Smokies Life 2026 Board Announcement

At Smokies Life, our board of directors plays a vital role in fulfilling our mission as a nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: supporting the park’s perpetual preservation. We’re pleased to introduce the three new members who joined in December—Carol Agee, Jenny Baker, and Christopher Mann—and to recognize the entire current board.

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.

“We are honored to volunteer our time and talents to support the national treasure that is Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said board chair Jill Thompson. “Our love of the park draws us to provide thoughtful guidance and oversight, advancing Smokies Life’s mission and ensuring the park thrives for generations to come.”

The Smokies Life board is composed of members with experience in a range of disciplines, including financial and marketing professionals, attorneys, business leaders, consultants, 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
• Jill Thompson, board 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
• Brian Railsback, board vice chair, 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
• 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
• Carol Agee, an Alabama native who moved to East Tennessee in 1981 where she has enjoyed a long career in hospitality and tourism, including more than 30 years in marketing, strategic alliances, and community relations for the Dollywood Company
• Jenny Baker, a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, who is vice president of communications and engagement at Community Veterinary Partners, the founder of SheVentures outdoor adventure company for women, and co-director of the Georgia Jewel Ultra Trail Race
• 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’ 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 and 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)
• Christopher Mann, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, and an attorney with broad expertise in intellectual property, marketing, advertising, and regulatory compliance who is currently senior counsel at Smith & Wesson in Maryville, Tennessee

The current Smokies Life board is confirmed through the third quarter of 2027, with the next open-application period culminating in June 2027 for service beginning in December 2027. Directors serve three-year terms, and the board meets in March, June, September, and December. Individuals interested in joining the board may register their interest, apply, or learn more at SmokiesLife.org/board-service.