magic.

BILL HARDGRAVE

Named the 13th president of the University of Memphis in 2022, Hardgrave created the Ascend Strategic Plan to chart the university’s future over the following five years. Goals include increasing funding, continuing to make tuition accessible, and sustaining student and faculty recruitment. Under Hardgrave’s tenure, the university has earned Carnegie R1 status as a top research institution.

MARCELLUS HARPER & KEVIN THOMAS 

In 2007, Harper and Thomas moved their professional dance company, Collage Dance Collective, from New York City to Memphis, hoping to expand access to classical dance and improve racial diversity on the stage. In 2009, they began Collage Ballet Conservatory. Harper serves as executive director, Thomas as artistic director. Together, they have made the company one of the largest Black-led performing-arts organizations in the South with an international touring company and a student roster that includes more BIPOC classical dancers than any other Memphis nonprofit. In 2022, SouthArts and the Ford Foundation named Collage a “Southern Cultural Treasure.” 

LEE HARRIS

After his reelection in 2022 to a second four-year term as Shelby County Mayor, Harris won county commission support for an ambitious agenda, including funding for two new high schools and the renovation and expansion of the Regional One medical campus. He has continued to emphasize early childhood education, public health, workforce development, and criminal justice reform. His term will end on September 1st.

SARAH HOUSTON

A self-described “water nerd,” Houston is tireless in the fight to protect Memphis’ greatest asset, the sand-filtered aquifer which provides our drinking water. She began her career with a YouTube channel, Wander Like Water, where she biked 8,000 miles while doing educational videos about the water sources she encountered along the way. Now, she is executive director of Protect Our Aquifer and researches hydrology with the University of Memphis’ Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER).

CHARLES HUFF

The head football coach at the University of Memphis was hired in December 2025 to succeed Ryan Silverfield, who departed for the University of Arkansas after six seasons at the helm. In one season at Southern Miss, Huff led the Golden Eagles to a record of 7-5, a dramatic turnaround from the previous campaign (1-11). In four seasons at Marshall, Huff led the Thundering Herd to a record of 32-20 and the 2024 Sun Belt championship. At age 43, Huff’s mission, in his words, is to “close the gap” between the Memphis program and those of the four “power conferences,” with hopes of the Tigers joining one of those leagues in the near future.

CARISSA HUSSONG

Under executive director Hussong, the Metal Museum continues to thrive as a hub for the metal arts. It showcases exhibitions by internationally renowned metalsmiths, offers year-round educational programs, and hosts events like Repair Days and Whet Thursdays. This is a big year for the museum, which is expanding in September into the former home of Memphis College of Art in Overton Park. This new facility will serve as an international metal arts institute and education center. The bluff location will become an artist residency program, host community events, and welcome visitors to its scenic grounds and sculpture garden.

BARBARA & PITT HYDE

Few Memphis families have had such an impact on Memphis. Barbara is chair and CEO of the Hyde Family Foundation, where she is passionate about education reform. She has led efforts to bring innovative education initiatives to Memphis, most notably the KIPP Academy, Teach for America, and New Leaders. As a founding member and past chair of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, she led master planning and fundraising efforts to transform the park into a world-class amenity. Barbara is also a founding chair of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis. J.R. “Pitt” Hyde founded AutoZone in 1979, one of three Fortune 500 companies with Memphis headquarters. Regarded as one of the city’s leading philanthropists, he was instrumental in founding the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, Memphis Tomorrow, and the National Civil Rights Museum, and part of the civic partnership that brought the Grizzlies to Memphis. In June 2023, the Hydes contributed $20 million towards the construction of the new Memphis Art Museum (formerly the Brooks), scheduled to open on the riverfront in December 2026.

IMAKEMADBEATS

This Orange Mound native, born James Dukes, has doggedly pursued his career as an engineer/producer/recording artist since before his time at Quad Studios in New York in the 2000s. Over a decade ago, he came back home to found UNAPOLOGETIC. That music, media, and fashion collective celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, complete with a proclamation from the State of Tennessee acknowledging the group’s impact. In addition to collaborations with the Memphis Grizzlies and Google, the collective continues to make waves with its several recording artists, including MAD’s own 2024 album, WANDS, an interstellar trip in audio form.

FRED JONES

His brainchild, the Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx, is an annual cultural celebration that culminates with a football game between historically black universities. Arkansas-Pine Bluff made its debut in the 2023 event and will face Alcorn State this year on September 12th at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Jones is the longtime president of Summitt Management Corporation, an entertainment consulting firm. Since first held in 1990, the SHC has averaged upwards of 50,000 in attendance. 

BRYAN JORDAN

From a single branch that opened in Memphis during the Civil War, First Horizon emerged as the largest bank in Tennessee, with assets of more than $80 billion, some 7,000 employees, and more than 400 banking centers across 12 states in the Southeast. Since 2007, Jordan has served as chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer. 

ZOE KAHR

When she took over as executive director of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in 2022, Kahr came prepared to lead the organization as it transitions to a new $180 million facility on the Mississippi River. She previously served as deputy director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Under Kahr’s leadership, Brooks announced it would quadruple their public programs, with a goal of making the museum not only a place to view artwork but also a community-gathering place. The new downtown museum will also guarantee perpetual free entry for Shelby County residents to promote greater access to the arts.

KEVIN KANE

President and CEO of Memphis Tourism for more than 30 years, the slogan, “Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock-and-Roll,” was created under Kane’s direction. He has expanded awareness of Memphis with satellite offices in England, Germany, Austria, France, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. He created the Memphis Tourism Education Foundation and the Memphis Sports Council. The lifelong Memphian is also president and CEO of the Memphis Management Group, which runs the newly refurbished Renasant Convention Center and the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

AL KAPONE

This rapper, who first emerged from the ’90s Memphis hip-hop scene and later contributed tracks to the 2005 film Hustle & Flow, remains remarkably active today. This year, he and DJ Zirk spearheaded the second annual group performance of the “Memphis Rap OGz,” also featuring many of their peers, at the RiverBeat Music Festival. Aside from penning “Whoop That Trick,” now a staple chant at Memphis Grizzlies games, Kapone, aka Alphonzo Bailey or Al Kapeezy, has lately blended his unique hip-hop style with the blues, collaborating with guitarist Eric Gales and Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars.

ZACH KLEIMAN

As executive vice president of basketball operations for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies since 2019, Kleiman retains a low profile in one of the city’s highest-profile jobs. Under his watch, the Grizzlies won the first two Southwest Division titles in franchise history and have made the NBA playoffs four times. The 2022 Executive of the Year endured his most challenging season in 2025-26 as the team suffered through a 25-57 campaign, made far worse by the death of forward Brandon Clarke in May 2026. Less than a week before trading star Ja Morant to Portland, the Grizzlies selected Duke All-American Cameron Boozer in June’s draft, a large first step toward a return to post-season contention.

PATRICK LAWLER

The founding CEO of Youth Villages, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, Lawler has grown the organization serving more than 40,000 young people across 29 states annually, with two campuses in the Memphis area. The White House cited Youth Villages as an example of “effective, innovative nonprofits” that are “high-impact, result-oriented” organizations. In 2020 Lawler was the recipient of the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, a national honor considered the Nobel Prize for service. In 2022 he was named a CEO of the Year by Inside Memphis Business.

DEBBIE LITCH

Being active in the arts comes naturally to Litch, who worked with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Memphis Brooks Museum of Art before taking the reins at Theatre Memphis 22 years ago. For the theater’s 100th anniversary in 2021 she initiated a $6.2 million renovation and expansion. She’s the executive producer, but also a performer who can belt out a cabaret tune like nobody’s business.

JASON LITTLE

In 2014, Little was named president and CEO of Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation, a network of full-service hospitals and specialty centers, providing comprehensive care to patients in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi since 1912. Before joining Baptist in 2002, he was operations administrator for the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Little is a recipient of the Early Career Healthcare Executive Award from the American College of Health Executives.

DAN MCCLEARY

The founder and producing artistic director of Tennessee Shakespeare Company, McCleary has guided the 18-year-old company that focuses on classical performances, education, outreach, and training for more than 20,000 Memphians a year. TSC remains the state’s only permanent, professional Shakespeare theater. Outreach includes nationally recognized school residencies and year-round programs for incarcerated youth and military veterans. McCleary is a prolific director, actor, teacher, and playwright.

KEVIN McENIRY

Until 2022, McEniry was CEO of neXAir, the 82-year-old Memphis company that provided both welding supplies and bottled oxygen for healthcare applications. Then, the company was sold to Linde Gas & Equipment, and McEniry “retired” to become the founder of Forward Momentum. His new company merged with Mempho Presents, and now he is responsible for putting on Mempho Music Fest at Memphis Botanic Garden in the fall, and RiverBeat, the May music festival in renovated Tom Lee Park. 

DOUG McGOWEN

A retired U.S. Navy aviator, McGowen first drew attention in Memphis when he organized the recovery effort from a 2009 flood at the Millington Naval Base. He served as chief operating officer for the city during the Jim Strickland administration, then led the Shelby County Covid-19 Joint Task Force from 2020 to 2022. Now, he serves as president and CEO of Memphis Light, Gas, and Water, a role in which he has been in tension with the NAACP and others over the utility company’s handling of xAI’s supercomputer site.

LAWRENCE “BOO” MITCHELL

After Willie Mitchell’s death in 2010, his grandson Boo, who Willie raised as a son, stepped up as a producer, engineer, and co-owner of Royal Studios. Since then, he’s won acclaim for engineering the hit “Uptown Funk” and the Grammy-winning group Silk Sonic, as well as producing Cedric Burnside’s Grammy-winning I Be Trying. Last year, his work on the soundtrack for the cinematic blockbuster Sinners earned him a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media — only a day after his mother passed away. “It felt like my mom was smiling down,” he said upon receiving the award.

PAT MITCHELL-WORLEY

The former executive director of the Stax Music Academy, Worley is now president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, the parent nonprofit that operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and the Soulsville Charter School, all at the original site of Stax Records. For more than 20 years, Worley has co-hosted the globally syndicated blues radio show, Beale Street Caravan.

ROBERT MOODY

This musical dynamo wears many hats: He’s now in his 11th season as music director of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, his 21st as music director of the Arizona Musicfest Festival Orchestra, and his third as music director of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. Locally, Moody has pursued imaginative, unconventional programming, commissioned several new works, made the MSO’s first commercial recording in 30 years, and received a $25 million endowment, all of which have helped transform the MSO. And Moody’s connection to the wider world of classical music — guest-conducting in Canada, South Africa, and China — only elevates our city’s standing. 

STEVE MULROY

As district attorney general since his election in 2022, Mulroy has modernized bail procedures and upgraded the office, winning county commission support for a Memphis-based crime lab. His prosecution of the police assailants in the death of Tyre Nichols has been cited as a “blueprint” for the handling of such cases. The former county commissioner and University of Memphis law professor has been active with causes such as voting-machine reform and ranked-choice voting. He’s also clapped back at critics, notably the politically ambitious state Senator Brent Taylor, who has sought to diminish Mulroy’s role.

KACI MURLEY

Overton Park Conservancy named Murley its executive director in 2024, following five years of service as the deputy executive director. Before working for Overton Park, she was director of Post-Secondary Success at Tennessee Promise, which provides college access through scholarships, and director of engagement and advocacy at Complete Tennessee, an organization that increases post-secondary access and completion. As deputy executive director at OPC, Murley led strategic leadership and development management functions in Overton Park’s first planning effort in more than 30 years and is now implementing a comprehensive park improvement plan.

JUSTIN PEARSON

The activist and member of the state House of Representatives for District 86, Pearson became nationally famous in 2023 as a member of the “Tennessee Three,” the trio of Democratic House members who ran afoul of the Republican majority for their strenuous activity in behalf of gun safety measures. He was expelled but quickly returned to the House in a special election. Pearson has continued as a watchdog and opponent, on environmental grounds, to Elon Musk’s local xAI operation. He opted to make a primary run against U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen before the 9th Congressional District was carved up. Cohen dropped out, but Pearson remains in the running although the district is now heavily Republican.

DAVID PORTER

This has been a banner year for Stax Records’ first staff songwriter, due to the release of his compelling new self-published autobiography, The Soul Man: Life of Songwriter David Porter, in which he elaborates on his life story with vivid details. Some of that story figured in the HBO documentary, Stax: Soulsville USA, or lives in the grooves of his 2022 album, Chapter 1: Back in the Day. Meanwhile, Porter is a veritable Memphis institution, overseeing both The Consortium MMT nonprofit for young talent and Made In Memphis Entertainment (MIME), whose operations include a recording studio, music distribution services, music publishing and licensing services, and MIME Records. 

MOLLY QUINN

As CEO of OUTMemphis, Quinn has doubled the size of Tennessee’s largest and longest-running LGBTQ+ organization’s facilities, budget, and staff. She has forwarded OUTMemphis’s initiatives of belonging by opening a youth transitional shelter in 2022. Previously, she directed the Memphis Literary Arts Festival in 2018 and worked in nonprofit arts in New York. After joining OUTMemphis, Quinn worked on the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis’s Forever Fund Steering Committee and the Tennessee HIV/AIDS Provider Coalition.

CHRISTOPHER REYES

The creator of the new immersive experience Baron Von Opperbean and the River of Time (BVO) on Mud Island, Reyes has previously worked on projects Cat and Fish, Ninjacat Multimedia, and Live From Memphis, which collaborate with creative media and corporate advertising organizations across Memphis. His personal pieces, often multimedia art installations, have appeared at Crosstown Concourse, in downtown Memphis, and other locations around the city. With BVO, his current project, Reyes spearheaded its creation, development, and promotion while building extensive community support for the continued expansion of BVO as a beacon for art, innovation, and tourism on Mud Island.

ASHLEY BOGGS ROBILIO

As president of the citywide Huey’s restaurant chain, Robilio continues her family’s work. Following days of busing dishes and serving meals in high school, she returned to Huey’s after graduating from the University of Alabama, trained by her father, previous Huey’s owner Thomas Boggs. After opening Huey’s locations downtown and two in East Memphis, she rose to the position of vice president of operations, then chief operating officer. In 2026, she was named Distinguished Restaurateur of the Year. 

VANESSA RODLEY

Born in Beverly Hills, Rodley relocated to the Bluff City in 2011. Soon after volunteering for Mid-South Pride, she quickly climbed the ranks of the organization until she was a board member and president. Under her leadership, the annual LBGTQ parade and street festival has grown by leaps and bounds, with tens of thousands of people gathering annually to celebrate equality and acceptance.

GAYLE S. ROSE

The music major from Iowa has played vital roles in Memphis. Rose is a board member of Contemporary Media, Inc. (publisher of this magazine), director of the Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis, and former chair of the Memphis Symphony. She has been named CEO of the Year by Inside Memphis Business and Humanitarian of the Year by Diversity Memphis. She co-founded the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and is well-known for her role landing the Grizzlies. In 2010 Rose founded Team Max, “a movement of service,” honoring the memory of her late son.

ELIZABETH ROUSE

As president and CEO of ARTSmemphis, the Mid-South’s primary arts funder, Rouse has been crucial to ensuring the support of the creative class. Serving the organization for 20 years, she recently surpassed a major milestone of granting more than $100 million since its founding in 1963. The organization serves as a funding partner, advocate, and connector for local artists and organizations. ARTSmemphis grantee partners enabled more than two million art experiences across every Shelby County ZIP Code last year.

CHANDELL RYAN

Named head of the Downtown Memphis Commission in 2023, Ryan took over the position of now-Memphis mayor Paul Young. Previously she was the first woman to serve as chief operating officer for the City of Memphis, where she oversaw more than 6,000 employees and 20 labor organizations. As DMC head, Ryan has pursued incentives to enhance the downtown experience for citizens, investors, and prospective business clients. Among these are reduced parking fees and reinforced security measures in high-intensity areas.

ED SCOTT

After a first year as University of Memphis athletic director unlike any of his predecessors (Top 25 spots for both football and men’s basketball), Scott saw the Tiger football program lose its last four games (after a 6-0 start), then the worst basketball season (13-19) in 56 years. Upon football coach Ryan Silverfield’s departure (for Arkansas), Scott hired Charles Huff to lead the program, now in a dramatically renovated ($226.5 million) Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. A new facility for U of M soccer and Track & Field is also underway. Scott’s primary challenge: Memphis membership in a “power conference” (i.e. ACC, Big XII).

KEVIN SHARP

The Linda W. and S. Herbert Rhea Director of the Dixon Gallery and Gardens since 2007, Sharp was named a 2026 CEO of the Year by Inside Memphis Business. He has contributed to more than 25 books on American and French art and organized more than 100 exhibitions. The Dixon showcases important works of art, hosts dozens of education programs, maintains a 17-acre garden — and now offers free admission for all.

LINN SITLER

Recognized as the longest-tenured film commissioner in the world by the Association of Film Commissioners International, Sitler has served as Memphis & Shelby County Film Commissioner since 1987. During that time, she has worked with filmmakers on major and independent films as well as commercials and TV shows. She expanded the film commission to include music as it relates to film. She’s also co-founder of the official Sister Cities International relationship between Memphis, Shelby County, and Porretta Terme Bologna and its Sister Cities International Film Competition & Exchange.

KATIE SMYTHE

In 2002, after a career as a professional dancer in Minneapolis, New York, and Los Angeles, Smythe returned to her hometown to found New Ballet Ensemble & School to teach excellence in dance while bridging racial and economic barriers. Her eclectic work, such as the ever-popular NutRemix, has drawn international attention. In 2014, New Ballet received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award at the White House for its work in Orange Mound. Today, Smythe serves as New Ballet’s chief strategy officer and artistic advisor, working in partnership with alum and executive director Matthew Best. She is currently leading efforts to open a new performing arts and technical school at Elvis’ alma mater, Humes Middle School.

JACK SODEN

Priscilla Presley asked him to develop a business plan for Graceland in 1982. How did that turn out? Since it opened to the public, the King of Rock-and-Roll’s former estate has evolved into one of the nation’s premier tourist attractions, drawing visitors from around the world — some 650,000 annually — and generating an estimated $200 million annual economic impact.  

RAJ SUBRAMANIAM

The president and CEO of FedEx Corporation took the role four years ago, bringing decades of experience with the global company. Amid a challenging market, his steady hand has reassured team members, customers, and stockholders. The company continues with a massive corporate restructuring, including recently spinning off its freight business into an independent publicly traded company.

BRENT TAYLOR

With a lengthy record in local government as city councilman, county commissioner, and head of the Election Commission, Republican Taylor was elected state senator in 2022 and almost instantly became a player in Nashville, advocating a “Make Memphis Matter” legislative platform involving stepped-up crime controls. He has opposed criminal-justice reforms he saw as weakening law-enforcement authority and unsuccessfully sought the legislative ouster of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. The wealthy former owner of a funeral-home chain, Taylor plays a major political role locally and statewide through his extensive financial sponsorship of GOP political candidates and events. He is a candidate for the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House.

CARLA THOMAS

As recounted in the HBO documentary, Stax: Soulsville USA, Carla and her father Rufus helped jump-start the tiny Satellite Records label, soon to become Stax, with its first regional hit, followed by her national top-ten solo single “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes),” making her the undisputed Queen of Memphis Soul. Yet even in Stax’s heyday, she pursued a graduate degree in literature. She’s still active today, singing this spring with Hi Rhythm at the Grammy Museum in Cleveland, Mississippi, and lending her voice to recordings like Valerie June’s 2024 single “Friendship” or the 2023 anti-war single and video, “Simple Song of Freedom.”

MATT THOMPSON

CEO of the Memphis Zoo since 2022, Thompson began his career at the Overton Park attraction in 1995, as a seasonal zookeeper. He cut his teeth as the primary keeper for Animals of the Night and also worked with sea lions, apes, and elephants. The zoo greets around a million visitors annually, with ancillary activities like a zip line and splash park. Expansion plans include a stingray exhibit where visitors can pet the inhabitants and a larger home for elephants, including breeding accommodations. The Memphis Zoo ranked second among U.S. zoos in a 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice poll. 

ANDREW TICER & MICHAEL HUDMAN

From growing up in Memphis to studying cuisine in Italy, Ticer and Hudman showcase the world of Michelin Italian-Southern cuisine with their AM Restaurant Group (Andrew Michael Kitchen, Hog & Hominy, Porcellio’s Craft Butcher, Catherine & Mary’s, The Gray Canary, and Bishop). In May, the pair opened Josephine Estelle and Rosie’s Tavern in Germantown, expanding their dedication to quality customer service and specially crafted cuisine. The AM Restaurant Group has received numerous accolades, with Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen named a Michelin Recommended Restaurant and Hog & Hominy honored with the Bib Gourmand. 

ANASA TROUTMAN

The Big We is a cultural strategy firm founded by Troutman to “intentionally accelerate change” by supporting cooperative economics and building community wealth for Black and other underserved communities. The founder and CEO of EarthSeed Music, Troutman helped shepherd India.Arie’s career and later advised the Obama administration in cultural issues. Now, as executive director of Clayborn Temple, she is creating a restoration plan for the historic building, almost completely destroyed by fire last year. So far, the Big We has fundraised $5 million and received a $3.1 million federal grant for restoration efforts.

ALEX TURLEY

As CEO of the firm his uncle founded — Henry Turley Company — Alex Turley combines knowledge of real estate and deep ties to the community. Even as Henry Turley saw possibilities where others couldn’t, Alex is focused on improving and expanding neighborhoods. A major success is the award-winning Orleans Station in the Medical District, with residential and retail elements that connect the Edge neighborhood with Victorian Village. He’s also leading the way in championing historic preservation and boosting downtown.

HENRY TURLEY

Revitalizer and renovator of downtown Memphis, Turley is the former president of Henry Turley Co., a real estate development company focused on urban redevelopment. Major projects include such landmarks as the Shrine Building and Cotton Exchange Building, now used as apartment and office spaces; the creation of Harbor Town, a community of homes and businesses that overlook the Mississippi River; and the development of the Uptown community. In addition to his real estate ventures, Turley is also the founding member of the Society of Entrepreneurs. 

MICHAEL UGWUEKE

The president and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare since 2017, Ugwueke oversees all operations of Methodist University Hospital, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, and Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital. He has twice been named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare.

CRAIG UNGER

Since 2014, Unger has been president of the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. He has led a dramatic reshaping of AutoZone Park in the interest of enhancing the fan experience. Club-level dining options and a pair of grassy bluffs provide a variety of ways to experience professional baseball downtown. In June, the Memphis City Council approved $5 million for maintenance needs at the ballpark. On the field, the Redbirds have won a pair of league titles on Unger’s watch (2017 and 2018) and will compete for the 2026 International League championship in September, having won the circuit’s first-half title.

ERIC VERNON

A few years ago, the general manager and part owner of The Bar-B-Q Shop got a call from the Food Network’s Bobby Flay, who said he heard about their barbecued spaghetti and wanted to try it. Since then, Vernon’s restaurant has been featured nationally on TV at least 10 times. In 2017, the Food Network named their ribs the number-one ribs in America. Also, a Jolly Food Testing Crew video with Vernon showing two Brits the correct way to eat ribs has received more than 22 million views.

KENON WALKER

For the past six years, the previous hotel concierge has served as the Peabody Duckmaster, responsible for herding the world-famous ducks from their rooftop home to the hotel’s elevator and down to the lobby fountain each morning — and back home again each afternoon. Walker was in the national spotlight in 2022 with an appearance on To Tell the Truth. He is also a musician (using the alias Slim Riggs) and an actor who’s performed in various stage and film roles since he was 13. Last year, he starred in the Memphis-centric film, Betray: Thirst. 

MACK WEAVER

President and CEO of the Memphis in May International Festival, Weaver aims to celebrate Memphis culture, cultivate economic growth, and promote international awareness. Under his direction, Memphis in May continues to attract tourism in the thousands and garner massive revenue for the city. Major events include the internationally recognized World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the Great American River Run. Before filling the president position in 2024, Weaver served as executive vice president and CFO for 25 years.   

RUSSELL WIGGINTON

President of the National Civil Rights Museum since 2021, Wigginton  was previously the chief post-secondary impact officer for the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education. From 2017 to 2019, he was vice president for student life and dean of students at Rhodes College. He is the author of numerous articles and essays on African-American labor and social history.

TOMEKA HART WIGGINTON

As president and CEO of United Way of the Mid-South, Wigginton brings a long résumé of achievement to the nonprofit powerhouse. She has been a leader in the region in business, philanthropy, and education, working with numerous organizations. That gives her insight into the network of some 200 agencies that play a role in helping people achieve financial stability, the motivating force of the United Way’s Driving the Dream initiative that has served more than 20,000 people.

FELICIA WILLETT

Melding Creole flavors and Southern classics, Willett, owner of Felicia Suzanne’s, adds more of Memphis to the Michelin map. Her restaurant on South Front Street earned a recommendation in the 2025 Michelin Guide for the American South, and Willett has partnered the restaurant with numerous philanthropic organizations like Make-A-Wish, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Willett also created Flo’s, a product line featuring tomato jam to pepper jelly, anticipated to open as a restaurant. Putting her work to the page, Willett co-authored the cookbook Every Day’s a Party and has helped write and produce Food Network programming.

DUNCAN WILLIAMS

The newly named interim chairman of the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Board of Directors and founder of Duncan Williams Asset Management, Williams strives to propel economic momentum in the Memphis business community. At DWAM, Williams specializes in financial management for individual investors, businesses and nonprofits, garnering over $2.5 billion in Assets Under Management. Additionally, Williams is president of Williams Holding Company, previous chairman of the board/president of SouthState | DuncanWilliams Securities Corp, the 2012 Memphis Public Relations Society of America Communicator of the Year, and a 2013 Inside Memphis Business CEO of the Year. 

STACY WRIGHT

Appointed executive director of Crosstown Arts in 2024, Wright had served 10 years with the organization as assistant director and director of events. She is a fervent advocate of the nonprofit’s mission to cultivate the creative community in Memphis in the unique Crosstown Concourse space in the former Sears department store and catalog warehouse.

PAUL YOUNG

Elected mayor of Memphis in 2023 in a large field of contestants, Young prevailed largely through effective campaigning and voter respect for his lengthy career in local governmental and civic positions, including prior roles as director of Housing and Community Development and president and CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission. Espousing technological advances, including a growing citywide network of video surveillance cameras, Young has claimed reductions in the crime rate. In 2025, he received criticism for insufficient oversight of Elon Musk’s mammoth xAI project in southwestern Memphis and was the target of a kidnap plot. Since the federally imposed Memphis Safe Task Force came to town, Young has been both praised and criticized for going along with the effort.

ELLEN ZAHARIADIS

Executive director of the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County since 2018, Zahariadis has greatly expanded its services. The organization now provides a low-cost community veterinary clinic, pet food community pantry for families in crisis, dog training, and youth education and career workshops in addition to adoption counseling and volunteer opportunities. She champions a full continuum of care for animal welfare.

BO ZOU

A 2025 Michelin-recognized chef, Zou brings Sichuan cuisine from Cordova across Memphis. The Michelin Guide describes Zou’s restaurant as “ground zero for fiery, tongue-numbing, chili-laden Sichuan cuisine.” From the restaurant’s humble beginnings in 2023 in a Cordova strip mall, the chain has quickly grown to include locations in Overton Square, downtown Memphis, East Memphis, and Collierville under the sister branch Little Petal Chinese, providing in-person meals, take-out, and catering services.