Speakers

Kwamena Aidoo is a co-founder and managing partner at Corridor Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in the most promising founders in the US Southeast. Kwamena’s previous roles include being a director at Cannon Capital, vice president at American Capital, and an associate at UBS Investment Bank. Kwamena earned his BA from Columbia University and his MBA from The Wharton School.

John Bailey is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), education, workforce, and other innovation issues. He has served in government, philanthropy, and the private sector, where he worked on a range of issues including technology, immigration, the future of work, and economic mobility.

Mr. Bailey has spent his career working across sectors to leverage the benefits of emerging technologies while minimizing the risks. He serves as a member of Virginia’s AI Taskforce for Gov. Youngkin and regularly briefs members of Congress, state policymakers, and business leaders on the impact and potential of AI. He actively participates in early access and alignment initiatives for several leading generative AI model providers. The Washingtonian has named John one of Washington’s Most Influential People in policy for three consecutive years (2022-2024), including in the area of technology and AI policy.

His government service includes being special assistant to the president for domestic policy at the White House and deputy policy director to the US secretary of commerce, during which time he worked on policies related to American competitiveness and comprehensive immigration reform. Earlier, he served as director of educational technology at the US Department of Education and as vice president for policy for Gov. Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education.

Mr. Bailey is a Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and an alumnus of the American Council on Germany Young Leaders Program. He serves on the boards of directors of Zearn Math, the Federation of American Scientists, American Policy Ventures, and US Digital Response. He also serves on advisory boards for Trustible, the XPRIZE, and the Tech Talent Project. He has also served as an adviser to four presidential campaigns.

Mr. Bailey’s writings include the bipartisan report A Blueprint for Back to School and Is It Safe to Reopen Schools? An Extensive Review of the Research, which examined 130 studies related to COVID-19, children, and schools. His book chapters include “Tailwinds and Headwinds: Unleashing Entrepreneurial Energy to Transform Education” in Educational Entrepreneurship Today (Harvard Education Press, 2016) and “Odd Man Out: How Government Supports Private-Sector Innovation, Except in Education” in Private Enterprise and Public Education (Teachers College Press, 2013). He also publishes the COVID-19 Policy Update for education leaders, philanthropists, investors, and policymakers.

He has served as a reviewer for TechStars Workforce Development Accelerator, Communities Thrive Challenge, Adult Literacy XPRIZE, the $1 Billion Wage Gain Challenge, and Fannie Mae’s Sustainable Communities Innovation Challenge.

Mr. Bailey has a BA in international policy studies from Dickinson College and attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government’s program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government.

Sabrina Dawson has dedicated her career to ensuring all young adults have opportunities for success. She has served as an educator and instructional leader in inner-city public and charter schools, and began her career in Baltimore City, serving 6-12th grade students through the esteemed Teach for America program. During that time, she played many roles within the educational environment and worked as a Teacher, Vice Principal of Instruction, Associate Director of College Counseling, and as lead or member in various school teams such as the Academic Leadership Team, School Improvement Team, College and Career Readiness team, and the Parent engagement team. She piloted the co-teaching model for special education inclusion, and her work in college counseling led to 100% college matriculation.

Sabrina also designed and executed the Career Pathways model to support older youth in the DC foster care system with adult education and career supports which significantly increased the percentage of youth exiting foster care with sustainable employment. She has presented her model for educational and career success at many conferences including the National Pathways to Adulthood conference and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s Post-Secondary and Career Education Conference.

Sabrina is currently the Co-Founder and Vice President of Scale and Innovation for The Collective, which connects opportunity youth to high demand careers, while providing intensive support services. Sabrina has a BA in Philosophy from The Florida State University and her Master of Arts in Teaching from The Johns Hopkins University.

Robert Doar is the president of the American Enterprise Institute.

Mr. Doar became AEI’s 12th president in July 2019, leading one of the nation’s oldest and most respected public policy think tanks. Since becoming president of AEI, Mr. Doar has recruited dozens of leading scholars and fellows across multiple issue areas and launched a new research division focused on Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies.

By supporting the extensive work of AEI scholars in areas including foreign and defense policy, education, the reform of key institutions, the US economy, and in opportunity and mobility studies, Mr. Doar has helped to solidify AEI’s position as a leading voice on the major issues facing the United States.

Andre Fowlkes, for the past 15 years, has been implementing innovation driven economic development models, through a venture development organization he co-founded called Start Co. As President of Start Co. Fowlkes oversees and manages sales and business development, corporate and government engagement, smart cities activity, civic innovation efforts, and resource cultivation. Under Fowlkes’ leadership Start Co. has seen exponential growth not just in startups and new innovations but also in new processes, systems, and capital instruments for ecosystem growth. Before Start Co. Fowlkes spent a decade in the capital markets, most recently at Fisher Investments. Today, Fowlkes brings extensive experience in building new and unconventional partnerships to assist in the brokering of technology, talent, and capital for economic growth. He leads the charge at Start Co. to build and operate new programs and resources for the inclusion of minorities and women, students, and social organizations. He directly supports Start Co. companies by serving as an Executive in Residence.

Jon Gimber is a director on ICON’s private sector Business Development team. Jon is focused on sourcing new residential, hospitality, and commercial real estate development projects for ICON to deploy our 3D-printed construction capabilities at scale.

Jon began his career as a consultant working with institutional real estate investors to develop energy efficiency and sustainability strategies across their portfolios. Most recently, he has worked with residential real estate developers in Austin.

Jon has an BA in Environmental Economics from Colgate University and an MBA from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business. Jon is an associate on the Texas McCombs Real Estate Council. Jon resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and three young sons.

Rebecca Good is the Managing Director of Outreach at the American Enterprise Institute, where she oversees AEI’s engagement outside of Washington. This includes AEI’s college and university programming, state and local coalition activity, inclusive of AEI’s Leadership Network and FREE Initiative, and outreach to minority communities. In 2022, she served as AEI’s Director of Special Projects, supporting priority initiatives. In 2016, Rebecca co-founded, and subsequently led, The Augustine Academy, a classical Christian liberal arts K–8 school just west of Milwaukee, WI. She previously served as director of advancement for the Trinity Forum, and, prior to that, worked as a management consultant with McKinsey and Co. She’s also served as a student chaplain at Harvard University. She holds a BBA/Finance from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a post-graduate certificate from Wycliffe Hall at the University of Oxford.

Barbara Hyde is Chair and CEO of Hyde Family Foundation. Under her leadership, the foundation seeks to create a thriving, unified Memphis for all with investments in education, arts and culture, civic leadership, neighborhoods and public spaces.

Barbara is a leader in place-based family philanthropy, a passionate advocate for high-quality education and an enthusiastic champion for Memphis. Barbara was a founding board member of Shelby Farms Park Conservancy and led the master planning for the transformation of Shelby Farms Park, one of the largest urban parks in America. She is currently playing a leadership role in the effort to build the Memphis Art Museum, a landmark $220 million investment in the heart of downtown Memphis.

Barbara is active on the boards of several Memphis-based and national
nonprofits including New Leaders, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and Tennessee SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education). Together with her husband Pitt, Barbara is a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team.

Subhash Jha is an Associate Professor of Marketing and George Johnson Research Fellow at the University of Memphis (UofM). He has earned two Ph.Ds. in Business Administration one from ICFAI Business School-Hyderabad- India and another from the University of Memphis-USA. He was the post-doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working on the project of haptic imagery and information processing. He has 15 years of research leadership experience in academia. He has served as the PI on projects funded by the Tennessee State (e.g., Tennessee Highway Safety Organization). He has used a variety of methods to tackle research questions, including traditional surveys, laboratory and field experiments, computational linguistics, and cutting-edge physiological measures such as eye tracking, GSR, EEG and facial expression. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles. Using eye tracking tool, he has published a research paper titled “An eye-tracking study of attention to brand-identifying content and recall of taboo advertising” in one of the most reputed business journals (e.g., Journal of Business Research). He has tested the engagement levels of several impaired driving advertisements developed by THSO and NHTSA using biometrics tools. Further, he keeps solving the business problems in Memphis. For example, he has provided consultancy services to AutoZone, Service Master, My City Rides and St. Jude Children Hospital in Memphis. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice.

Ephie Johnson is a Memphis native and the President and CEO of Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc. (NCC), where she leads a dedicated team in serving over 50,000 neighbors in need each year. With a background in education, Ephie joined NCC in 1994, launching a chapter in Decatur, AL, before becoming CEO in 2008. Her leadership has driven impactful programs focused on life skills, digital literacy, and gang intervention for youth living in extreme poverty. Her faith and passion for uplifting the underserved have solidified her commitment to empowering others through holistic support.

In addition to her nonprofit work, Ephie is an accomplished entrepreneur, award-winning advocate, and talented singer. She owns several businesses, including Pop-A-Roos gourmet popcorn and Touchstone Enterprises, LLC, and she shares her insights on the “Nexus Leadership Podcast” and has presented on the TEDx Talk stage. Alongside her mother, Dr. JoeAnn Ballard, Ephie was featured on the Today Show’s “Season of Giving” series, highlighting their dedication to service. Through her life and work, Ephie exemplifies the power of resilience, faith, and community in transforming lives.

Joann Massey serves as the President and CEO of EDGE, the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County. She is a recognized community leader with accolades such as the Memphis Business Journal’s Power 100, Super Women in Business, and Top 40 Under 40; Leadership Memphis Executive Class graduate; and Top Performer Shelby County Government. She is a past recipient of the Blaze Award for Economic Justice and the Memphis Power 30. Dr. Massey was recognized by the Tri-State Defender as a Woman of Excellence, a 3V Leading Lady of Shelby County, and received the Partnership Award by WBEC. She was also a 2017 Rose Center Fellow for Equitable Economic Development.

Dr. Massey has certifications in Economic Development from Harvard University, Executive Education Program; Managing Economic Development Organizations from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC); and Compliance Administration from Morgan State University. She is a graduate of Benedictine University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance, and holds dual Bachelor of Business Administration and Finance degrees from LeMoyne-Owen College.

She has also served as a guest speaker, volunteer, and mentor for many non-profit organizations in Memphis and beyond. Dr. Massey is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Beta Epsilon Omega Chapter; River City (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated; and the Memphis Urban League. She has a passion for assisting underprivileged girls by helping to improve their self-esteem through mentorship and exposure to cultural activities.”

Tobias Peter is a senior fellow and the codirector of the American Enterprise Institute’s Housing Center, where he focuses on housing risk and mortgage markets. Working closely with Edward Pinto, codirector of the AEI Housing Center, Mr. Peter has coauthored a variety of reports on housing policy, specifically on the impact of federal policy on housing demand and homeownership, housing finance risks, and first-time home buyers. He has testified before Congress, and his pieces have been published in policy journals and in the popular press, including in the Wall Street Journal, American Banker, and Business Insider.

He has a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor’s degree in history and applied economics from the College of St. Scholastica.

Ralph Perrey is the Executive Director of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Appointed in November 2012 following nine years’ service on THDA’s Board of Directors, he is now the longest serving executive director in the agency’s history.

His tenure as THDA’s Executive Director has seen the agency revamp its mortgage products and down payment assistance program; establish its own loan servicing division; and base THDA staff regionally to better interact with partners across the state.

Perrey serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Council of State Housing Agencies. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of the National Housing Conference, the nation’s oldest housing advocacy organization.

Edward J. Pinto is a senior fellow and codirector of the AEI Housing Center at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). A focus of his work continues to be the role of federal housing policy in the 2008 mortgage and financial crisis and how federal housing policy continues to create unwelcome distortions in the housing markets. More recently his research has focused on using light touch density to increase the supply of naturally affordable and inclusionary housing.

Along with AEI Resident Scholar Stephen Oliner, Mr. Pinto created the Wealth Building Home Mortgage, a new approach to home finance designed to provide a more reliable and effective way of building wealth than is available under existing policies. This mortgage allows home buyers to maintain a buying power similar to a 30-year loan. It is aimed at a broad range of homebuyers, including low-income, minority, and first-time buyers.

Before joining AEI, Mr. Pinto was an executive vice president and chief credit officer for Fannie Mae until the late 1980s. Today, he is frequently interviewed on radio and television and often testifies before Congress. His writings have been published in trade publications and the popular press, including in the American Banker, The Hill, RealClearPolitics, and The Wall Street Journal. In addition, as the director of the AEI Housing Center, he oversees the monthly publication of the AEI Housing Market Indicators, which has replaced AEI’s monthly Housing Risk Watch and AEI’s FHA Watch.

Mr. Pinto has a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a BA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Ian Rowe is a senior fellow at AEI and the founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, a new International Baccalaureate high school in the Bronx. In addition to serving 10 years as CEO of Public Prep, he held leadership positions at Teach for America, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the White House, and MTV, where he earned two public service Emmys. With his recent book Agency, Mr. Rowe seeks to inspire young people of all races to build strong families, overcome the victimhood narrative, and become masters of their own destiny. Mr. Rowe is chairman of the board of Spence-Chapin. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor of science degree from Cornell University’s College of Engineering, and his high school diploma from Brooklyn Tech as part of a K–12 New York City public education. Mr. Rowe is a recipient of many honors, including the Harvard Business School Bert King Service Award and most recently the George A. Sutherland Award.

Amy Schaftlein joined United Housing’s team in 2018 with a vision to carry on the organization’s legacy of providing economic self-sufficiency, increase financing options for families and build new homes in Memphis market. With a master’s in urban anthropology from the University of Memphis, and a wealth of knowledge gained by her previous work in community development and at the Tennessee Housing and Development Agency to guide her, Amy has brought United into its 30th year by helping over 4,500 individuals find their dream of homeownership and financial stability. Amy sits on the board of the Community Redevelopment Agency, BLDG Memphis, National NeighborWorks Association, and advisory council for Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati.

Cameron Sexton was elected the 83rd Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and he has since been reelected to continue serving in this role. Known as a pragmatic conservative, the eighth generation Tennessean is currently in his sixth term serving the 25th House District, which includes Cumberland and Van Buren Counties, as well as the City of Monterey in Putnam County.

Sexton previously served as House Republican Caucus Chairman for the first half of the 111th General Assembly. As Caucus Chairman, Rep. Sexton expanded and grew conservative initiatives under the House Republican Majority over the past six years. He also chaired the House Health Committee during the 109th and 110th General Assemblies, and he has served as Majority Whip during the 108th General Assembly.

Throughout his time in the legislature, Sexton has prioritized the health and well-being of Tennessee’s citizens. In 2016, former House Speaker Beth Harwell appointed him to serve as Chairman of the 3-Star Healthy Taskforce, which focused on finding an innovative approach to enhance health coverage while being fiscally responsible — a concept that was never before proposed to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Additionally, Sexton was chief architect of the historic and innovative CARE Plan, which was unveiled during the 2019 legislative session by House Republicans. This plan is designed to transform healthcare in Tennessee by creating a patient-centered approach to improve access and the quality of care available to our citizens through Consumerism, increasing Access, improving Rural health systems, and Empowering patients. This will ensure individuals and families can make medical decisions with limited interference from insurance companies or the government.

Rep. Sexton is a member of the sixth class of Leadership Tennessee, and he has been recognized by the International Dyslexia Association for his tireless advocacy on behalf of citizens affected by the learning disorder. Sexton has also previously been named Legislator of the Year by the Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Tennessee Chiropractic Association.

Sexton holds a degree in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife Lacey live in Crossville and they have three children: Greer, Olivia, and Nathaniel. They are members of Central Baptist Church where he is active in the church’s youth programs. Sexton is also employed by One Bank of Tennessee where he works in Business Development, and he is on the bank’s Board of Directors.

Rep. Sexton is actively involved in his community and in civic organizations. He has served as a board member on the Friends of Cumberland Mountain State Park and the Good Samaritan Society. He is also a member of the Crossville Noon Rotary Club, the Relay for Life Committee, and the Fairfield Glade Lions Club.

Dave Shideler oversees applied research activities in the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation, human capital and workforce development, health and wellness and regional competitiveness as the Chief Research Officer at Heartland Forward, a “think and do” tank that exists as a resource to local and state governments focusing on the economic empowerment of the central U.S. He and his team generate research outputs such as reports, practical tools and actionable policies that heartland communities can use to enhance economic performance, prosperity and adaption to new economic realities.
An award-winning economist and community development practitioner, Dave was Professor of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University and Community and Economic Development Specialist with the OSU Extension Service for almost 12 years before joining Heartland Forward in 2020. Dave holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Environment and Development Economics from The Ohio State University. In his free time, Dave enjoys the outdoors, drawing, painting, making and listening to music of all types.

Frederick W. Smith was born in 1944 in Marks, Mississippi, a Yale College 1966 graduate, he is the founder of FedEx Corporation and Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. The original analyses about the logistic needs of a highly automated future society were done during his tenure as an undergraduate.

After four years of service in the Marines, including two tours of duty in Vietnam, he launched the original air-ground Federal Express network, which began operations in 1973 to serve the rapidly growing high-tech, high-value-added sectors of the economy Smith had predicted. The company has since grown into a $87.7 billion global enterprise that serves more than 220 countries and territories.

As Executive Chairman, Smith focuses on Board governance, as well as issues of global importance, including sustainability, innovation, and public policy. FedEx operations include 705 aircraft, more than 200,000 vehicles, and approximately 5,000 operating facilities. More than 500,000 team members worldwide currently handle approximately 17 million shipments each day.

FedEx has been widely acknowledged for its commitment to total quality service. FedEx Express was the first service company to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1990. FedEx has been recognized by Time magazine as one of the “Time100 Most Influential Companies” and has consistently been ranked on FORTUNE magazine’s industry lists, including “100 Best Companies to Work For” and “World’s Most Admired Companies.”

Smith is a trustee for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Director of the American Battle Monuments Foundation, and a member of the Business Council. He served on the Business Roundtable for more than 30 years. He also served as chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council and co-chair of the French-American Business Council. Smith has served on the boards of several large public companies — Malone and Hyde (AutoZone), First Tennessee, Holiday Inn, EW Scripps, and General Mills — and charitable organizations including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Mayo Foundation. He was formerly chairman of the Board of Governors for the International Air Transport Association and chaired the executive committee of the U.S. Air Transport Association.

Smith has received several honorary degrees and numerous civic, academic, and business awards including the Global Leadership Award from the U.S.-India Business Council; the George C. Marshall Foundation Award; the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Business Leadership Award; the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy; the Circle of Honor Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation; and the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum.
In addition, Smith is a member of the Aviation Hall of Fame and the Business Hall of Fame. He served as co-chairman of both the U.S. World War II Memorial project and the campaign for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. He was cited in Forbes “100 Greatest Living Business Minds” and has been named a top CEO by both Barron’s and Chief Executive magazines.

Jon-Cody Sokoll is the Head of AI Developer Relations & Strategy at Lockheed Martin, where he leads enterprise efforts to scale AI adoption, empower developers, and cultivate talent across the organization. With a background in data science, consulting, and technical education, Jon-Cody has delivered AI strategy at scale—engaging thousands of engineers and advancing responsible GenAI adoption. He blends technical depth with a passion for community-building and strategic impact.

Audrey P. Willis is an inaugural 2023 USA Obama Leader, technologist, inclusion advocate, and entrepreneur who has raised capital and scaled businesses, including CodeCrew, which is focused on creating diversity and inclusion in computing through education, workforce development, and advocacy in computer science.

Audrey is not only a co-founder, Audrey Willis now serves as the Chief Innovation and Programming Officer at CodeCrew, guiding the organization’s full array of educational and developmental initiatives. Before this role, she amassed significant experience in the tech industry, working for prominent organizations, including FedEx Supply Chain, as the Chief of Staff for Engineering and IT, AutoZone, and St. Jude.

In her current position, Audrey leads innovative strategies across K-12, adult coding schools, and professional development programs at CodeCrew. Her leadership is instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission to enhance inclusivity and diversity within the tech sector, equipping learners of various backgrounds with the essential skills for thriving technology careers. Tapping into her over 15 years of innovation and entrepreneurship experience, Mayor Lee Harris appointed Audrey as the first Manager of Innovation and Performance Analysis for Shelby County Government in Tennessee. There she was responsible for transforming government, talent, transportation, and IT to better serve the citizens of Shelby County.

Audrey has a passion for talent development and serves on the boards of CodeCrew, and is the Executive Board President at LITE Memphis. The BBC has recognized her globally during their “100 Women” series, documenting her in “Young, geeky and Black in Memphis” and nationally by Prudential Insurance, “The State of Us,” highlighting her entrepreneurial contributions to making Memphis one of the cities with the highest rate of female business ownership.

Anthony Young is a dynamic leader, entrepreneur, and economic development champion whose passion lies in revitalizing communities and strengthening local economies. As President and CEO of Vibrant Memphis Inc. (doing business as Epicenter), he spearheads Memphis’s premier innovation hub, catalyzing transformative economic growth throughout Memphis and Shelby County.

Under his leadership, Epicenter drives an ambitious strategy to scale innovation and entrepreneurship across the region. The organization cultivates a vibrant ecosystem that nurtures technology startups while ensuring economic opportunities remain accessible to all community members, fostering inclusive growth that benefits the entire region.

Prior to his role at Epicenter Memphis, Anthony served as President of Southern Bancorp Community Partners, a nonprofit loan fund CDFI headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. As President, Anthony led the organization’s vision in providing flexible lending options, asset building strategies to help families and communities build wealth, and public policy advocacy.

Proceeding his work at Southern Bancorp Community Partners, Young spearheaded ecosystem-level capital deployment as Director of Capital Programs for Epicenter, the entrepreneurship hub of the Greater Memphis region. In his role, Anthony connected entrepreneurs to a variety of capital types and helped to ensure equitable access to capital across the Memphis community.

Anthony served as the Economic Development Director at River City Capital, an affiliate of Community LIFT, where he led the organization’s strategies to support economic development in distressed Memphis neighborhoods and was instrumental in developing new products, new policies, and a new go-to-market process. Young previously worked in the banking industry for 10 years, serving most recently as Branch Manager for Regions Bank. While at Regions, he received the Chairman’s Club Award, which is the bank’s highest honor.

In 2018, Anthony was one of 27 national economic development leaders selected into the Opportunity Fellows Program, an initiative aimed at leading systemic change in the CDFI Industry. In 2020, Anthony was selected as Top 40 Under 40 by the Memphis Business Journal. In 2022, Young was selected as Top 40 Under 40 by the Arkansas Business Journal.

Anthony currently serves on the Kiva US Advisory Board and the Loan Committee for United Housing of Memphis.

Paul Young is the 64th Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, bringing a visionary, forward-thinking approach to public service rooted in a deep love for his hometown. Elected in 2023, Mayor Young took office with a mission to build a safer, stronger, and more inclusive Memphis—where every neighborhood thrives, and every resident has the opportunity to succeed.

A proud native of Memphis, Mayor Young holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee, a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Memphis, and an MBA from the University of Memphis as well. His unique blend of technical, strategic, and civic expertise reflects his lifelong commitment to shaping better communities.

Before becoming mayor, Paul Young served as President and CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission, where he led transformative development projects and championed inclusive growth. He also served as Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of Memphis, working to revitalize neighborhoods and expand affordable housing.

Known for his collaborative leadership and innovative spirit, Mayor Young focuses on public safety, youth empowerment, economic development, and neighborhood revitalization. His administration is dedicated to creating a city that works for everyone—where legacy meets opportunity, and progress is powered by unity.

Outside of City Hall, Mayor Young is a devoted husband, father, and active community member. His leadership is guided by a simple but powerful principle: Memphis deserves bold ideas and bold action—and the time is now.