Meet the KEC team

Our team is made up of experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, and community-minded professionals that are ready to help take your big idea to the next level.

Jim Biggs

Executive director

Jim is a former attorney with decades of experience in building businesses, raising capital, and forming impactful communities. Jim is a tireless advocate for entrepreneurship, and has helped KEC be the “center of gravity without being the center of attention” since 2015. 

Delaney Boyd

Director of operations

Delaney has a passion for bringing people together, and keeping things moving for KEC. With a degree in Marketing and International Business from the UTK, Delaney has been the go-to person for all events, activities, and big ideas since 2017. 

Courtney Hendricks

director of maker initiatives

Courtney is a versatile marketing and design veteran with extensive leadership and event planning experience. She is focused on facilitating connections, promoting a culture of inclusivity, and aiding in building a strong support system for Knoxville’s Makers.

Chris McAdoo

director of strategy & engagement

Chris has spent over 20 years building brand-focused consulting and content businesses, forging a successful creative career, and speaking all over the country on the power of community, creativity and challenging assumptions. 

Catherine Porth, MBA

Director of insights & development

Catherine has been a strong part of the KEC ecosystem for several years, serving as lead facilitator of CO.Starters, founding Let Her Speak, and helping lead Knoxville’s Women in Entrepreneneurship group.

booth andrews speaking at maker city summit

Booth Andrews

CO.Starters facilitator

Booth Andrews helps build strong, effective, resilient leaders, entrepreneurs and humans by acting as a mentor and guide through strategic coaching, consulting, educational programs and public speaking.

jalynn baker

Jalynn Baker

Coordinator of Storytelling Initiatives

Jalynn is a photographer & writer, listener & sharer of stories. Her goal is to create work that releases appreciation for life and empathy for people into the world.

amelia bartlett

Amelia Bartlett

Rural Outreach Coordinator

Amelia Bartlett is an entrepreneur, writer, and consultant based in Knoxville, TN. Amelia also serves as Operations Lead for Sheltowee Angel Network, and is a staff writer for Blank Newspaper. 

Leslie Beale

exec-in-residence, Inflection Point mentor

As a Hogan cerified leadership coach, Leslie brings two decades of law, leadership, and advanced corporate leadership experience to the ongoing Inflection.Point growth-stage companies. 

Bob Camp

"the works" facilitator

Bob is an innovative business strategist and executive coach with over 40 years of highly successful business growth experience. His expertise includes startups, turnarounds, and scaling businesses.

Richard Dapaah

exec-in-residence, capital connections coordinator

Richard brings extensive global investment and startup capital experience to the KEC community. Having recently authored the Knoxville Chamber’s Access to Capital report, Richard is focused on the role capital plays in a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Patrick Hunt

inflection.point facilitator

Currently chief evangelist for Lirio, Patrick brings over 30 years of experience in user experience consulting to Fortune 1000 companies, early stage and emerging companies, government agencies and non-profit organizations. 

Holly Rainey

Social Media Manager

Holly Rainey is KEC’s & The Maker City’s Social Media Manager. Holly is a creative professional that specializes in photography, content creation and social media management.

Lilly Tench

AgLaunch team lead

Lilly believes in using innovation to address the world’s most pressing problems and heads up teh entrepreneurship team at AgLaunch to support the agtech entrepreneurs that will lead us into a more sustainable and equitable future of agriculture.

Kandis Troutman, MA

100knoxville facilitator

As the Creative Architect, Kandis is an experienced strategic consultant who believes in aligning entrepreneurs’ purpose and prosperity. She sees what most people miss and creates simple and efficient solutions for individuals and businesses across the world. 

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