Learn more about the board, committees, and councils that support the Frist.
The Frist Art Museum is governed by a board of trustees who provide oversight and determine the strategic direction for the institution. Trustees, who serve voluntarily, are passionate advocates for the mission and vision of the Frist Art Museum. Committees of the board include executive, finance, audit, and human resources. Advisory councils focus on education, marketing, community engagement, and development. One third of the board’s members also serve as trustees for the Frist Art Museum Foundation.
Board of Trustees
Billy Frist, chair and president
Phillip G. Billington
Clay Blevins
Laura Chadwick
Ramón L. Cisneros
Elizabeth Shaughnessy Dennis
Karyn McLaughlin Frist
Frank M. Garrison, Jr.
Howard C. Gentry
Bob Gordon
James Harbison
Donald R. Hardin, Jr.
Melvin N. Johnson, DBA
Neil B. Krugman
Wanda Lyle
Dee Patel
Tara Scarlett
Jamaal B. Sheats
John Smithwick
Joe N. Steakley
Deborah E. Story
Julie W. Walker
Gail P. Carr Williams
Trustees Emeriti
Thomas F. Frist, Jr., MD, chair
Kenneth L. Roberts*, president
Martha Rivers Ingram
Advisers
Corinne Bergeron
Jack F. Stringham II
2025 Frist Gala Co-Chairs
Corinne Kidd
Amy Richards
Kathryn Saunders
Honorary Trustees
Bernice W. Gordon
Ellen H. Martin
W. Lucas Simons
J. Stephen Turner
Frist Art Museum Committees
Executive Committee
Billy Frist, chair
Clay Blevins
Frank M. Garrison, Jr.
Howard C. Gentry
John Smithwick
Deborah E. Story
Julie W. Walker
Gail P. Carr Williams
Audit Committee
Joe N. Steakley, chair
Phillip G. Billington
Frank M. Garrison, Jr.
Ad Hoc Committee for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion
Jamaal B. Sheats, co-chair
Julie W. Walker, co-chair
Howard C. Gentry
Neil B. Krugman
Melvin N. Johnson, DBA
John Smithwick
Deborah E. Story
Gail P. Carr Williams
Finance Committee
Frank M. Garrison, Jr., chair
Phillip G. Billington
John Smithwick
Joe N. Steakley
Julie W. Walker
Governance Committee
Julie W. Walker, chair
Ramón L. Cisneros
Bob Gordon
Neil Krugman
Wanda Lyle
Deborah E. Story
Human Resources Committee
Deborah E. Story, chair
Clay Blevins
Laura Chadwick
Jamaal B. Sheats
John Smithwick
Frist Art Museum Councils
Community Engagement Council
Howard C. Gentry, chair
Ramon L. Cisneros
Michael Cooper
Paula Daigle
Donna DeStefano
Karyn McLaughlin Frist
Jenn Garcia
Courtney Adair Johnson
Lisa Maddox
Mayra Yu Morales
Cass Teague
Joshua Wagner
Development Council
Clay Blevins, chair
George Anderson
Laura Chadwick
Elizabeth Shaughnessy Dennis
Bob Gordon
Lauren Elcan Ingram
Neil B. Krugman
Marcya Sheats
Joe N. Steakley
Christine Weller
Stacy Widelitz
Jim T. Womack
Honorary Member
Ronald L. Samuels
Education Council
Gail Carr Williams, chair
Corey R. Alexander
Liz Atack
Maya M. Bugg
Chris Cheney
Carol Crittenden
Catharine L. Hollifield
J.C. Johnson
Melvin Johnson, D.B.A.
Midori A. Lockett
Meaghan Brady Nelson, Ph.D.
Marti Profitt-Streuli
LaTanya Rogers
Allison Ross
Kaleena Sales
Debrah C. Sickler-Voigt, Ph.D.
Shayna Snider
Jennifer Synder, Ph.D.
Tom Williams
Marketing Council
John Smithwick, chair
Laura Chadwick
Genma Holmes
Diane Janbakhsh
Sharon Kay
Laramey Lawson
Emmanuel LeGrair
Chris McPherson
Brent Meredith
Heather Middleton
Karlha Ramon
Doug Regen
Alicia Searcy
John Sharpe
Cassandra Teague-Walker
Ex Officio for Councils and Committees
Billy Frist, chair and president
Thomas F. Frist, Jr., MD, chair emeritus
* Deceased
