The University of Tennessee at Martin WestStar Leadership Program is hosting the 22<sup>nd</sup>-annual African American Leadership Conference, themed “Challenges and Opportunities,” virtually from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., April 20.

Cost of attendance for this year’s conference is $10 per person, and the deadline to register is Monday, April 12.

Matt Marshall, president and CEO of United Way of West Tennessee, will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. He currently serves as the chair of the Anti-Poverty Task Force for the City of Jackson, the chair of the Jackson-Madison County Equity Project, as well as a team member of the City of Jackson Recovery Court and the Jackson-Madison County School System Parent Council. He also serves as the Young Adult Pastor at the Historic First Baptist Church.

Marshall is the former executive director and head of school at Hands Up! Preschool, and spent eight years at Union University as the director for the Center for Racial Reconciliation, as well as student success, and service and diversity initiatives.

The African American Leadership Conference will also feature presentations by Dr. Marlon King, Jackson-Madison County School System superintendent; Dr. Doris Battle, National Institute for School Leadership Tennessee and Alabama state coordinator; Tennessee Senator Raumesh Akbari, District 29; J.C. Shelley, First Horizon Bank in Jackson; Derick Tisdale, Jackson Police Department deputy chief; Tennessee Senator Katrina Robinson, District 33; Evelyn Lake-Harris, adult-care nurse practitioner; and Clayton Phillips, West Tennessee Healthcare director of information technology security and networking.

The African American Leadership Conference is sponsored by the WestStar Leadership Program, the City of Brownsville, Simmons Bank-Brownsville, West Tennessee Healthcare, Hardin County, Conner Real Estate, WestStar graduate Mark Heaston and the UT Institute for Public Service.

To register for the African American Leadership Conference, visit <a href="http://www.utm.edu/weststarevents">utm.edu/weststarevents</a>.

For more information or registration assistance, contact Virginia Grimes, WestStar program coordinator, at 731-881-7298 or <a href="mailto:vgrimes@utm.edu">vgrimes@utm.edu</a>.

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