By The Gilbert Family
of U.S. Colored Troops
Chattanooga State Community College faculty and staff are earning recognition across Tennessee’s higher education system, highlighted by the appointment of Clomeisha Tumlin as Faculty Regent for the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR).
Tumlin, department head and associate professor in Chattanooga State Community College’s Business and Industry Division, has been appointed by Governor Bill Lee to serve a two-year term through June 30, 2027.
In the role, she will represent faculty perspectives from community colleges across the state and contribute to system-wide decision-making affecting higher education institutions in Tennessee.
A Faculty Regent serves as a formal member of the Tennessee Board of Regents and helps shape policies governing the state’s community colleges and Colleges of Applied Technology. Responsibilities include participating in board meetings, reviewing and approving budgets, advocating for faculty concerns, helping guide institutional leadership decisions, and contributing to academic policy discussions.
Tumlin, who has served at Chattanooga State since 2015, said her work has focused on advancing student success, career readiness, and high-impact educational practices designed to prepare students for employment and long-term professional growth.
Prior to entering higher education, she spent more than a decade in human resources within the healthcare industry, gaining experience in workforce development, employee relations, and organizational leadership.
Currently serving as department head and associate professor in Chattanooga State’s Business and Industry Division, Tumlin previously served as president of the Faculty Senate during the 2024–2025 academic year and held the position of president-elect from 2022 to 2024.
Her professional leadership extends beyond campus. Tumlin serves as treasurer for the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce East Brainerd Council and Community Haven boards and participates on the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga’s Together We Can Scholarship Board and Chattanooga State Community College’s Business Advisory Board.
Tumlin earned bachelor’s degrees in human resources and general management, along with a master’s degree in business, from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
According to Tennessee law, the Tennessee Board of Regents oversees the governance and management of the state’s community college and technical college system. When legislation approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2025 is fully implemented, the board will consist of 21 members, including public representatives, faculty, students, and ex-officio state officials.
The board’s mission includes governing Tennessee’s community colleges and Colleges of Applied Technology, coordinating educational systems while preserving institutional independence, improving operational effectiveness through centralized services, strengthening accountability for state funding, and ensuring public oversight of postsecondary education.
“These recognitions reflect the skills and leadership we see every day at Chattanooga State,” said Dr. Rebecca Ashford, president of Chattanooga State. “Our faculty and staff are making meaningful contributions not only on our campus, but to the future of higher education across Tennessee.”
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (June 2026) — A forgotten chapter of Chattanooga’s history was brought into focus during the Historic Preservation Town Hall held on June 3 at Chattanooga City Hall, where descendants and preservation advocates called for greater recognition and protection of Turkey Foot Hollow also know as Shot Hollow and Johnson Cemetery, one of the region’s most historically significant burial grounds.
Hosted by Chattanooga City Council Members Dennis Clark, Ron Elliott, and Cody Harvey, the town hall introduced the historic preservation planning process for Chattanooga and Hamilton County. The initiative is being led by Walker Collaborative in partnership with Preserve Chattanooga and funded by the Lyndhurst Foundation and the Tennessee Historical Commission. The discussion was moderated by WUTC’s Ray Bassett.
Among those addressing attendees were former Chattanooga City Councilman Russell J. Gilbert Sr. and his daughter, Skieree A. Gilbert, who presented a historical overview of Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow) and Johnson Cemetery. The presentation was based on years of family research and historical documentation compiled by Terri, Russell, and Skieree Gilbert.
For decades, Russell and Terri Gilbert have been dedicated advocates for preserving Johnson Cemetery and the history of Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow). Through historical research, family records, oral histories, and community engagement, they have worked to protect the burial grounds of their ancestors and preserve the legacy of the families who helped shape the community.
Their preservation efforts have become a multi-generational family initiative. Alongside Russell and Terri, their daughter, Skieree Gilbert, has played an active role in researching the history of Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow) and bringing awareness to its significance. Their son, Terran “T-RAN” Gilbert, has used his platform to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the cemetery and the history of their family legacy, while his wife, Alexis Gilbert, has assisted with research organization and correspondence with local and state officials.
Together, the Gilbert family remains committed to ensuring that the history, culture, and contributions of Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow) are recognized, documented, and preserved for future generations.
“To understand why Johnson Cemetery matters, we must first understand the history of Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow),” Skieree Gilbert told attendees during the presentation.
According to family records, historical accounts, and documented burials, Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow) existed long before the Civil War and was home to Indigenous Cherokee, Black, and Brown families living along what is now Chattanooga’s Highway 58 corridor. The community developed schools, churches, businesses, and civic institutions that served generations of residents.
Before Tennessee became a state and before the displacement caused by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the construction of the TNT plant, Turkey Foot Hollow (Shot Hollow) was a thriving community where families established homes, maintained burial traditions, built institutions, and sustained deep connections to the land.
One of the most significant surviving landmarks from that history is Johnson Cemetery, located near present-day Booker T. Washington State Park.
Historical records indicate that the cemetery contains some of the earliest documented burials associated with the community, including Sarah Batcher, whose burial is recorded in 1816. Many additional graves remain unmarked or undocumented, suggesting that much of the area’s Indigenous Cherokee, Black, and Brown history has yet to be fully uncovered and preserved.