Smokies Life announces current board of directors, two open board positions

Smokies Life is pleased to announce its current board of directors. The nonprofit partner to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also currently accepting nominations for two open board positions. Smokies Life board members play a vital role in shaping the future of Smokies Life, with a core mission of supporting the perpetual preservation of the park.

The Smokies Life board comprises the organization’s CEO Jacqueline Harp, as well as business and community leaders who either live and work in Tennessee and North Carolina or are closely linked to the Great Smoky Mountains region. “Though we come from many walks of life, we work together in earnest to support the public lands treasure that is Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said board chair Geoff Cantrell. “Our love of the park draws us to volunteer our time and expertise as committed board members, providing vital guidance and oversight for Smokies Life’s work in the region.”

New board appointments are recommended and screened by the Smokies Life governance committee. “This is a critical time for our national parks and public lands,” said board member Brian Railsback, who chairs the governance committee and became involved with Smokies Life as the 2023 Steve Kemp Writer in Residence. “I cannot think of a better time to serve on the Smokies Life board because of the opportunity to work with our park partners, our dedicated staff, and new CEO Jacqueline Harp. It is a gift to be involved in an organization that seeks to enhance the experience for everyone at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

The Smokies Life board is composed of members with experience in a range of disciplines including financial professionals, business leaders, consultants, engineers, writers, historians and educators. The current Smokies Life Board of Directors is as follows:  

• Jacqueline Harp, Smokies Life CEO, who was raised in East Tennessee, has been a lifelong advocate for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and joined Smokies Life in 2024 after nearly 18 years at REI Co-op
• Geoff Cantrell, Board Chair, a Waynesville, North Carolina, resident and chief of communications for Givens Communities senior living who previously handled public affairs for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission in Raleigh
• Jill Thompson, Board Vice Chair, a lifelong resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, and the executive director of Greater Knoxville Hospitality Association, a nonprofit serving lodging facilities, restaurants, venues, attractions, and suppliers to the hospitality and tourism industries
• Lisa Davis, Board Treasurer, a native of Blount County, Tennessee, who now resides in Nashville, where she is senior vice president and chief financial officer of growth and ancillary businesses for Ascension, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit Catholic health systems
• Royce Pevy, Board Secretary, a Knoxville-based audit and risk professional who is currently the head of internal audit at Smith & Wesson in Maryville, Tennessee
• Jerry DeWeese, a resident of Sylva, North Carolina, who is a mechanical engineer for Duke Energy’s Hydro Fleet in Western North Carolina and South Carolina
• Jan Houston-Hickman, a native of Alcoa, Tennessee, who retired after a 25-year career in the aviation industry, during which time she served as regional director for Delta Global Services, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines
• Lori Hines, a semi-retired resident of both Asheville, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee, with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing who remains active in business through diverse entrepreneurial ventures and consulting
• Laura Jones, a Knoxville resident working in sales for top brands within the outdoor industry, with two decades of experience in sales and retail management
• Leah LaRocco, a resident of Townsend, Tennessee, who is the managing director of operations, awards and membership & industry relations at The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs)
• Laurie Macnair, a former University of Tennessee professor and management consultant based in Knoxville who currently coaches individuals and teams in leadership and development and is a certified forest therapy guide
• Janet McCue, a writer and researcher living in the Finger Lakes region of New York who was a librarian at Cornell University for three decades and co-authored two Smokies Life-published books, “Back of Beyond: A Horace Kephart Biography” (2019) and “George Masa: A Life Reimagined” (2024)
• Brian Railsback, who lives in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and is a professor of English at Western Carolina University, where he has served as department head, faculty chair and founding dean of the Brinson Honors College

Individuals interested in joining this team in one of the two open positions may apply for board service, register their interest or learn more at smokieslife.org/board-service. Directors serve three-year terms, and the board meets in March, June, September, and December. Applications are being accepted through June of 2025 for service beginning in December of 2025.