Members of the Board of Directors are elected by the ATD Smoky Mountain Chapter general membership for terms of one year.  Board positions include President, President Elect, and Vice Presidents of Finance, Membership, Programs, Communications and Marketing, Technology, and Administration.  The Immediate Past President serves in a non-voting capacity to provide continuity to the Board.  All Board positions are eligible for re-election for indefinite terms, except the President and President Elect.

Meet The 2025 Board of Directors

Board Members can be reached via email or during scheduled events.

President - AJ Bussell

AJ Bussell is the Training Program Specialist at Centrus Energy Corp. serving as a Senior Training and Development Leader with extensive experience working with all organizational levels creating, promoting, and delivering training solutions designed to support the organization’s business plan.  

VP Finance - Allen Lutz

Allen Lutz has been a longtime leader on the Board. He has brought experience and stability to the Chapter's Membership initiatives since 2008. In 2009, he spearheaded the Chapter's efforts to implement a Corporate Membership category. He was instrumental in increasing the Chapter's retention rate in 2010 and 2011 by continuously following up with members who needed to renew their memberships. Allen previously served as the VP of Communications, was the editor of the quarterly newsletter from 1996 to 2003, and was responsible for establishing the Chapter's first web site. 

VP Administration - Leah Graves

Leah Graves is the Leadership and Organizational Development Manager at Dollywood. With over 18 years of experience working as a trainer and facilitator, she currently manages training and development programs for leaders across all properties of the Dollywood Company (Dollywood Theme Park, Splash Country, DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Smoky Mountain Cabins). She is also responsible for designing, developing and facilitating instructor-led training classes, online eLearning courses, performance goals and mentorships, all focusing on leadership and professional development. Leah is a certified facilitator in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Everything DiSC, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Signature Program, and the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Foundations Program.

VP Communications & Marketing - Karen Odell

Karen Odell, RDN, CPTD is a Learning Experience Designer with a focus on business analysis, training needs assessment, ROI analysis, project management, and e-Learning design.  As a Trainer, Mentor, and Preceptor, Karen uses Face-2-Face, remote and blended learning techniques.  

Karen completed her Instructional Strategy and Design Certification from University of California, Irvine. Tennessee Licensed and Nationally Registered Dietitian with B.S. degree in Nutrition and Institutional Management from Purdue University and M.S. degree in Secondary-Adult Education from Indiana University; Karen has experience training employees and customers, business training analysis, healthcare management, marketing, project management, and sales management. 

For fun, Karen is a Volunteer Puppy Raiser with Canine Companions for Independence. Weekly, she and her current puppy visit different locations, volunteering time to read with “at-risk” children.

VP Technology - Daniel Redmond

Daniel Redmond is the Learning and Development Manager at Regal Cinemas. In his current role, Daniel leads a team of capable specialists in the development of in-person and eLearning training materials supporting Regal’s theatre and support office teams. In his 25 years with Regal, he has provided training to thousands of leaders and team members across all levels of the company on a variety of subjects.

Daniel is a graduate of Boise State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management with a Human Resources emphasis in 2002. In addition to his work with Regal, Daniel has experience working for Kroger, working his way up from an online grocery clerk role to one overseeing hiring, onboarding, and training for two Marketplace format stores in the Knoxville area.

VP Programs - OPEN