ETSU Alumni Association announces new officers, directors

(July 18, 2023) A new slate of officers and directors will lead the ETSU National Alumni Association during the upcoming year.

Tom Tull, an MBA graduate from the East Tennessee State University Class of 1995, has been elected as president. Tull has over 30 years of health care experience and is a longtime member of the Ballad Health team, where he currently serves as vice president and chief experience officer.

Serving as president-elect is Dr. Virginia Bieber, a three-time graduate of ETSU whose degrees include an M.S. in clinical nutrition and an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis. She has been active in numerous community service initiatives and volunteer opportunities in Knoxville.

The Honorable Ken Bailey from the Class of 1992 will be secretary/treasurer. Bailey holds a B.S. in political science and has served as the Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court judge since 2006. 

Bryan Daniels from the classes of 1995 and 1997 will continue his service to the board as incoming past-president. Daniels, a champion and leader of economic development, serves as the president and CEO of Blount Partnership.

The newest alumni to serve four-year terms on the board as directors are Becky Buller, Dr. Melanie Steagall Stanton, Brian McCormack and Robyn Ivester.

Buller, a 2001 graduate, is a talented multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter who has earned 10 International Bluegrass Music Association awards, including 2016 Fiddler and Female Vocalist of the Year. When not on tour, Buller resides in Middle Tennessee. 

A native of Elizabethton, Stanton holds three degrees from ETSU, including a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in executive leadership. A well-respected nursing and health care leader for Ballad Health, she presently is chief executive officer at Franklin Woods Community Hospital.

McCormack graduated from ETSU in 2005. While a student, he served on the Alumni Association board as a student representative and went on to earn his J.D. degree from the University of Memphis. Following a career serving in Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration, he now serves as assistant vice president at Fortitude Re in Nashville. 

Ivester is an educator in the Johnson City School System and has served as an adjunct professor with the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development.  She graduated from ETSU in 1991 with a BBA degree and resides in Piney Flats, where she has served in a number of roles, including as a member of the Sullivan County Board of Education for four years.

Returning directors are Dr. Kyle Colvett, Tammy Morreale, Pauline Douglas, Jan Brown, Michael Fishman, Andrew Hall, Tammy Hawes, Dr. Gaurav Bharti, Dr. Dorsha James and Paul Bashea Williams.

Representing the Student Government Association on the National Alumni Association board are President Trent White and Executive Vice President Brooke Patterson.

“Immediately upon graduating, every student joins our community of over 105,000 living alumni  in every state and 71 countries,” said Whitney Goetz, executive director of the National Alumni Association. “Our new board officers and directors are passionate ambassadors for ETSU and have remained deeply engaged with this campus since their time as students. We greatly appreciate the ways they have carried the ETSU story throughout their impressive careers and are fortunate to have them as volunteers and leaders with our association.”

For more information about the ETSU Alumni Association, contact the Office of University Alumni at 423-439-4218 or alumni@etsu.edu.