BA Anthropology, University of Memphis
MA Medical and Urban Anthropology, University of Memphis
Nikki Edney works as a program evaluator at Centerstone Research Institute evaluating a homelessness program that covers 21 counties in Tennessee. Her areas of interest include health disparities, mental health, and cultural competency. Beyond her professional work, Edney is an avid marathon runner and triathlete.

BA History, Middle Tennessee State University
MA History, Middle Tennessee State University
Zack McCullough’s research and writing focus on 19th-century U.S. history, the Atlantic world, slavery, and the history of race and ethnicity. He has written an unpublished thesis on Chinese migrant workers in the southern U.S during Reconstruction.

Tim Pierce is the founder and principle consultant for Experiential Learning Partners, a Nashville-based executive education consulting company. Pierce began his working life as a professional actor in New York City where he discovered the power of immersive experiences. He later served as Director of the Executive Development Institute at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Pierce always has believed that immersive experiences have the power to transform individual human behavior and create behavioral change. His development events incorporate live, immersive, and immediate activities directly tied to learning such as role playing, computer simulation, design thinking exercises, and facilitated small group discussions. Pierce’s clients include Nissan, FedEx, Cisco Systems, Eli Lilly, Hewlett Packard, LP Building Products, and many others.