Janet Ayers
Janet Ayers serves as president of the Ayers Foundation, which focuses on increasing
education opportunities for students in Tennessee. Mrs. Ayers is a recognized business
leader and philanthropist with over twenty years of experience in health care administration.
She is active on a number of boards and previously served on the Tennessee State Board
of Education and as a commissioner of the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission.
She is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in health
care administration.
Fred Alsop - Faculty Trustee
Fred Alsop has been a faculty member at ETSU for 45 years where he has served as the Chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences, a Professor and member of the Graduate Faculty, and President of the Faculty Senate. He is the Director of ETSU’s George L. Carter Railroad Museum. An ornithologist who has authored 18 books on birds including 8 published by The Smithsonian Institution, he has conducted bird identification workshops in 8 states for industrial, state, and federal agencies and lead international birding trips. He has been recognized in Tennessee with several conservation and environmental awards. He holds a B.S. degree from Austin Peay State University in fine arts and biology, and the M.S. and Ph.D. in zoology from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Steven DeCarlo
Steven DeCarlo is chief executive officer of AmWINS Group, Inc., a global specialty insurance distributor. Mr. DeCarlo serves on a number of boards in the financial services and insurance industry and has also been a supporting member of the East Tennessee State University Foundation. A resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. DeCarlo holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from East Tennessee State University.
Nathan Farnor - Student Trustee
A graduate of Unicoi County high school, Mr. Farnor was selected as a Roan Scholar, the premier merit and service scholarship at ETSU. A champion for student issues and a strong advocate for shared governance, Nathan currently serves as the Vice President of the student body. He is pursuing a B.S. in Political Science and B.A. in Communication Studies with a minor in Religious Studies.
David A. Golden
David A. Golden is senior vice president, chief legal and sustainability officer,
and corporate secretary for Eastman Chemical Company. After working as an attorney
in Atlanta, he joined Eastman in 1995. He has a history of service to the Kingsport
area and has served on the advisory council for Western Governors University. He holds
a bachelor’s in accounting as well as a J.D. from Brigham Young University and completed
the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2012.
Dorothy Grisham
Dorothy Grisham owns and operates an Allstate Insurance agency in Chattanooga. An active citizen, Ms. Grisham has been locally involved with the Boy Scouts of America, the Chattanooga Urban League, and the Hamilton County Foster Care Review Board. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social welfare from East Tennessee State University.
Linda Latimer, MD
Dr. Linda Latimer holds active medical licenses in both Tennessee and Virginia and is a College of American Pathologists Fellow as well as an American Society of Clinical Pathologists Fellow. A board-certified anatomic and clinical pathologist, Latimer received her medical degree from ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine and also completed her pathology residency through ETSU. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. She has held various positions throughout her career, including serving as the medical director of Cytopathology Laboratory in Johnson City and the medical director of the laboratory at Takoma Regional Hospital in Greeneville. She has also served as a clinical assistant professor in the Quillen College of Medicine. Latimer has served on many committees at hospitals including the Johnson City Medical Center and Takoma Regional Hospital. She also previously served on the Mountain States Health Alliance Foundation Board.
Scott Niswonger
Scott Niswonger is the chairman and founder of the Niswonger Educational Foundation which he established in 2001 to create opportunities for individual and regional growth through educational programs, scholarships, and other charitable activities. Mr. Niswonger founded two transportation companies in Greene County and continues to serve as executive chairman of Landair Transport, Inc. and chairman emeritus of Forward Air Corporation. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Tusculum College, Doctorate of Technology from Purdue University, and was honored with a Doctorate of Human Letters.
James Powell
James J. Powell founded Powell Companies, a diverse company encompassing cranes, steel erection, and design-and-construction for mineral processing facilities. Mr. Powell has served as chair of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the University of Tennessee Development Council, and the East Tennessee State University Foundation. He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Ron Ramsey
Ron Ramsey is former Lieutenant Governor of the State of Tennessee; he retired from the position in November 2016. He is owner of Ron Ramsey and Associates, a realty company in Upper East Tennessee. Lieutenant Governor Ramsey holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from East Tennessee State University. He and his wife live in Blountville.
