Academic Conferences
Let Us Help Plan Your Next Conference
The office of Professional Development can help you plan and execute your conference or special event. Our services include but are not limited to registration, site selection, planning, staging, technical support, hotel negotiation, and on-site staffing.
How we can help
- Create a Plan
- Find a Venue
- Provide Secure Online Registration Site
- Market and Publicize the Conference
- Budget Forecasting
- Evaluations
- Provide Continuing Education Units
The Second Annual Domestic Violence & Sexual Assualt SummitIs Being Rescheduled for April
In Partnership with the General Federation Of Women's Clubs
GFWC of TN District 1
Johnson City Monday Club Auxiliary
The Monday Club of Johnson City
To Register Click HERE
Mission: "…to train and educate our campus and community in the prevention, response, advocacy, and treatment for domestic violence sexual assault victims. The conference is an initial effort to eliminate misconceptions and to begin to create an environment that will better take care of victims/survivors."
This educational summit explores response and access to victim resources and victim services that are available in the community. The program will address effective protocols for responding to those experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault and discuss integrating that response into a management plan for the community at large.
We are excited to welcome the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence back to Johnson City for this event!
Ruth Taylor Read is the program manager for this event, and she is commited to the
community, which is evident in her involvement with organizations such as the Johnson
City Sexual Assault Task Force and Women Matter Northeast Tennessee, a nonprofit organization
addressing critical issues affecting women in the region. She currently serves on
the board of directors for Frontier Health SAFE House, underlining her dedication
to fostering a safe and supportive community.
Speakers include:
Tina L. Fox, MPS
A native Memphian, Tina Fox retired from Tennessee State Government in 2019 after thirty (30) years of dedicated service. She served as the first African American state Director of Victim Services for the Tennessee Board of Parole (2012 – 2019). Tina was recognized nationally for her work with crime victims in April 2018 as she received the National Crime Victims’ Rights Award from the United States Department of Justice. She graduated from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Leadership Academy and holds a Graduate Certificate in Executive Leadership, Master’s degree in Public Studies in Strategic Leadership, and Bachelor’s degree Science in Criminal Justice from Tennessee State University where she is an active alumnus. She is also a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville’s Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership Institute for Public Service. Tina recently received from e-Cornell University her Leadership Certificate in Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.Tina is currently the Director of Community Relations for Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence; she facilitates Statewide domestic violence trainings, monitors certified Domestic Violence Programs, coordinates the Inclusivity Committee, manages the Domestic Violence State Coordinating Council, attends and support partnerships’ community events.Tina is a lifetime member of Tennessee State University National Alumni Association, lifetime member of TSU’s Nashville Alumni Chapter where she is serving as Vice President, member of the NAACP (Nashville Chapter), President of Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Steering Committee Member for Tennessee State Youth Conference and serves in several organizations. She recently was recognized as the 2024 Lady in History from the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Philos for her work in domestic violence. \Tina is a faithful member of the Schrader Lane Church of Christ in Nashville where she teaches 5th – 8th grades’ Wednesday Nigh Bible Class and Co-Chairs the Single Sistahs Ministry. She strongly believes “in order to achieve greatness, we must first do small things well.”
Kate Emmerich, LCSW
Ms. Emmerich (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Masters of Social Work from Michigan State University in 2012. Ms. Emmerich currently serves as Mental Health Counselor and Clinical Instructor for medical students, residents, fellows and spouses at Quillen College of Medicine. Prior roles include providing therapy to elementary school students in Johnson City through the Frontier Health HEROES program, private group practice, and Mental Health Counselor and Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Coordinator (OASIS Program) at the ETSU Counseling Center. In her previous role at ETSU, Ms. Emmerich was heavily involved in outreach, education and advocacy related to sexual and IPV prevention on campus and in the community. This included membership on ETSU's Sexual Misconduct Leadership Team and the community Sexual Assault Response Team, annual invitations to train Title IX investigators on dynamics and symptoms of trauma, presentations on sexual misconduct at orientation sessions, presentations and workshops for classes and student groups across campus, and interviews with local news outlets. Ms. Emmerich led annual campus events for eight years, including Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, Take Back the Night, The Red Flag Campaign, and Love Your Body Day. Ms. Emmerich was awarded ETSU Staff Woman of the Year in 2021. In her current role, Ms. Emmerich has served on the planning committee for a recent National Libraries of Medicine traveling exhibit on sexual and intimate partner violence. Ms. Emmerich helped bring the exhibit to ETSU's main campus and presented to medical students about their role with patients regarding these issues. Ms. Emmerich is trained in EMDR (EMDRIA Approved) and TF-CBT and provides trauma-informed, person-centered therapeutic support to clients with varying presenting concerns. As a social worker, Ms. Emmerich recognizes the inherent dignity and worth of each individual person, and the incredible importance of human relationships. Ms. Emmerich believes in preventative care when it comes to a person’s health and wellness, which includes preventative emotional and psychological care. Help-seeking is viewed and treated as a great strength, not a sign of weakness. Ms. Emmerich conceptualizes her role as collaborative with clients as they work to identify and address what in the client’s life or current circumstances is impeding the way to thriving, healing, peace, empowerment, confidence, or whatever clients believe would help them live their best lives and be the most authentic versions of themselves.
Amanda Simpson, Attorney
Amanda Simpson graduated with honors from the Bellmont College of Law in Nashville,
Tennessee, where she was recognized for her outstanding work with people who had no
access to justice. She is passionate about ensuring that everyone has the ability
to receive excellent legal advocacy, regardless of their ability to pay. She is currently
the Managing Attorney of the Johnson City Office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee and
has successfully litigated thousands of cases. She cares deeply about eradicating
domestic abuse and regularly trains partnering agencies and attorneys on the complexity
of abuse cycles. She is proud to call Bristol her home and to be a dog mom to three
beautiful Huskies.
Sarah King, Attorney
Sarah King has been a passionate attorney advocate for 18 years and currently works
as an attorney for Legal Aid of East Tennessee, where she works closely with victims
and survivors of domestic abuse. She is originally from Abingdon, Virginia, but has
spent most of her career in Nashville, TN and Portland, Oregon. She was named a Nashville
Emerging Leader, a federal fellow, was the first female Assistant Director of the
Umpqua Valley Public Defender Office, and was the First Female Chief of Major Felonies
in Portland, Oregon. She has extensive trial and appellate experience, including death
penalty work and federal mega cases. When not working, she enjoys gardening with her
husband at their home in Erwin, Tennessee, hiking with friends and family, and traveling
with their three dogs.
For more information or to register Click HERE
Previous Conferences
East Tennessee State University's Office of Professional Development is offering The State of Aging in East Tennessee Conference August 7, 2024 at the Carnegie Hotel, Johnson City, Tennessee from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.This conference is founded by the Office of Professional Development, in collaboration with the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, Alzheimer's Tennessee, Northeast Tennessee-Southwest Virginia, First Tennessee Development District, Elder Law of East Tennessee, Johnson City Senior Center, and other regional agencies whose focus is on the aging experiences of East Tennesseans.
"Through recognizing partnerships and igniting conversations, this conference is beginning a pathway towards a more transparent, efficient, informed, and enriched journey for our seniors and their caregivers," says Program Manager Ruth Taylor Read. "It is important in every community that we become aware of allies, processes and resources that define today's aging experience."Beginning conversations will include essential topics in aging. We will discuss the latest Alzheimer's research and proven strategies to enrich the journey for our regional seniors. Other topics include: dementia, active aging, creative aging, elder law and more.
Our Gold Sponsor is Humana. We also have UTExtension at Knoxville’s Family and Consumer Science sponsoring.
Photos from the conference.
International Rural Nursing Conference
58th Annual Meeting of
Phytochemical Society of North America
Equity and Inclusion Conference