Staff
Alex Wyss, Executive Director
Alex Wyss serves as the Executive Director of Tennessee State Parks Conservancy, championing fundraising efforts and working with Tennessee State Parks to enhance experiences for all to enjoy.
He has 30 years of experience in conservation and fundraising. He has tackled all types of environmental challenges throughout his career.
Alex comes from The Nature Conservancy, where he served as Director of Conservation and led statewide initiatives in forest restoration and freshwater preservation, as well as agricultural and fire–adapted systems. His leadership in land and water conservation initiatives integrated outdoor recreation and economic development.
Alex’s achievements include safeguarding iconic sites like Hatchie River and Pogue Creek State Natural Area. In addition, he also played a key role in the creation of Middle Fork Bottoms State Park, a 1,000-acre public recreation gem. In his career, Alex has secured more than $5 million in public and private funding.
Alex is a Florida State University alumnus and received an M.S. in Wildlife Sciences from Auburn University. He loves spending time outdoors with his family, friends, and furry pals.
Gina Hancock, Senior Advisor
Gina Hancock serves as Senior Advisor to the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy where she helps guide strategy, fundraising efforts, and organizational growth. She joined the Conservancy in 2022 and brings more than 20 years’ experience leading nonprofit organizations.
Prior to joining the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy, Gina held multiple positions at The Nature Conservancy. This includes Tennessee State Director, where she led campaigns that helped preserve tens of thousands of acres of land and
protected some of the area’s most vulnerable species.
Following those accomplishments, Gina became the Conservation Strategies Director of Global Lands, where she led a team of 47.
Gina has also used her nonprofit expertise to address critical issues such as affordable housing and food insecurity. She co-created Welcome Home! The Movement for Affordable Housing, a coalition
advocating policy changes across Nashville.
She also collaborated with Brad and Kimberly Paisley, as well as Rev. Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms, to launch The Store. This is a nonprofit grocery store in Nashville, which led to another venture focused on tackling student hunger at Virgina Tech.
Gina lives in east Nashville with her family and two dogs. She is an avid Formula One fan and a serious outdoor enthusiast (if that isn’t obvious already).
Cathy Cate has served as a Board member for the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy since 2017 and holds the Board Chair position. In her professional career, Cathy was the founding Executive Director and President of Leadership Tennessee, Tennessee’s first and only statewide leadership program. Under Cathy’s guidance, Leadership Tennessee has moved from Lipscomb University to a standalone 501(c)(3). This has received $850,000 in Gates Foundation grants and successfully engaged over 400 high-level thought leaders from all geographic regions and professional sectors of the state.
Jamie joined the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy Board in 2019. He serves as Senior Financial Advisor and Vice President for Summit Wealth Group. Jamie is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and outdoors enthusiast.
Bob Martineau joined as a Board member of the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy in 2021 and holds the Board Chair position. He is a Senior Partner at Finn Partners, one of the nation’s fastest growing public relations firms, where he helps a variety of clients with communications and public affairs strategies. Prior to Finn Partners, Bob held positions as the Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Senior Attorney for the US EPA Office of General Counsel, and President of LHP Management at LHP Capital, LLC.
Finn Partners, Nashville
Chris Bavis has served as a Board member for the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy since 2022. He is also the Director of Asset Management for Ryman Hospitality Properties. In his day to day, Chris creates investment strategies to grow the company portfolio and leads sustainability initiatives for the hotels through operational change.
Dustin Eden is Sr. Director of Talent Acquisition at Oracle. Dustin is responsible for leading recruiting for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure in North America, and also leads recruiting for Oracle’s new global headquarters in Nashville. Dustin lives in Murfreesboro with his wife April and seven children, Chase, Trevor, Kohen, Nick, Wyatt, Ella and Henry. Outside of work, Dustin enjoys exploring historical sites across Tennessee and the broader South with his kids, and is making progress on a goal to visit every NFL stadium in the country by 2030.
Andy Stone joined the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy Board in 2022. He is currently President of Black Creek Chattanooga and a partner at Perimeter Properties, a family-owned real estate development business. In his day to day work, Andy serves as the main point of contact at Perimeter Properties for government affairs and development. He is very committed to the community and also serves as a Board member for the Chattanooga Zoo. Despite a background in engineering, Andy is an avid outdoor enthusiast.
Thomasa Ross joined the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy Board in 2022. A military veteran who served at Fort Bragg and Iraq, Thomasa has participated in, directed and supported numerous operations. She currently serves as a Legislative Liaison for the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Fort Campbell Chapter, advocating on behalf of veterans, service members and their families. Thomasa was the first woman in her Company to graduate from Air Assault School and serve as Guidon Bearer, as well as the first woman in a 51-year history to be elected President of the MOAA Chapter.
Seth Rainford is the newest Board member for the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy. He is currently the President & Co-founder of Digital Diagnostics, the first company in any field of medicine to receive FDA clearance for a fully autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic system. Rainford’s passion for excellence and equity can be seen through his leadership style that prioritizes people. In his career, Seth has been listed as a “Top 10 Entrepreneur to Watch in Healthcare in 2022” by Forbes Magazine and recognized for his work in paving the path for autonomous AI to become the new standard in healthcare.
Brandon Sanders is a Director at Amazon, leading Americas Stores Tech Talent Acquisition (ASTTA). He oversees Amazon’s tech hiring across North America and relocated to Nashville in 2023 to help scale Amazon’s local presence. With 24 years in talent acquisition, Brandon has been key to Amazon’s growth over his 11-year tenure, helping expand the company from 100,000 to 1.6 million employees.
Prior to Amazon, Brandon worked at Fortune 500 companies including Target and American Family Insurance. He holds a BBA in Human Resource Management and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, along with several HR certifications.
Outside of work, Brandon is passionate about the outdoors, an interest stemming from his childhood in Central Wisconsin. He has experience in conservation work and served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard and Montana Conservation Corps.
You can often find Brandon and his family hiking and exploring their new home state of Tennessee.
Memphis, Tennessee | tinapsullivan@gmail.com | 901-297-0557
Tina Sullivan is a nonprofit and civic leader with more than two decades of experience advancing community, environmental, and public space initiatives. As Executive Director of Overton Park Conservancy for more than ten years, she oversaw the transformation of one of the most iconic urban parks in Memphis. She built a strong foundation of governance and financial stewardship; led a dynamic coalition of staff, board members, volunteers, and partners to raise and invest more than $20 million for capital improvements; and engaged thousands of residents in shaping the park’s future.
Today, through her independent grants and nonprofit consulting practice, Tina supports organizations throughout the region in strengthening their capacity to secure and manage funding, develop effective boards and teams, and deliver programs that serve both people and place. Her work is grounded in collaboration, sustainability, and a deep respect for the role of nonprofits in uniting communities.
A graduate of the University of Memphis with a background in communications and public service, Tina is passionate about fostering community connections, public spaces, and shared experiences that bring people together. Outside of work, she enjoys time in nature, cooking, and exploring the cultural life of Memphis and other vibrant cities.
Lottie Ryans serves as the Director of Workforce and Literacy Initiatives for the First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) where she develops creative partnerships working with k-12, post- secondary, economic developers and business and industry. She leads the Caring Workplace Rural Opportunities Initiative and STRONG Families NETN. While at the FTDD, she has generated more than $31m in grants and private donations to support her programs.
She currently serves on the board for BCBST and is a Commissioner for the Doug Henry State Museum. She is on the NESCC Foundation, Milligan University Board of Trustees, the Regional DEI Alliance, and Bravissima , to name a few. She is a 2025 Graduate of the ARC Appalachian Regional Institute leadership program, the 2019/20 Leadership Tennessee program and the 2018/19 Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute.
In 2015 Ryans retired as Vice President and General Manager for CenturyLink responsible for Western NC and the state of TN. She has received numerous awards and honors and is a frequent conference speaker. She and Eric have been married 43 years , are avid travelers and are proud parents and grandparents. A UTK graduate, she is an avid Vols football supporter but supports the ETSU Buccaneer Basketball program.
Brian Clifford serves as Deputy Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. He began his career as an attorney, spending about a decade in private practice and public-sector counsel before moving into leadership roles in the state’s bureau of conservation.
Driven by a passion for all things outdoors, Clifford transitioned from legal work into strategy and executive leadership—first as Director of Strategic Initiatives and later as the founding Director of Tennessee’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, focused on strengthening conservation and expanding access to Tennessee’s outdoors. A founding member of the Tennessee Outdoor Partnership, he unites public, private, and nonprofit leaders to advance shared outdoor priorities. An avid hunter, kayaker, and mountain biker, he doesn’t just champion outdoor initiatives that connect communities with trails, waterways, and public lands—he actively enjoys them.
Appointed Deputy Commissioner in 2026, Clifford now provides executive leadership for the Bureau of Conservation, which includes Tennessee State Parks, State Natural Areas, archaeology, and the Office of Outdoor Recreation. Married to Michelle and a father of two, he also coaches youth sports and serves as a Williamson County Commissioner.