NASHVILLE, TN – Joelle Phillips of AT&T Tennessee recently joined the Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) Foundation, Inc. Sponsoring Committee.
The Committee is a representation of FFA’s most prestigious and influential stakeholders who meet annually to provide direction for the FFA Foundation. Their purpose is to garner support for the agricultural youth leadership organization found in high schools across Tennessee.
As President of AT&T Tennessee, Phillips is responsible for more than 5,400 employees. AT&T’s mission is to connect people with their world, everywhere they live and work, and do it better than anyone else. The company provides services to many of Tennessee’s farm, rural and suburban families.
“Every day, all of us with AT&T work to enhance connections between Tennesseans and their families, their communities and their work, investing more than $1.3 billion in our network statewide from 2011-2013,” said Joelle Phillips, President AT&T Tennessee. “It is an honor to serve in this role with the FFA as they strive to connect youth across Tennessee with opportunities to develop into the leaders of tomorrow.”
Like many FFA members, Phillips grew up in a small town. Her father was a professor at Auburn University where Joelle spent her childhood. Later, she earned a bachelor of fine arts from Birmingham-Southern College and a law degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law.
Phillips joins other Sponsoring Committee members: Waymon Hickman, Senior Chairman, First Farmers & Merchants Bank, Columbia; Bart Krisle, CEO, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, LaVergne; David Lynn, Senior Vice President, Farm Credit Mid America, Louisville; The Honorable Ron Ramsey, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate; Sonny Scoggins, CEO, Tennessee Farmers Insurance Companies, Columbia; Sammy Stuard, President and CEO, F&M Bank, Clarksville; Lee Todd, retired, Southern Cotton Ginners Association, Memphis; and Lacy Upchurch, President, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Columbia.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Nationally, there are 610,240 FFA members, aged 12-21. The Tennessee FFA Association is comprised of more than 13,000 members from 213 high school chapters, 7 middle school chapters and 8 collegiate chapters across the state of Tennessee.