Mentor Network Booking
Take the next step in the KEC Mentor Network and book a time with a mentor.
A reminder of our Mentor Network Rules:
- You should have received a few mentor recommendations from the KEC Team after submitting your interest form. That is a suggested starting point, but you are welcome to schedule time with any of the mentors on our list that fits your stage of business.
- Please be respectful of our mentors’ times, and only book appointments you are able to commit to. Please keep in mind, our mentors are donating their time to meet with you. If we notice multiple last-minute cancellations, we will revoke your mentorship scheduling abilities.
- Our mentors are here to bounce ideas off of, to suggest resources, and give feedback. They are not your personal business coach. You are responsible for your own success, and our mentors can be a resource in your toolbox.
- The KEC Team will reach out to you on a periodic basis to check in and request feedback. Your responses are crucial for the success of the mentoring program.
Thank you for participating in the KEC Mentor Network!
KEC Team
Delaney is the Programming Director at KEC, and has been part of the organization since graduating from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2018. Delaney can help best with folks that are looking to get involved in some way with KEC and the entrepreneur ecosystem in Knoxville. Her favorite small businesses in town include Fable Hollow Bookstore, Union Ave Book Store, and Fountain City Stained Glass. She is a maker and avid reader.
SCHEDULE WITH DELANEY
Chris McAdoo is the Chief Experience Officer at Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, where he focuses on fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurs in their journeys. With a passion for creativity, Chris is also a talented painter, blending his artistic vision with his work in business and community development. His dual expertise in art and entrepreneurship allows him to bring a unique perspective to helping businesses thrive, while contributing to the local arts scene.
In addition to his leadership role, Chris has a strong background in entrepreneurship. His experience navigating startups and scaling ventures provides him with valuable insights that he now shares with aspiring entrepreneurs, helping them build sustainable and impactful companies.
SCHEDULE WITH CHRIS
Kelsi Walker serves as the Director of Communications at the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, where she is instrumental in crafting and conveying the organization’s message to the entrepreneurial community and beyond. With a flair for strategic communication and a deep understanding of brand storytelling, Kelsi ensures that the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s initiatives and successes are effectively communicated through various channels.
In addition to her professional role, Kelsi is a talented singer-songwriter. Her creative pursuits enrich her approach to communications, allowing her to blend creativity with strategic messaging. Her background in music provides a unique perspective on storytelling and audience engagement, which she applies to her work in shaping the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s narrative.
Kelsi’s dual expertise in communications and music reflects her versatile skill set and passion for connecting with people. Her contributions continue to enhance the Center’s visibility and impact, reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Knoxville.
SCHEDULE WITH KELSI
Meet Our Mentors
Halee Sprinkle
Marketing | Social Media | Public Speaking & Pitching | Community Building
Halee would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage, and Growth Stage businesses.
SCHEDULE WITH HALEE
Cliff Caudill
General Mentor | Intro to Business Model | Business Development & Sales
Cliff would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage, and Growth Stage businesses.
In my 39 year career with John Deere I lead Product Planning for John Deere’s global forestry harvesting equipment business, including the acquisition of its primary competitor based in Finland. John Deere continues to lead this global market. Since retiring in 2016 I joined SCORE, an all-volunteer group of Mentors that assists clients develop their ideas into business & strategic plans including financial projections (start-up costs, income statements, cash flow and balance sheet) needed to obtain financing. I also work with existing businesses to improve their marketing, sales and financial results. I assist clients in the formation of Non-Profit entities. In my eight years with SCORE I have assisted over 550 people with their businesses or ideas.
SCHEDULE WITH CLIFF
Marcus Blair
General Mentor | Public Speaking & Pitching | E-Commerce | Executive Level Coaching | Manufacturing | Business Systems
Marcus would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Marcus Blair is the founder of Omega Business Solutions. Omega works with organizations to help them choose and implement the right technology to meet their goals. He started his career as a 3rd shift production line associate and worked his way up to executive leadership where he successfully led digital transformation efforts for several international manufacturers. He has worked with clients around the world, but his real passion is working with start-ups right here in Knoxville.
SCHEDULE WITH MARCUS
Corey Tyree
General Mentor | Marketing | Business Development & Sales | Public Speaking & Pitching | Intro to Business Model | Executive Level Coaching | Manufacturing
Corey would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Corey Tyree is the founder and CEO of Trillium Renewable Chemicals, where he leads fundraising, hiring, and strategy. Trillium is building a chemical plant in Texas to produce chemicals that will decarbonize toys, aerospace parts, automotive parts, sporting goods, renewable energy, and apparel. He has raised $42M to support Trillium’s scaleup efforts, built an experienced team, and secured partnerships with large industrial customers. He started his career as a chemical plant operator and went on to serve in various roles in engineering, plant management, and executive leadership.
SCHEDULE WITH COREY
Jasmine Newton
General Mentor | Marketing | Social Media | Business Development & Sales | Intro to Business Model | Community Building
Jasmine would love to meet with Novices and Early Stage Business Owners.
Jasmine Newton is a portrait photographer, speaker, mentor, and community leader. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Jasmine always had a passion for photography, but initially pursued a career in customer service doing various roles. However, in June 2015, she decided to follow her true passion full-time and launched Javon Renee Portraits in Knoxville, TN. As a portrait photographer, Jasmine is dedicated to helping her clients discover their worth and bring out their unique personalities and confidence. She excels at capturing the essence of her subjects, creating portraits that are both timeless and authentic. In June 2024, Jasmine expanded her impact by launching TheJasmineNewton.com. Through this platform, she shares her journey and insights on creating a life of balance, boundaries, and authenticity. TheJasmineNewton.com offers practical advice on work-life balance, effective boundary setting, and embracing authenticity, making it a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and individuals seeking personal and professional growth. Jasmine is deeply committed to her community and to giving back. She serves as the Knoxville Chapter Leader and Chapter Leadership Coach for the Rising Tide Society, an international community of small business entrepreneurs who believe in the power of community over competition. She also served two terms on the Mayor’s Maker Council and chaired the 2022 & 2023 Maker City Summit, an annual conference that brings together makers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to share ideas, collaborate, and grow. Additionally, Jasmine serves on the Pellissippi State Photography Advisory Board and the board for The Women of Knoxville, an organization dedicated to empowering and supporting small businesses with the financial resources they need to excel. She is also a proud Goldman Sachs OMBW: Black in Business alumna. With her talent, passion, and dedication, Jasmine Newton is a highly respected entrepreneur, mentor, and a valuable member of her community. She continues to inspire and uplift those around her, helping others to discover their own worth and potential.
SCHEDULE WITH JASMINE
Ed McFawn
General Mentor | Business Development & Sales | Accounting | Executive Level Coaching | Business Systems
Ed would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Ed started his career as a Consultant at KPMG implementing accounting and ERP systems. Later, he transitioned to Honeywell where he held various financial and operational leadership roles. After spending time at large businesses, Mr. MacFawn became a CFO to a few VC-backed technology companies where he raised many millions in venture capital and led several acquisitions, mergers and divestitures. In 2013, Ed leveraged that experience by co-founding a boutique investment banking firm focused on business transactions and fundraising for growth-stage companies. Since 2005 Ed has been the CEO and owner of BIT Dealership Software, a developer and marketer of business management software for marine, RV, golf cart, and powersports dealers. Over the years, Ed has lived and worked in Kuwait and Russia, and currently own a business in Macedonia. Ed’s educational background includes an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia and a BS in Business Administration from Boston University.
SCHEDULE WITH ED
Brandon Bruce
General Mentor | Pitching | Business Development & Sales | Executive Level Coaching | Business Systems | Community Building
Brandon would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Founder of Cirrus Insight, Market Square Ventures, Knoxville Technology Council, Uncat, EvasiveAI. Past Managing Director of Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator. Cyclist, runner, hiker.
SCHEDULE WITH BRANDON
Breanna Hale
General Mentor | Marketing | Social Media | Public Speaking & Pitching | Intro to Business Model | Community Building
Breanna would love to meet with Novices and Early Stage Business Owners.
Breanna Hale is the Executive Director for the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and has spent a decade in running entrepreneurial centers for major academic institutions including University of California, Irvine, and Utah Valley University. She brings vast experience in developing entrepreneurship programming, building a network of mentors and resources for students and alumni, and increasing access to funding. She has served on the boards of Tech Coast Venture Network, WeAngels, and the Mountainland Association of Governments Revolving Loan Fund. She received a B.A. in communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine.
SCHEDULE WITH BREANNA
Mel Mullins
Business Development & Sales | E-Commerce | Manufacturing | Community Building
Mel would love to meet with Growth Stage Business Owners.
Mel started making soap in her kitchen in 2019 after her kids went to bed. Without any business experience but with the support of amazing entrepreneurs and mentors in Knoxville, she has grown the business into a successful company in the last 5 years. The business (formally Knox Girl Soap, now All Ya’ll Skincare) has a successful online business as well as retail sales and wholesale accounts. All products are made in their East Knoxville production studio at Real Good Kitchen, and they have added two employees to support manufacturing and sales. Mel is passionate about inclusivity and has a goal to be the first nationwide gender inclusive soap and skincare company. She believes the most important elements of business ownership is being values driven, transparent and adding joy to each day.
SCHEDULE WITH MEL
Munan Singhal
General Mentor | Executive Level Coaching | Business Systems | Intro to Business Model
Munan would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Munan is passionate about supporting local entrepreneurs scaling their business. He has a unique background with experience across P&L, strategy, engineering and operations in the technology, industrials and aerospace & defense industries. Munan is currently a Strategy Director at Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group in an incubation business (Edge and AI) where he is responsible for strategic alliances and partnerships and is also a chief of staff to the Vice President / General Manager. Previously, Munan was an engagement manager in management consulting at Gartner and has a vast variety of industrial operations experience including as an operational consultant for Lockheed Martin. Munan earned an internationally focused MBA from University of South Carolina, specializing in Finance & Data Analytics and a Bachelors of Science in Systems and Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
SCHEDULE WITH MUNAN
Rob Cochran
General Mentor | Business Development & Sales | Intro to Business Model | Accounting | E-Commerce | Executive Level Coaching | Business Systems
Rob would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Rob Cochran is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of success in the service, retail, wholesale, and ecommerce sectors of the RV industry. As the founder of Camping Connection, he led the company to prominence, culminating in its acquisition by a Fortune 1000 company. Building on this success, he expanded with Cody Talbert Distribution and One Source RV before transitioning to real estate investment and business consulting. Rob now mentors business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs, leveraging his expertise in business strategy, service operations, sales, and negotiation. Additionally, he brings experience with QuickBooks, Shopify, the EOS business model, and emotional intelligence leadership training. Rob has also served as president and chairman of the board for the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA).
SCHEDULE WITH ROB
Frank Ramey
General Mentor | Supply Chain & Logistics | E-Commerce
Frank would love to meet with Early Stage and Growth Stage Businesses.
Focused on e-commerce (12+ years experience) and systems, I enjoy providing insights on getting things done as lean as possible.
SCHEDULE WITH FRANK
Ashleigh Walters
General Mentor | Accounting | Executive Level Coaching | Manufacturing
Ashleigh would love to meet with Executive Level Founders.
Ashleigh Walters, formerly the President of Onex, now serves as the Chairwoman of its Board of Directors. Onex, an employee-owned enterprise with a legacy spanning over five decades in Erie, Pennsylvania, specializes in designing, manufacturing, and servicing high-temperature industrial furnaces. Upon assuming the role of General Manager in 2013, Ashleigh witnessed a divergence from Onex’s mission and its core values centered around its people. Through her leadership, Onex has redefined its purpose: “Make things better: empowered employees, happy clients, thriving communities.” Walters is also the author of “Leading with Grit and Grace: A Journey of Organizational Culture Change.” Today, she actively shares her transformative journey with fellow leaders through various platforms, including speaking engagements, University of Tennessee manufacturing executive peer group facilitation, and as an IndustryWeek columnist. Additionally, she serves on several employee-owned company boards, advocating for process improvements and the cultivation of a people-centric organizational culture.
SCHEDULE WITH ASHLEIGH
Chris Trump
Legal | Public Speaking & Pitching | Community Building
Chris would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Chris Trump, a graduate from the University of Tennessee College of Law, specializes in providing outside general counsel services to businesses of all sizes throughout East Tennessee. An active participant in the area’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Chris is particularly passionate about representing start-ups and early stage companies, guiding them through the complexities of formation, financing, growth and exit. In addition, Chris has overseen all merger and acquisition transactions for one of the largest private companies in the State of Tennessee, has represented area banks and borrowers in both commercial and real estate financing transactions, and has assisted economic development boards in various tax abatement and public financing transactions. In his free time, you can find Chris watching the Vols, cheering on the Cubs and enjoying East Tennessee’s urban wilderness with his family.
SCHEDULE WITH CHRIS
Alex Gambino
General Mentor | Legal | Executive Level Coaching | Intellectual Property
Alex would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
Alex Gambino is a Registered Patent and Intellectual Property Attorney at Thrive IP®. Alex has successfully applied for and secured numerous patents, trademark registrations, and copyright registrations for his clients. He also has experience in various facets of intellectual property litigation, contract drafting and review, entity formation and governance, and regulatory guidance. Alex earned his Juris Doctorate Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee College of Law and received an undergraduate degree in Marine Engineering Technology from Texas A&M University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Previously, Alex worked as a Technology Commercialization Analyst for the University of Tennessee Research Foundation where he reviewed technologies from the University of Tennessee system, performed patentability and prior art searches, evaluated marketing channels, and made recommendations for the commercialization and licensing of those technologies. Prior to attending law school, Alex worked as a Nuclear Power Operations Engineer for Holtec International. Alex has a passion for assisting inventors, businesses, and universities in obtaining and defending their intellectual property protections. Alex provides a host of additional services including contract and business document drafting, negotiations, support for start-ups in developing and deploying monetization and exit strategies, entity formation and corporate governance, regulatory guidance, and intellectual property licensing.
SCHEDULE WITH ALEX
Bill Malkes
General Mentor | Legal | Executive Level Coaching | Intellectual Property
Bill would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
William A. Malkes Sr. is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive with a diverse career spanning multiple industries. As CEO of GRIDSMART Technologies, he led a $94 million acquisition by Cubic Corporation. Malkes has raised over $150 million in risk capital and overseen several successful company exits. A Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Detroit-Mercy, Malkes began as a CPA at KPMG Peat Marwick and has completed programs at Harvard University and Vanderbilt Owen School of Management. Currently CEO of NellOne Therapeutics, Inc., Malkes serves on various boards and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Spark Innovation Center. As a TechStars Mentor and through his executive roles, he has created over 1,000 fair-paying jobs, particularly in non-traditional venture capital regions. Malkes prioritizes his Christian faith and family above his professional achievements.
SCHEDULE WITH BILL:
Virtual Calls: 15 Minutes | 30 Minutes
In-Person Meeting: 50 Minutes
Erin Reece
General Mentor | Business Development & Sales | Public Speaking & Pitching | Accounting | Executive Level Business Coaching | Funding
Erin would love to meet with Early Stage, Growth Stage Businesses, and Executive Level Founders.
I am an accountant turned financial therapist with a passion for helping entrepreneurs build healthy financial foundations to increase profit and maximize their impact. With over a decade of experience in public and corporate accounting and five years as the owner of a thriving bookkeeping firm, I specialize in guiding business owners through the complexities of their finances while prioritizing their well-being. My firm takes a holistic approach, meeting entrepreneurs where they are to establish a healthy financial baseline, develop sustainable growth strategies, and ensure long-term success without burnout. I deeply understand the intimate connection between a founder’s personal wellness and their business’s financial health, and I empower clients to create systems that support both. Finances are rarely black and white, and while more money can solve many challenges, it’s not always the full solution. I help entrepreneurs navigate these nuances, blending practical expertise with empathetic support to create lasting change.
SCHEDULE WITH ERIN
Keith Hickey
General Mentor | Business Development & Sales | Public Speaking & Pitching | Intro to Business Model | Executive Level Business Coaching | Funding
Keith would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage, and Growth Stage Businesses.
Before joining Three Roots Capital as Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer, he served as Director of Lending and Banking Relationships at Pathway Lending since 2018. Keith has been in the finance and banking industry for over 30 years and his passion and purpose has been to partner with local banks, eco partners, local entrepreneurs and local business professionals to help with gaining access to capital and technical assistance. Within Tennessee, the clients are remarkably diverse with their needs, locations, and overall scope of what they are striving to achieve. With his background, lending, training, and passion of helping people grow their businesses, manage cash flows, he has helped many business owners solve their complex financial challenges. While spending most of the time in the rural markets, middle, and urban markets, that has expanded the scope and knowledge base to help clients even more. Education includes an AS in International Business, BS in Organizational Management and Finance, Graduate Degree in Banking from University of Pennsylvania / Wharton School Graduate from the following Tennessee Bankers Schools – Banking, Management, Consumer Lending, Commercial Lending, and Advanced Commercial Lending. In his spare time, he is a father of one daughter and fitness trainer at a local Knoxville gym, teaching a variety of classes and playing golf with family and friends.
SCHEDULE WITH KEITH
Cordelia Norris
Marketing | Social Media | Branding & Graphic Design | Community Building
Cordelia would love to meet with Early Stage and Growth Stage Businesses.
Hi, I’m Cordelia. I’m creative. I’m warm. I’m science-minded. And I care deeply about my clients—organizations who are making the world cleaner, more sustainable and more inclusive. As the child and grandchild of scientists, I’ve always been drawn to details. The inner-workings. The why. The research. To my work, I bring a technical understanding combined with creative thinking. I started the design studio, Luna Creative, 15 years ago, and I believe my studio has had so much success helping clients achieve their goals because it all starts with listening and understanding. We love to distill, to translate, and to help you make those critical connections that help your organization grow. Over my 20+ year career as a graphic designer, I’ve worked for the CIA—designing intelligence pieces that went to the President, Congress, the Pentagon, and the DOD. My greatest accomplishments though are the wins I help my clients achieve every day at Luna. As a conservationist and illustrator, I’m passionate about sharing my love of the wild. My books, prints and paintings are available on Etsy at Luna Creative Market. Let’s achieve your next step.
SCHEDULE WITH CORDELIA
Tricia Bateman
Branding & Graphic Design
Tricia would love to meet with Novices, Early Stage and Growth Stage Businesses.
For more than two decades, I’ve helped companies solve problems through design. I’ve designed countless projects for a range of B2B companies from Fortune 500s to midsized companies with the occasional passion project for smaller nonprofits. This work ranges from developing single designs to whole design systems for a variety of industries including healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, biotech, and other complex industries.
SCHEDULE WITH TRICIA
Lisa Skinner
Marketing | Business Development & Sales | Public Speaking & Pitching | Executive Level Coaching
Tricia would love to meet with Early Stage and Growth Stage Businesses.
Lisa Hood Skinner is an independent contractor/corporate ghostwriter specializing in writing packages for marketing campaigns, teaching personal branding and coaching executive presence. She has lived and worked around the world, including Honolulu, Puerto Rico, Guam and within many of Europe’s capital cities. She led a coalition of 20+ international tech lawyers to Tel Aviv, Israel in 2012 to tour its Rothschild Blvd. Entrepreneurial Startup Zone, ranked #2 in the world by Wired Magazine (at that time). She has worked corporately: as marketing director at Covenant’s Methodist Medical Center, as senior vice president at Ackermann PR, as Tennessee Valley Authority’s senior program manager for community relations, and now as an independent contractor/corporate ghostwriter for large corporations and businesses, including the Knoxville Chamber’s Innovation Valley and the Blount Chamber of Commerce.
On the entrepreneurial side, she has been an avid supporter of and presenter at Tech20/20, the precursor of the area-wide Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KEC) (and was present at the KEC’s 2013 ribbon-cutting on Market Square). She is a founding member of both the Women in Entrepreneurship Knoxville (located at the KEC) and Women in Entrepreneurship Blount County, now located at SkyCity Entrepreneur Center, Maryville.
In serving fellow entrepreneurs, Lisa has played various roles, including: as a 2014 judge at the KEC’s annual “What’s the Big Idea” pitch contest, as a UT guest lecturer on “Entrepreneurship and Discovery Commercialization” and served a six-year term on the Advisory Board of the Knoxville Development Corporation’s Fairview Technology (entrepreneurial) Center, with her final year there as vice chairman of the board. Active in the community and many local non-profit boards, she’s also a member of Leadership Knoxville. She and her husband have lived in a downtown Knoxville loft for over eight years with their two rowdy Shetland sheepdogs.
SCHEDULE WITH LISA
Tricia Dahlstrom
General Mentoring | Public Speaking & Pitching | Accounting | Intro to Business Model | Business Systems | Executive Level Coaching
Tricia would love to meet with Executive Level Founders.
Tricia Dahlstrom is the proud owner of Upkeep Business LLC, a company she created to help business owners better understand the numbers that drive their profitability. Having been surrounded by entrepreneurship her entire life, she had seen many small business successes and failures, and she passionately wanted to help more small business owners succeed.
Her father was an accountant, and during college, she worked in his business doing cleanups for client’s books, so she knew the importance of good accounting. During college for her business degree, she realized that accounting and business were infinitely tied together. However, she also recognized that many business owners and managers were completely lost on how the numbers on the books affected their businesses.
In addition to her business degree, she has a certificate in personal financial counseling. She spent many years training subordinates in sales techniques and supervising the top teams in a call center. She took some years off to care for her three children but freelanced as a bookkeeper during this time. Once her children were older, she began a successful career in the US Postal Service as a supervisor and acting Postmaster. She decided a better use of her skills and talents could be used if she started her own business, so she left it all behind to start Upkeep Business LLC. She had gained a surplus of labor, management, marketing, and accounting experience to carry over to her business. As a Certified Bookkeeper and QBO Advanced Certified ProAdvisor, she not only delivers top-notch bookkeeping services but also offers personalized coaching to empower you in mastering the intricacies of bookkeeping. She spends time monthly working with her clients, reviewing their numbers, and working through profitable strategies to ensure their success.
After years of success in helping client’s businesses grow and successfully growing her own business, she wants to help as many entrepreneurs achieve success as possible.
SCHEDULE WITH TRICIA
Drew Ellis
Legal | Branding & Graphic Design
Drew would love to meet with Novices, Early Stag, Growth Stage, and Executive Level Founders.
I am a double UTK grad: my first degree is in mechanical engineering and my second is a law degree. After graduating from engineering school, I worked in a variety of engineering roles with the bulk being in mechanical design engineering. From there, I really enjoyed certain aspects of the engineering process, specifically problem solving and new product creation, but I did not enjoy other aspects. I pivoted and went to Law School and focused on intellectual property and now work to help inventors and innovators protect their valuable IP. My work is primarily in mechanical devices but gets into some software and electrical type inventions. I also do a lot of trademark work and advising on adopting a mark or brand and how to best protect that. I am from a small farming community called Apison right outside of Chattanooga. After living and working in Knoxville during law school, my wife and I returned to the Chattanooga area and we now have two crazy baby boys.
SCHEDULE WITH DREW
