8 AM—Dr. Liz Hathaway (UC Foundation Associate Professor, Health and Human Performance)

· Selected as the 2023–2024 All‑Southern Conference Faculty Team representative from UTC, highlighting her outstanding contributions to teaching and campus life

· Teaches and mentors students in the Health and Human Performance department, bringing a student-centered approach to her academic and advising roles.

· Actively engaged in fostering student wellness and performance—helping integrate physical education, health awareness, and human movement science into campus initiatives.

· Earned bachelor’s degrees in both economics and sports studies from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in public health from Georgia Southern University, and a master’s in kinesiology from Georgia College. She returned to the University of Georgia for her doctoral degree in kinesiology before arriving at UTC in 2016.

8:15 AM—Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt (UC Foundation Professor and Head of Department of Criminal Justice)

· Named a recipient of the 2025 UT System President’s Awards, earning recognition in the “Optimistic and Visionary” category—one of the highest honors awarded across the UT System.

· Founded and directs UTC’s Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI)—a research and policy center focused on public safety, firearm violence prevention, and community-centered crime intervention.

· Championed the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in collaboration with Chattanooga Police, contributing to a 27% drop in firearm homicides, 36% decrease in overall homicides, and 42% fewer shooting victims; the initiative was recognized with the ATF’s Excellence in Crime Gun Intelligence Award.

· Through VRI, secured substantial federal funding—including nearly $2 million for the CURV (Chattanooga United to Reduce Violence) project and $844,000 for a Recidivism Reduction Initiative—supporting community partnerships, trauma-informed care, and student-led research.

8:30 AM—Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien (UC Foundation Professor and Director of the School of Professional Studies

· Principal investigator of UTC’s newly launched B‑HIP (Behavioral Healthcare through InterProfessional Training) initiative, supported by a four‑year, $2.4 million HRSA grant, aimed at training graduate students in counseling, psychology, social work and school psychology to serve underserved Southeast Tennessee communities; activities include stipends, community internships, mentoring, telehealth training and simulation-based digital learning assets.

· Leads a multidisciplinary faculty team collaborating across programs to strengthen behavioral health services across an 11‑county region with critical provider shortages.

· Is the current chair of the American Counseling Association Foundation’s Board of Trustees, a group that serves as the altruistic arm of ACA.

· Her new book, “Power in the Middle: Navigating Your Midlife with Confidence,” published in July, offers midlife women practical tools and reflective exercises to redefine their values and embrace life’s second half with confidence.

8:45 AM—Tim Gritten (Dean, UTC Library)

· Appointed Dean of the UTC Library effective July 1, 2024, after serving six years as Executive Director of the Library and Special Collections at Texas A&M University–San Antonio.

· Former roles include leadership positions in academic and public libraries across the Midwest and Texas, including Wayne State University, Indiana State University and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

· Believes libraries should serve as central hubs for campus and community—helping students discern fact from opinion and preparing them to navigate evolving information technologies, including AI, VR and AR.

· A board-game aficionado—his favorites include Ark Nova, Power Grid, Through the Ages, and The Crew—and he even helped play-test several games; the library supports his passion with a diverse collection for student use.