The University of Tennessee at Martin WestStar Leadership Program’s Evelyn C. Robertson Jr. Conference of Excellence will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 19 at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson.
The Evelyn C. Robertson Jr. Conference of Excellence honors Robertson’s legacy as a 1997 WestStar graduate and a dedicated committee member for the conference.
Robertson was a former executive director of the Southwest Tennessee Development District in Jackson and served on the board of directors of the National Association of Development Organizations. He also served as the commissioner of what is now the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Robertson passed away on Aug. 19, 2024.
This conference serves as a platform to connect emerging and established leaders to networking opportunities and to collaborate on solutions to better West Tennessee communities. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in engaging sessions and forge partnerships through networking opportunities.
Jahnae Johnson, WestStar Leadership Program manager, leads all planning efforts for the conference. The Conference of Excellence committee is composed of WestStar alumni.
“This conference is the perfect opportunity to learn from a variety of diverse leaders across the region,” Johnson said. “Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting out, it is an opportunity to learn and grow in your own career path or journey.”
Emceeing this conference is Darlette Samuels, chief strategy and innovation officer at Jackson State Community College. This event also features keynote speaker K. Durell Cowan, founder and CEO of HEAL 901, a Memphis-based nonprofit organization focused on violence prevention, community outreach and mental health.
UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman Sr. will also be a guest speaker at this event.
To register, visit www.tinyurl.com/ycyvw8ph. The deadline to register and pay the $40 registration fee is Friday, May 8.
For more information about the Evelyn C. Robertson Jr. Conference of Excellence, email weststar@utm.edu or call 731-881-7787.
For more information about the WestStar Leadership Program and its programs and events, visit www.utm.edu/weststar.
For more information about UT Martin, visit www.utm.edu or call 1-800-829-UTM1 (-8861).
PHOTO: Gem Bell (left) of Haywood County, a 2013 alumnus of the WestStar Leadership Program, speaks at the inaugural Evelyn C. Robertson Jr. Conference of Excellence on April 29, 2025, in the Duncan Ballroom of the Boling University Center on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is seated with Kim Jones of McNairy County, a 2022 alumna of the WestStar Leadership Program. The 2026 Evelyn C. Robertson Jr. Conference of Excellence will be held May 19 at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson. The deadline to register is Friday, May 8.
