Board of Visitors

Chaired by renowned journalist and free expression advocate, John Seigenthaler, the Board of Visitors will be an active, diverse body of top level executives, industry leaders and prominent alumni, who convene annually in each Spring to offer advice and seasoned expertise on our programs and development strategies. There may be an additional meeting in the Fall scheduled around a special event.

The purpose of the Board is to act as advocates on behalf of the College, serve as advisors to the Dean, and assist in identifying private funding sources. Their expertise will be sought to identify trends and needs within the mass communication industry and advise on how the College may assist in meeting those needs. Members are invited to serve a two-year term. In addition to the annual meeting, each member is encouraged to visit the campus during the year.

In today's ever-changing environment, their leadership, guidance, and resources will be of tremendous assistance to better prepare today's students as tomorrow's industry leaders.

2005-2007 Board Members

John Seigenthaler
Founder, First Amendment Center & Chairman Emeritus, USA Today
Nashville, TN
John Seigenthaler founded the First Amendment Center in 1991 with the mission of creating national discussion, dialogue and debate about First Amendment rights and values. A former president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Seigenthaler served for 43 years as an award-winning journalist for The Tennessean, Nashville's morning newspaper. At his retirement he was editor, publisher and CEO. He retains the title chairman emeritus. In 1982, Seigenthaler became founding editorial director of USA TODAY and served in that position for a decade, retiring from both the Nashville and national newspapers in 1991. Under Seigenthaler's direction, the First Amendment Center has become the preeminent institution for advancing first amendment freedoms.

Whit Adamson (1971)
President
Tennessee Association of Broadcasters
Nashville, TN
Whit Adamson is President of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Adamson holds a B.S. degree in Economics and Finance from MTSU (1971). During his fourteen-year career with the Nashville NBC Affiliate, WSM-TV/WSMV-TV, he earned the President's Trophy from the Nashville Advertising Federation, was the Silver Medal recipient in 1992 and hold the titles of Past Vice President and Committee Chairman, as well as a position on the Board of Directors. As President of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, he is lobbyist for telecommunications and advertising issues to the United States Congress, State General Assembly, and Federal Communications Commission. Mr. Adamson is the founding member and incorporator of the Tennessee Association of Communications.

Connie Bradley
Senior Vice-President
ASCAP
Nashville, TN
Connie Bradley celebrates over 30 years with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Through the years she has stayed driven to achieve the best for writers and publishers in the music business. She has been at the forefront in lobbying for the protection of intellectual property of Music Row songwriters. Under Bradley's leadership, ASCAP has signed and supported the careers of Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Gretchen Wilson, Michael W. Smith, George Strait, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, LeeAnn Rimes, Amy Grant, Wynonna, among others. ASCAP's stable of songwriters, artists, and publishers are among the most acclaimed hit-makers in the world. Her business savvy and perceptive personality continues to earn the respect of all as she is arguably the most successful woman on Music Row. Bradley has received numbers accolades for her leadership and success as an industry executive. She currently serves on the Board of the Country Music Association, Country Music Foundation, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Tennessee Film Commission. Bradley is a native of Shelbyville and attended Middle Tennessee State University.

Tommy Bragg
Mayor
City of Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, TN
Tommy Bragg was elected April 16, 2002 to a four-year term as Murfreesboro Mayor on a platform of improving educational excellence in the city schools system, support for Middle Tennessee State University, an improved business climate and a focus on responsible growth to enhance Murfreesboro's quality of life. Bragg was born in Murfreesboro in 1947 and, along with his wife Jeanne, has three children, Beth, Anne and John. He earned a degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and is a retired Colonel in the Tennessee Air National Guard. He is former owner of Courier Printing in Smyrna and is a former president of the Printing Industry Association of the South and an inductee to the Ash Khan Honor Society of the Printing Industry of America. He is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.

Dr. Karen Brown-Dunlap
President
The Poynter Institute
St. Petersburg, FL
Karen Brown Dunlap is president of The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Times Publishing Company. As a teacher in writing, she has led seminars throughout the nation and abroad, including sessions in South Africa. She is co-author of "The Effective Editor" with Foster Davis, and co-author of "The Editorial Eye" with Jane Harrigan. She was editor of the Institute's "Best Newspaper Writing" series, and continues as a regular contributor. Dunlap has twice served as a Pulitzer Prize jurist. She was a reporter for the Macon News and the Nashville Banner, and served stints at the St. Petersburg Times. Dunlap is a graduate of Michigan State University and Tennessee State University, and received her Ph.D. in mass communications from the University of Tennessee.

Ken Bunting
Executive Editor, Seattle Post Intelligencer
Seattle, WA
Ken Bunting is the executive editor of the Seattle (WA) Post-Intelligencer. He was named Executive Editor in January 2000, after seven years as the newspaper's managing editor. He is responsible for all news and feature content of the newspaper and its online complement, Seattlep-i.com. Prior to joining the Post-Intelligencer, Bunting was state capitol bureau chief in Austin for the Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram. During his seven years with the Star-Telegram he served as city editor, assistant managing editor, deputy managing editor and senior editor. He also spent 9 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he had a variety of reporting and editing assignments. In his over 30 years of newspaper experience, he also has gathered news, written and edited for the San Antonio (TX) Express-News, the Cincinnati (OH) Post, the Sacramento (CA) Bee and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Bunting has Bachelors degrees in journalism and history form Texas Christian University, and completed the Advanced Executive Program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business.

Judith G. Clabes
President & CEO, Scripps Howard Foundation
Cincinnati, Ohio
Ms. Clabes has been President and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation since 1996. The Scripps Howard Foundation is the corporate foundation of The E.W. Scripps Company. The mission of the foundation is to advance the cause of a free press through support of excellence in journalism, quality journalism education and professional development. She's had a longtime career in journalism and has written numerous articles in professional and general circulation publications. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, Ohio University-School of Journalism, the National Conference of Community and Justice, and the Seedco Foundation.

Karen Clark
Senior Vice President
Suntrust Bank Music Row Financial Center
Nashville, TN
Karen Clark is the Manager of the Nashville Private Wealth Management Division of Sports and Entertainment Banking at SunTrust Bank's Music Row Financial Center. She has been with SunTrust for 14 years and currently serves as Senior Vice President with over 21 years of banking experience. SunTrust Bank's Music Row Financial Center was the first full-service bank on the row and one of SunTrust's largest Tennessee bank locations. Clark handles a wide range of financial services to the music industry and possesses Series 6 and 63 investment licenses. Organizational involvement includes: CMA, NARAS Board of Governors, T. J. Martell Board of Directors, Academy of Country Music Board of Director/Finance Committee, Director/Finance Committee-Gospel Music Association, Former Board Member and Alumna-Class of 1996 of Leadership Music, W.O. Smith School of Music Board of Directors, Gospel Music Foundation Board, SOURCE, Nashville Screenwriter's Conference, Entertainment and Music Business Partnership, MTSU Jones College of Business Entrepreneurial Studies Advisory Board, and the Convention and Visitor's Bureau Membership Advisory Board.

George S. Clinton (1969)
Composer/Musician
Los Angeles, CA
George S. Clinton began his professional musical career as a songwriter, arranger, and session musician in Nashville, while earning degrees in music and drama at MTSU. After graduation he became a staff writer for Warner Brothers Music, with songs recorded by such artists as Michael Jackson, Joe Cocker, Johnny Mathis and Smokey Robinson. Clinton attracted the attention of a movie producer, giving George the opportunity to score his first film, Cheech and Chong's Still Smokin'. The soulful jazz for the Showtime anthology Red Shoe Diaries brought more public awareness. He has contributed to memorable scores to films such as the Austin Powers movies and the hit martial arts fantasy Mortal Kombat and its sequel. Clinton has many noteworthy projects including; Disney's holiday hit The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause. In addition, he is proud to serve as an advisor at the Sundance Composers Lab. Awards include a 2002 Grammy nomination and four BMI Film Music Awards.

C. Paul Corbin
Vice President, Writer-Publisher Relations
Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI)
Nashville, TN
C. Paul Corbin began his career at BMI in 1983, where he was Director of Programming at TNN before assuming his current position. He has served as Executive Producer on more than 100 music specials for both TNN/CMT and Public Broadcasting. The Emmy Award winner is a member of the Board of Directors of NARADS and BMI Foundation. He is currently serving in his third year on the Grammy Awards Show Committee.

Virginia Dodge Fielder
Past Vice President for Research
Knight-Ridder, Inc.
Miami, FL
Virginia Dodge Fielder, Ph.D., retired in 2004 as Vice President/Research for Knight Ridder, the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher. Dr. Fielder was responsible for market research for the corporation, including its annual reader and advertiser surveys. She also consulted with Knight Ridder's daily newspapers on local research projects, and with Knight Ridder Digital on Internet operations. Prior to her Knight Ridder appointment, she was editorial research manager at The Chicago Sun-Times. She also worked as a reporter and then marketing research manager for The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader, a Knight Ridder newspaper. She currently serves as a judge for Knight Ridder's annual Excellence Awards program which honors achievements of employees throughout the corporation.

James C. Free
President/CEO
The Smith-Free Group
Washington, DC
Before co-founding The Smith-Free Group in 1995, Free had been Vice Chairman of Walker-Free Associates, a lobbying firm he joined in 1981. In mastering the art of law-making, Jim has been instrumental in the passage of landmark legislation. His work includes representing financial institutions as well as covering issues for the copyright, energy and communications industries. Serving in various leadership roles in the National Democratic Party, Free was actively involved in Jimmy Carter and Al Gore's presidential bids. He served in the Carter White House as Special Assistant to the President for Congressional Affairs. Free currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Woodrow Wilson House as well as the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association. He is active with the Middle Tennessee State University Foundation Board and serves on the MTSU President's Council. Free is involved with raising funds for inner city children through his work with the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz.

Leslie Giallombardo
Vice President for Advertising
Gannett Company, Inc.
McLean, VA
Giallombardo is a 23-year veteran of Gannett advertising, marketing and management positions. Giallombardo was president and publisher of The Tennessean in Nashville until August 2005 when she left to form her own firm. Before becoming publisher in 2002, she was senior vice president/marketing and vice president/advertising at The Tennessean. She is a seven-time winner of the division's President's Ring, awarded for outstanding performance.

Eddie Gossage (1982)
President/General Manager
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, TX
Mr. Gossage came from very humble beginnings. He began his career twenty-two years ago at the Nashville Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee. He then served as Manager of Bristol International Raceway, then moved on to Miller Brewing Company, as Manager of the Motorsports Division. Now he is the General Manager of the second largest sports facility in the world. Locally, he serves on the board of Speedway Children's Charity and as a member of the Fort Worth Convention and Visitor's Bureau. A graduate from the MTSU School of Journalism, Gossage is considered an industry expert in public relations and marketing.

David Jarrard (1985)
Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock, Inc.
Nashville, TN
David Jarrard began his communications career as a reporter for The Tennessean. He left the newspaper to handle national and international public relations for Whittle Communications, where he was vice president of communications and planning. At Whittle, David supervised public relations and advertising for the national television launches of the Channel One Network and Special Reports Television with Joan Lunden. He also works with hospitals and healthcare organizations from California to Florida, developing a national reputation for helping providers of care compete and win in their markets. He has provided public relations counseling to telecommunications and cable operators, financial institutions, internet start-ups, statewide business associations, book and magazine publishers, music makers, developers, manufacturers and more.

Eric Ludgood
Executive Producer
WGCL-TV
Atlanta, GA
Ludgood began his broadcast career at WTVM-TV in Columbus, Ga., as a producer, photographer and reporter. After producing Atlanta's top-rated morning newscast at WXIA-TV, he joined CNN as a producer and a writer. Ludgood most recently was in charge of "CNN World Report," a program featuring news stories from 150 broadcasters worldwide. He also oversaw production, programming and operational models for CNN International, and supervised production and writing staff while handling newsroom technology and management issues.

Andrew Oppmann
President and Publisher, The Daily News Journal
Vice President, Audience Management, The Tennessean
Murfreesboro, TN
A native of Hopkinsville, Ky., Andrew Oppmann is the president & publisher of the Daily News Journal. He also serves as vice president for audience management for The Tennessean. Oppmann creates and manages digital and print products for The Tennessean and Gannett's daily newspapers in Clarksville, Jackson and Murfreesboro. He was previously editor and general manager of the Appleton Post-Crescent in Wisconsin. Under Oppmann's leadership, the newspaper received consecutive titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006 as daily newspaper of the year from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.

Billy Pittard (1978)
President
Pittard, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
Billy Pittard is President of PI, a consultancy that helps companies with branding, marketing communications, and media product development, and helps them be more creative, and develop innovative applications of digital media. Pittard was formerly President and creative leader of Pittard Sullivan, a leading international design, branding and marketing communications service for the entertainment and media industry. Pittard has overseen the creation of over two hundred entertainment and media brand identities around the world, hundreds of opening title sequences for television programs, feature films, as well as the development of numerous groundbreaking initiatives with digital media. Pittard has been honored with five Emmy Awards and twenty-one Emmy nominations. Additionally his work has been honored with over 900 other industry awards.

Frances Williams Preston
President Emeritus
Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI)
New York, NY
BMI is an American performing rights organization that represents more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music. Ms. Preston has served as President and CEO of BMI for the past 18 years. She is stepping down from helm in August 2004, but will remain as a company consultant and will become an international advocate for intellectual property rights. Under Preston, BMI has become an internationally respected leader as the entertainment industry has been transformed by the twin challenges of digital technology and globalization. Preston serves on the Recording Academy President's Advisory Council and on the board of directors for the Grammy Foundation.

Ronald Roberts (1984)
Partner/Chief Operating Officer
Dye Van Mol & Lawrence
Nashville, TN
Ronald is responsible for overall day-to-day operations of the one of the largest public relations agencies in the region. He is certified in crisis communications management via the Institute for Crisis Management and has participated in extensive crisis management and quick response situations for Shoney's restaurant locations throughout the Southeast. Among his memorable moments were the creation and launch of Middle Tennessee State University's new athletic logo and producing several Shoney's National Conventions. He previously worked at The Nashville Network (TNN) and taught public relations at Middle Tennessee State University. He joined the agency in 1992.

John Michael Seigenthaler
Anchor NBC Nightly News Weekend Edition, NBC News Special Correspondent
Secaucus, NJ
John Seigenthaler was named anchor of the weekend editions of "NBC Nightly News" in July 1999. He anchors the top-rated broadcast on both Saturdays and Sundays, in addition to serving as contributing anchor to MSNBC, NBC's 24-hour all-news and information channel. Seigenthaler also anchors "MSNBC Investigates," a documentary series, which has included hour-long programming. Seigenthaler has won several prestigious journalism awards, including the Robert F. Kennedy Television News award for a series of stories on the civil rights movement, a National Headliner and Iris award for coverage of a Tennessee prison riot, an American Bar Association award for a documentary on the death penalty and two regional Emmy awards.

Michael Stafford (1977)
Co-Owner/Vice President,
Lewis-Stafford, Co.
Dallas, TX
Michael Stafford is principal of the Lewis Stafford Co. Based in Dallas, the company represents consumer and trade magazines for advertising sales in several western states. These magazines include Architectural Digest, Gourmet, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and GQ. His career in magazine sales and management spans 27 years since his graduation from MTSU's Mass Communication program in 1977.

Kenneth J. Strickland (1989)
White House Producer
NBC News
Washington, DC
Mr. Strickland is a former graduate of MTSU, with his major in Mass Communication with emphasis in television production and journalism. After graduation he was employed with CNN. In 1991, he began working for WVTM-TV, in Birmingham, Alabama. He began as a noon newscast producer, moved up to the evening new and then on to Special Projects Producer. During his time at WVTM-TV he received the George Foster Peabody award for his documentary on the 30th year anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. He also received the Southern Regional Emmy Award for a collaborative writing for same documentary. In 1994 he He received the Mid-South Regional Award for the news series on "Crime Crackdown". He has worked for Dateline NBC in Washington, DC and NBC News as White House Producer and is currently Producer for the Senate.

Murali Suddala
CEO
Capricorn Systems, Inc.
Atlanta, GA
Murali Suddali holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Osmania University, India and a MS in Electrical Engineering form University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma. From 1976 through 1978 he was a Project Manager at Informatics Systems Ltd., based in Montreal, Canada, where his primary responsibilities were to develop products for multi store retail chains in the area of merchandising and Point-of-Sale. Later, he joined Digital Equipment Corporation and worked for over ten years as Project/Program Manager with customers including GTE, Honeywell, E-Systems, Johnson Wax and State of Florida on a variety of applications. He founded Capricorn Systems Inc in 1991 and built it into one of the leading custom software development companies in Georgia providing services for fortune 100 companies like Arthur Andersen, Ascom (based out of Switzerland), SCANA, Southeastern Data Cooperative Inc and SHAW Industries. Company was named as one of the fastest growing private companies in USA by Inc magazine for two consecutive years.

Debbie Turner
President & General Manager
News Channel 5 Network
Nashville, TN
Debbie Turner is the President and General Manager of the NewsChannel 5 Network. Prior to coming to Nashville in 1992, she was with the parent company of NewsChannel 5, Landmark Communications in Norfolk, Virginia. Debbie began her career working as an auditor for Price Waterhouse. A CPA, she received her BBA degree from the College of William and Mary. Active in the community, Debbie currently serves on the following boards: Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Leadership Nashville's Board of Trustees, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, and the Saint Thomas Hospital Foundation. She is an alumnus of Leadership Nashville and a member of the Downtown Rotary Club. She is a former board member of the following organizations: The Jason Foundation, Kids Voting, and the Better Business Bureau.

Deborah L. Wagnon
Chief Executive Officer
Portia Entertainment Group, LLC
Nashville, TN
Attorney Deborah Wagnon heads up her own international entertainment representation firm. Most recently she was a partner and head of the Entertainment practice at Hunter Maclean Exley & Dunn, P.C. in Savannah, Georgia. Deborah has worked with an international roster of many of the leading entertainment industry recording artists, producers, screenwriters, authors, filmmakers, and songwriter/composers. She served two terms in L.A. as liaison for the TN Film, Music & Entertainment Commission Advisory Committee.

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