Launch Tennessee is excited to share more about the leaders who will be participating in a mayor’s forum that will be part of this year’s 3686 programming.
Mayors from Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville will discuss what innovation is currently taking place in their cities and what they hope to see for the future.
Mayors in attendance will be:
Tim Kelly, Mayor of Chattanooga
Fast facts about Mayor Kelly:
- He’s the 66th Mayor of Chattanooga and grew up there, before attending Columbia University.
- Upon return to Chattanooga, Kelly expanded his family’s automotive dealership and launched several successful ventures of his own, including co-founding Chattanooga’s professional soccer club.
- He later earned his MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business.
- Since being elected mayor in April 2021, he has made great strides on his vision to create One Chattanooga — a city where every resident has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.
Indya Kincannon, Mayor of Knoxville
Fast facts about Mayor Kincannon
- She’s the 69th Mayor of Knoxville, whose top priorities include public safety, affordable housing and jobs/economic development.
- Mayor Kincannon was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Urban and Regional Planning.
- Prior to being elected to office, Mayor Kincannon had a diverse career and extensive record of service including 10 years as a member and Chair of the Knox County Board of Education. Mayor Kincannon has been a teacher, a budget analyst, and a paralegal for the Department of Justice.
- When it comes to jobs and economic development, Mayor Kincannon supports a new multi-use stadium in Knoxville. The stadium and surrounding redevelopment will bring thousands of jobs to the City, with a total estimated economic impact of $480 million.
Freddie O’Connell, mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Fast facts about Mayor O’Connell
- He’s the 10th mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
- He served on the Metro Council from 2015 to 2023 representing District 19.
- In his time on Metro Council, he worked to limit the impact of poverty, to create the city’s first Office of Homeless Services, to strengthen neighborhoods, and to make sure everyone participates as our economy grows. In seven months as Mayor, he has launched a transportation program that will be before the voters on the ballot in November, and passed an East Bank development deal that serves as an example of how the city would build neighborhoods all across the county.
- O’Connell has experience in Nashville’s software and start-up industry, most recently as Integration Architect for HealthStream.
Paul Young
Fast facts about Paul Young
- He’s the 65th mayor of Memphis.
- He is trained as a city planner, holding a Master of Science in urban and regional planning. His passion for city planning has been evident throughout his career, where he has spent the last decade improving the quality of life in Memphis by advancing housing security and developing healthy communities where families can thrive.
- He’s worked to bridge the divide between two Memphises — one ripe with opportunities and one lacking resources and safe neighborhoods.
- As the President of the Downtown Memphis Commission and the former Director of Housing and Community Development, Young has applied a holistic approach to unifying the city through public and private partnerships and targeted investments in our future.