School board members help round out Harris’ team
Three Shelby County school board members and 19 others round out Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris’ transition team, which met Aug. 14 for the first time.
SCS board chairwoman Shante Avant, vice chairwoman Stephanie Love and board member-elect Michelle Robinson McKissack were all named to the team Aug. 14 ahead of the meeting.
Also on the list are Just City Executive Director Josh Spickler and Dale Lane, the Shelby County division director for the office of preparedness who lost the race for sheriff the same night Harris was elected mayor. Cato Johnson, a University of Memphis board member and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare chief of staff, will also join the team.
The transition team previously announced co-chairs, honorary co-chairs, and an additional 15 members. The new names on the list are: ❚ Josh Spickler, Executive Director, Just City
❚ Kristine Roberts, Attorney, Baker Donelson
❚ Hari Surineni, Trustee, India Cultural Center & Temple
❚ Jason Wexler, President of Business Operations, Grizzlies
❚ Mike Ritz, Former Commissioner, Shelby County
❚ Rick Thompson, Business Manager, IBEW Local 1288 Union ❚ Joe Royer, Owner, Outdoors, Inc. ❚ Emily Fulmer, Community Activist ❚ Dale Lane, Division Director, Office of Preparedness
❚ Heidi Shafer, Commission Chairwoman, Shelby County
❚ Michelle McKissack, New Commissioner, Shelby County School Board ❚ John Freeman, Program Analyst ❚ Roquita Coleman, Member, MATA Board of Commissioners
❚ Derwin Sisnett, Founder, Maslow Development Inc.
❚ Inés Negrette, Executive Director, CasaLuz
❚ Shante Avant, Board Chairwoman, Shelby County School Board
❚ Cato Johnson, Chief of Staff, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
❚ Stephanie Love, Vice Chairwoman, Shelby County School Board
Charlie Caswell, Outreach Pastor, The House Memphis Church
❚ David Weatherspoon, Chaplain, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
❚ Stephanie Reyes, Director of Development, OutMemphis
❚ Lori Turner-Wilson, CEO, RedRover Sales & Marketing.
The complete list is a diverse array of represented businesses, community and religious leaders and government officials.
There are no elected officials on the list from the six suburbs in Shelby County, and the group leans heavily toward Memphis city or countywide officials.
Shafer will join fellow commissioner Mark Billingsley on the team, one of the names previously announced.
Spickler said he joined the team in an effort to focus conversations on the criminal justice system in Shelby County.
“I want to really be a part of a conversation that rethinks how we use jail,” Spickler said following the meeting. “So I wanted to say that to the mayor-elect, and I did.”
Looking around the people in the room, he said, he saw diversity in both race and gender. Those in attendance shared what they thought should be a top priority for the new administration.
“It just looked like Shelby County, and the things they said sounded like Shelby County,” Spickler said.
Harris previously announced Danielle Inez will serve as executive director of the transition team. Paul Morris, president of Jack Morris Auto Glass and former president of the Downtown Memphis Commission, and Lionel Hollins, former Memphis Grizzlies basketball coach, will serve as co-chairs.
Honorary co-chairs include former city and county mayor A C Wharton, outgoing county commissioner Walter Bailey, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, philanthropist Gayle Rose and former city Councilwoman Tajuan Stout Mitchell.