As Director of Partnerships, Brittany works across to recruit and manage relationships with funding and strategic partners that add value to LaunchTN’s work. Brittany joined LaunchTN in the spring of 2013 and previously was a member of the programming team leading talent initiatives, supporting portfolio company needs and LaunchTN’s statewide network of partners.

Brittany graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and a minor in Political Science.

Abby joined LaunchTN in April 2020 as Capital Formation Resource Coordinator. Prior to joining the team, Abby was a member of the ICC Venture Fellows program at LaunchTN. Abby earned her undergraduate degree from Tennessee Tech University in Bio-Molecular Engineering with a concentration in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and returned to TTU to complete her graduate degree in Business Administration in 2019. She is originally from Cookeville, TN.

Jami strives to tell and evolve the Launch Tennessee story by managing social media, web, marketing materials, and email campaigns.

Jami believes by building and bringing awareness to the entrepreneurial community through LaunchTN, we can make TN the most startup-friendly state in the nation.

Jami graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a BBA in Marketing.

Morgan joined the Launch Tennessee team in October of 2018 to take over Talent Portfolio initiatives. She works with the program team to build a robust talent pipeline for future entrepreneurs, as well as address current talent needs for growing businesses.

Prior to joining Launch Tennessee, Morgan spent three years in local economic development, focusing on workforce development programs and business recruitment. Most recently she ran operations for a local startup, Forward It On, and worked with the Social Enterprise Alliance to produce weeklong workshops for budding social entrepreneurs.

Morgan graduated from the University of Vermont in 2012 with a degree in Political science and economics.

Katie joined LaunchTN in February 2020 as Ecosystem Development Coordinator, supporting the Ecosystem Development Manager and the team to coordinate the execution of strategic initiatives and LaunchTN projects. Her responsibilities include coordinating execution with internal team members, network partners, stakeholders, and contractors.

As a Nashville native, Katie graduated from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and has worked for various nonprofits, including a philanthropic foundation, social service agencies, and art museums.

Khrys Hatch is a Nashville native and Summa Cum Laude graduate of Fisk University.

He currently serves as Launch Tennessee’s Capital Formation Manager where he works to expand and expedite the availability of capital to TN startups so that they can grow, be sustainable, create jobs, and build accessible economic prosperity. As part of those efforts, he manages LaunchTN’s investment fund, investor relations efforts, and several other capital-focused initiatives.

Outside of LaunchTN, Khrys is an active musician. He is also an HBCUvc Fellow and a class 74 graduate of Young Leaders Council.

Robert joined LaunchTN in early 2020 as the Grants and Data Coordinator. In his role, Robert coordinates existing report processes, helps identify and propose new grant opportunities, and coordinates the aggregation of LaunchTN’s organizational data.

Robert is an Atlanta-area native whose family ties reach across Tennessee. He is a recent Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a degree in Economics.

Steve brings a wealth of financial and strategic operation experience with him to his role as Director of Strategy at Launch Tennessee. Prior to working at Launch Tennessee, worked in the City Manager’s Office of the City of Henderson, Nevada, where he oversaw the municipal agencies strategic planning and performance management programs. Prior, Steve worked as the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for the MGM Grand Hotel, Inc. in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was also a Management Consultant with KPMG Consulting in the Real Estate and Hospitality practice based in Los Angeles, California.

Steve graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Finance.

Allie joined LaunchTN in early 2019 to manage LaunchTN’s commercialization program portfolio. Prior to joining the team, she spent almost five years in workforce development at Project Return and managed the operations of their two social enterprises.

Allie earned her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in Economics and Public Policy and returned to Vanderbilt to complete a graduate degree in Community Development and Action. She is originally from Stroudsburg, PA.

Michaela brings 10 years of office management and employee experience to the team. She thrives on providing unexpected joy to those around her and loves to collaborate, talk ideas, and set structure.

Michaela holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Nebraska with an emphasis in photography and graphic design. While her background is art, she finds pure enjoyment in assisting people to make sure business runs smoothly.

When not working, Michaela can be found in her ceramics studio, at the gym, supporting farmers at the market, or on an outside adventure with her dog, Juno.

As Ecosystem Development Manager, Topher works to empower our statewide network of resources focused on supporting Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, creating collaboration among entrepreneurs, the private sector, capital sources, institutions, and policymakers. He oversees LaunchTN policy initiatives, connecting the Tennessee entrepreneurial ecosystem with regional, state, and federal legislators. Topher also leads the annual 36|86 Festival, in collaboration with our statewide partners, guiding strategic direction and project management for the Southeast’s most dynamic gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem builders.

Topher joined LaunchTN in 2019 to serve as Operations Coordinator in support of LaunchTN’s operations and strategic initiatives, government affairs, and organization of 36|86 Festival.

Originally from central Georgia, Topher graduated from the University of Virginia in 2016 and worked as a federal contractor for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. prior to moving to Nashville.

Katherine serves as Director of Accounting after joining LaunchTN in March 2020 as the Finance and Accounting Manager.

Prior to LaunchTN, she owned a boutique accounting firm that focused on helping closely-held businesses and their owners navigate the worlds of accounting and taxes. Katherine has a background in both private and public accounting, which has given her a unique perspective into the entrepreneurial ecosystem in various industries, including real estate, hospitality, retail, country clubs, and healthcare. She has also been the CFO for several companies within these industries.

A Nashville native, Katherine earned her BBA, majoring in Accounting, from Belmont University. She is a CPA and a member of the AICPA and TSCPA.

Katherine serves on the Advisory Board for Restore Small Groups.

As Interim Chief Executive Officer, Van Tucker supports the mission and vision of making Tennessee the best state in the nation for startups by empowering a network of resources across the state.

Van spent most of her career in banking and finance, cofounding a startup community bank. Her time spent in the entertainment and fashion industries drives her appreciation for the entrepreneur and investor experiences. Leading teams to develop innovative solutions to problems, working with others who are fueled by purpose, and the human connection to technology are her passions.

Tucker has served on a variety of community and professional boards of directors, including Leadership Music (president), Americana Music Association (founder, board chair), Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Music Health Alliance, The Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation, The Arts and Business Council, Owen Graduate School of Management Alumni Board, Adventure Science Center, Tennessee Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (founder), Battleground Academy (vice-chair, Board of Trustees), Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Nashville Film Festival, Cumberland Valley Girl Scout Council, and T.J. Martell Foundation.

Ashlin joined the LaunchTN team in summer of 2019 as Partnerships Coordinator to support the Partnerships team. She was a former intern at Launch Tennessee, The Biz Foundry, and Tennessee Tech’s iCube which has given her exposure to the Tennessee entrepreneurial ecosystem on multiple levels.

A Nashville native, Ashlin earned her undergraduate degree in Finance and Economics from Tennessee Tech University, and returned to TTU to achieve her MBA concentrated in Management Information Systems in 2019.