The Roane Alliance Staff

Leslie Henderson <email>

President/CEO of The Roane Alliance

Ms. Henderson has been the President and CEO of The Roane Alliance since February 16, 2004. She serves on the International Advisory Committee of the International Economic Development Council, and was featured in the March 2006 Business Tennessee magazine in their Executive Profile. Leslie came to the Alliance from the City of Knoxville, where she had been Development Director under former Mayor Victor Ashe. During her tenure in Knoxville, she oversaw the redevelopment of Market Square in downtown Knoxville, as well as implementation of a new downtown residential tax incentives program. She has lived and worked overseas twice, once in Beijing and another time in Prague. She is married, and now lives in a house on Watts Bar Lake, South of the River, with her husband, Barry, a long-time newspaper editor and professional journalist. They have four grown children and three beloved grandchildren.

Wanda Pinkerton <email>

Vice President of the Roane Alliance and Business Retention & Expansion

Mrs. Pinkerton joined the Alliance as Chief Administrative Officer in September, 2005.  Previously she handled trusts, estates and real estate for a bank in Knoxville, and for a number of years was the Executive Assistant to the County Administrator in Citrus County Florida.  Wanda is the immediate past president of the Roane County Association of Women Executives.  Her husband Jim is the Kingston City Manager.  They live in Kingston on Watts Bar Lake.  

Allen Lutz <email>

Education and Workforce Development Specialist

Allen Lutz joined The Alliance in October 2008.  Prior to coming to the Alliance, he was with Junior Achievement of East Tennessee (JAET) as the Director of JA BizTown, an experiential-based elementary education program for 5th grade students.  Allen was one of the primary JAET leaders responsible for the envisioning, planning, organizing and implementing of JA BizTown.  He also served as the JAET Education Director, responsible for coordinating and delivering economic education programs that were taught by volunteers.  Allen also worked in several positions with a startup company in Knoxville for seven years.  Prior to coming to East Tennessee, he was a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and served on active duty 21 years.  Allen is married to a former Army colonel and has one teenaged daughter who keeps him young.

Pam May <email>

Manager of Marketing & Tourism 

Ms. May is the new tourism/marketing manager at The Roane Alliance and is looking forward to sharing her love of Roane County with others.  She grew up in Harriman where she now resides with her husband Eddie.  Ms. May has an Economics Degree from The University of Tennessee.  She loves to scrapbook and previously was the owner of Tennessee Crafting Company in downtown Rockwood.  Ms. May is excited about  developing new and creative initiatives to promote Roane County.  In her spare time she loves camping and boating on Watts Bar Lake with her husband, niece and nephew. 

Teresa Jackson <email>

Fiscal and Industrial Services Specialist 

Ms. Jackson has been an employee of the Industrial Development Board and the Roane Alliance for over nine years.  Ms. Jackson also serves as the Three Star Program Coordinator for Roane County.  Ms. Jackson is originally from Coalfield but now resides in Kingston.  She is the mother of two wonderful children and the proud "Nana" of two precious grandchildren.

Darrell Williams<email>

Director of Business Development

Darrell joined the Roane Alliance on February 1, 2010, serving as the Membership Services Manager for the Chamber of Commerce. A native of Roane County, he has lived and worked in Texas and Nashville over the years, but chose to move his family back to Roane County in 1994. Darrell attended Roane State and has been educated in prominent sales, marketing and business management programs.  He recently worked as a sales and marketing consultant for small businesses.  In his spare time Darrell enjoys boating on Watts Bar Lake and hiking the Walden's Ridge trails he loved as a kid.

Tami Wright <email>

Visitors & MemberServices

Ms. Wright recently joined the Alliance team.  A military child born in Harriman, she grew up all over the United States, only to return her senior year and graduate from Harriman High School.She has spent the last ten years working in the Knoxville area for Coca-Cola and Anderson News.  Ms. Wright is the mother of two sons and proud grandmother to seven wonderful grandchildren.  When not spoiling her grandchildren in her spare time she is gardening and taking care of her beloved pets.