Advisory Council Biographies
Anne Whitaker- Anne earned her degree in Chemistry and Business at UNA. She currently is the Chairman, President & CEO of KNOW Bio Respiratory LLC, a biopharmaceutical company focused on research, development and commercialization of novel respiratory medicines based on a proprietary nitric oxide platform technology. Prior to her current role, she served as Executive Vice President and Company Group Chairman for Valeant Pharmaceuticals leading the Global Branded Pharmaceutical Business. Anne is active in the North Carolina community as a member of the North Carolina School of Math and Science Foundation Board and several women’s leadership organizations including Women in Bio, HBA, and Women Corporate Directors.
John Briggs - With over 25 years’ experience in the music industry, John Briggs possesses a wealth of expertise as a senior level music industry executive. Having served as Vice President of Membership for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), John earned a reputation for trend-spotting for ASCAP. Just a few of the members John recruited include: the Backstreet Boys, the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney, ZZ Top, Brad Paisley, John Paul White, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Little Texas, Jessica Simpson, Drive By Truckers, and Garth Brooks.
In April of 2010, John launched Briggs Entertainment which has partnered with Estevez/Sheen Production’s, Disney producer Jamie Houston, and colleagues Curt Jones (Dippin’ Dots Founder), and Dan Jarrett (CEO Ultich Medical).
John was asked in 2014 to join US Bank’s Private Client Reserve’s Entertainment and Pro Sports Division as an Entertainment Industry Specialist Wealth Management Consultant.
A dedicated arts supporter, Mr. Brigg’s has served on Boards for: the Academy of Country Music (ACM), Muscle Shoals Music Association (MSMA), Nashville Entertainment Association and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame board (past Chairman of the Board). He is also a past Governor of the Nashville Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
In 1997 Briggs received the Alabama Governor’s Award for his contribution to American music and in 2008 he received the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Music Industry Achievement Award.
Advisory Council Biographies
Debra Dombrowski - Debra graduated from UNA with a degree in Communications and currently works for Emerson Network Power – Data Center Solutions in Huntsville, AL. Debra is originally from Chicago and made her way to the Shoals, and UNA, via Tampa, Florida. Her husband, Jackie Hendrix, and she live in Florence with three large dogs and two cats. Debra currently serves on the board of directors of Safeplace and for many years volunteered with the Arts Alive festival. She recently rechanneled her volunteering energy to the Florence Lauderdale Public Library where they have established an annual book festival. The first Shoals Reader Riot Book Festival will be held in the spring of 2017.
David Edwards – Dr. Edwards earned his Physics degree from UNA and went on to Auburn University for his master’s degree and a doctoral degree in material engineering. David is the manager of the Science and Technology chief engineer’s office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. David joined the NASA team in 1989 and has served in increasingly responsible leadership positions throughout his career. As chief engineer, David is responsible and accountable for the technical functionality for all systems under development within the Science and Technology Office.
Wesley Garmon is the education coordinator at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Secondary Education License and Certification from Athens State University and a Master’s degree in History, with a concentration in Public History, from the University of North Alabama. His graduate work focused on museum administration, digital history, and archival training. Upon graduation in 2012, he accepted a position as the curriculum specialist for the ADAH and now serves as head of the Education Section. Garmon recently launched a highly successful virtual field trip program and is making significant strides in helping educators discover new methods of instruction to deliver historical content to Alabamians beyond the traditional classroom environment.
Advisory Council Biographies
Lorri Glover graduated from UNA in 1990, majoring in history and political science. She went on to earn her MA in history from Clemson and PhD from the University of Kentucky. She taught at the University of Tennessee for twelve years before moving to Saint Louis University, where she is the John Francis Bannon Endowed Chair of History. Lorri has published nine books in American history, most recently Founders as Fathers: The Private Lives and Politics of the American Revolutionaries (Yale University Press) and The Fate of the Revolution: Virginians Debate the Constitution (Johns Hopkins University Press). She is a past president of the Southern Association for Women Historians, has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Southern History, and was a distinguished
lecturer with the Organization of American Historians. Lorri gives invited talks around the country. In October 2016, she delivered the Nelson Lecture at UNA, in honor of her treasured mentor, Larry Nelson.
Carnette Johnson – Carnette graduated from UNA in 1983 with a degree in Accounting. Since 1993, Carnette has worked in the glue applicator machinery industry and resides in the Atlanta area. She has successfully assisted in the implementation of a global accounting module called R3P. Her personal motto is all about critical “out of the box” thinking. Carnette has participated in Everybody Wins Atlanta which is a reading program, Time N Talent, and fundraising for Relay for Life. Since 2012, she has served as UNA’s Alumni President for the Greater Atlanta area where she attends college fairs to help recruit quality college students. She also chairs a UNA committee called “The Flashback Committee” who are a group of African American alumni who plan events during homecoming to enhance UNA involvement. She is currently pursuing her Executive Masters of Business Administration degree online with the University of North Alabama.
Advisory Council Biographies
Dr. Nafziger is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Neurology and Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Sarah graduated from UNA in 1996 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Biology and completed her medical school, Emergency Medicine residency, and fellowship in Disaster Medicine Research at UAB. She has deployed to major disaster sites and responded to disasters both with local agencies and with the National Disaster Medical System. She has been a Medical Officer for both the United States Army Reserve
and the Alabama Air National Guard with deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sarah also serves as the Assistant State EMS Medical Director for the Alabama Department of Public Health. She serves as the president of the Alabama chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians and is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS.
Tom Ross - Tom is employed with Wells Fargo Advisors as a First Vice President and Branch Manager of the Florence, Alabama office. He sits on the UNA Foundation Board and is a member of the Turtle Point Board of Trustees. Mr. Ross is a past president of the Florence Country Club and has been active with many boards over the years including Big Brothers, Big Sisters and was a founding board member of the Children's Museum of the Shoals.
Advisory Council Biographies
David Sunseri – Dr. Sunseri graduated from the University of North Alabama in 1998 with a B.S. in Chemistry. He continued his education obtaining a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry in 2003 from Florida State University under the direction of Professor John G. Dorsey. He is currently Vice President, Product Development at Berg, LLC in Nashville, Tennessee. At Berg, David oversees clinical manufacturing, product and process development, engineering operations, and supply chain. Prior to joining Berg, David worked at Schering-Plough and Merck in clinical development and commercial manufacturing. David is a member of the University of North Alabama Foundation, where he serves as Treasurer and Chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.
Judge Terry is a 1994 graduate of the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in political science and minors in history and Spanish. She attended Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and graduated in 1998 with a Doctorate of Jurisprudence. Judge Terry was in private practice in Moulton, Alabama for ten years trying cases throughout North Alabama and sitting as the Municipal Judge in Hillsboro prior to being appointed District Judge of Lawrence County by Governor Bob Riley in March 2009. She was elected in November 2010 and was unopposed in November 2016. As District Judge she is also the Juvenile Court Judge and by law the chairperson of the Lawrence County
Children's Policy Council. In that capacity she was recently asked by the President of the Alabama State Bar to Co-Chair the Alabama State Bar's Task Force on Foster Children and implement a statewide program to provide suitcases for all Alabama foster children based upon a program which proved very successful in Lawrence County. Judge Terry also serves on the Board for Hospice of the Valley and is a member of the local Rotary club. She lives in Moulton with her husband Shanon and daughter Ashley who is a high school senior.