Anderson

Bass, Berry & Sims has formed a higher-education practice group with the addition of former Vanderbilt University General Counsel Audrey Anderson.

As chair of the group, Anderson will lead a multidisciplinary team of attorneys in a range of legal matters needed by academic institutions. Anderson will practice in the firm’s Nashville and Washington, D.C. offices.

Before joining the firm, she served as vice chancellor, general counsel and university secretary for Vanderbilt for more than five years.

Adding to the 85 years of counsel the firm has provided to public and private higher education institutions, the practice will help clients navigate matters related to faculty and student affairs, the general business of universities, athletics and the protection and commercialization of academic technology and research.

The group also will represent and counsel clients in a broad spectrum of legal areas that are prevalent in higher education, including labor and employment, transactions and technology licensing, data breach and data privacy, regulatory compliance, internal investigations, litigation, health care, public finance and bond issue, employee benefits, public safety and risk management, and investment.

In addition to her prior work at Vanderbilt, Anderson served in the Department of Homeland Security beginning in 2009, where she was deputy general counsel September 2011-March 2013. She also has previous experience in private practice as a partner in a national law firm, representing education and other clients in civil and appellate litigation. Anderson clerked for Judge Harold H. Greene of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her law degree from University of Michigan Law School. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt Law School, where she teaches higher education law and co-teaches a seminar on the Supreme Court.

Baker Donelson selects pro bono shareholder

Bowman

Baker Donelson has selected Samuel T. Bowman to serve as the firm’s next pro bono shareholder.

A shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker Donelson, Bowman has served for more than 10 years as the chair of the Nashville office’s Pro Bono Committee, where he coordinates pro bono matters, assists with local legal aid organizations and handles individual pro bono cases.

Bowman has a significant pro bono practice that includes assisting entities with obtaining nonprofit status and providing pro bono services to several local churches. As the pro bono shareholder, he will be responsible for overseeing the continued development, growth and administration of pro bono programs across the Firm’s 21 offices in 10 states and Washington, D.C.

Bowman assumes the role from Lisa W. Borden, who has served since 2008 when Baker Donelson first designated the position. Borden will be leaving the firm to participate in an LL.M. program in International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law at the Geneva Academy in Geneva, Switzerland.

Under Borden’s leadership, Baker Donelson has seen substantial growth in pro bono contributions, from 8,000 hours in 2008 to an average of more than 20,000 hours annually in recent years. The firm’s work has also expanded in scope, including important civil rights cases, representation of immigrants seeking asylum and refugee status, and helping vital nonprofit organizations succeed in their important missions in our communities.

Luna joins Butler Snow’s regulatory, govt. group

Luna

Jones Wilson (J.W.) Luna has joined Butler Snow’s Nashville office and will practice with the firm’s regulatory and government group.

Luna has extensive expertise in government relations, environmental law, health care, administrative law and other regulatory areas. He has successfully worked on numerous regulatory matters concerning water and air quality, solid waste permitting and enforcement and low-level radioactive waste management.

Luna has also served as the attorney for the liquidation of a significant medical malpractice insurance company and as the primary attorney for a major natural gas distribution company concerning its Tennessee regulatory matters. He served for eight years in the cabinet of former Gov. Ned. R. McWherter.

Luna is a fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Nashville Bar Foundation. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and earned his juris doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Miriam’s Promise hires Osborne as president/CEO

Osborne

J. Dietz Osborne recently began his tenure as president/CEO of Miriam’s Promise, which offers pregnancy, parenting and adoption services to the people of Middle Tennessee families.

Osborne began his work with the organization in a volunteer capacity organizing the group’s annual golf fundraiser. That led to 10 years of volunteer service for the organization. He was hired eight years ago and has worked in progressive roles including development and administration.

During that time, Osborne has been responsible for raising more than $3.5 million to support the services offered by Miriam’s Promise. Most recently, he earned his master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governor’s University.

Information about the nonprofit can be found at MiriamsPromise.org.

Sovereign Sportsman Solutions taps director

Willard

Sovereign Sportsman Solutions has hired Chris Willard as director of state agency engagement. In this newly created role, Willard will lead Sovereign’s efforts, in partnership with state agencies, to initiate strategies to grow fishing, hunting, camping and outdoor recreation participation.

Willard spent 15 years with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He is a former board member of the International Hunter Education Association and helped develop both the National Hunting & Shooting Sports action plan and the recommendations and strategic tools for angler recruitment, retention and reactivation efforts.

Willard will continue to play a leading role in the R3 community and will represent Sovereign at industry and trade association conferences as well as on committees, in working groups and as an industry expert speaker.

LBMC adds employees at Brentwood office

LBMC, one of the Southeast’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has added the following employees to its Nashville office:

• Chrystal Blaskowski is a manager of IT Assurance and HITRUST. She previously served as manager of HIPAA, HITRUST, NIST, Risk Services for Drummond Group. She holds her bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University and her CPHRM, HITRUST CCSFP, CISA and CRISC designations.

• Ashley Caldwell joins the human resources division as a generalist. She previously served as associate director of recruitment for the Art Institute of Tennessee and has 10 years of experience. She holds her degree from the University of Kentucky.

• Josh Chaffin has joined the audit division as a senior accountant. He previously served as a senior accountant with Crosslin, PLLC. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama.

• Denver Clinton is a staff accountant. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Mississippi.

• Jay Finley joins the audit division as a scheduler. He previously served as compliance analyst/technical writer for Franklin American Mortgage Company. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

• James Griffith has joined the information security division as risk manager. He previously served as a security engineer/security auditor for Hearst Medical Group, MedHOK. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida.

• Julie Lewis has joined LBMC Employment Partners as a payroll specialist. She holds a degree from the University of Phoenix and has 10 years of experience.

• Marla Mackie has joined the audit division as a senior accountant. She previously served as an internal auditor for VolCorp Credit Union. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Middle Tennessee State University.

• Donna Malone has joined Employment Partners as a benefits administrator. She previously served as executive director of Life Choices, PSC. She holds a degree from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a member of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

• Gus O’Hara has joined the Investment Advisors division as an investment analyst. He previously served as a summer sales and trading analyst for Citigroup. He holds a degree in finance and certificate in real estate analysis and development from Pennsylvania State University.

• Marshall Reeves has joined Employment Partners as a systems integration specialist. He previously served as IT administrator for Nichiha USA. He holds a degree from Auburn University and a Nimble Storage and Administration Certification.

• Sabrina Rush has joined Risk Services as a scheduling coordinator. She previously served as an independent contractor and tour manager for musicians. She attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

• Anton Shekhalevich has joined W Squared division as a staff accountant. He previously served as an accounting specialist for South Orange County Community College District in Mission Viejo, California. He holds a degree from Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and a certificate of achievement in Accounting from Saddleback Community College.

• Chris Sparkman has joined the W Squared division as an AR coordinator. He previously served as a tax preparer for Wear, Howell, Strickland, Quinn & Law LLC. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Alabama.

• Alissa Vanalesti has joined Employment Partners as a human resources manager. She previously served as a human resource generalist and a human resources information systems specialist for Brookdale Senior Living. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University.

• Tanner Walker has joined the audit division as a staff accountant. He holds a degree from Middle Tennessee State University.

• Damien Windsor has joined LBMC PC as an accounting specialist. He previously served as an accounting manager with The Little Clinic and has 16 years of experience.