Eight senior leaders from business, finance, higher education, government, foundations, and the nonprofit sector have been selected for induction into the inaugural PDI Fellows Academy and to represent the region at the Academy’s executive convening at Vanderbilt University, June 23-26, 2026.
The Academy is led by Global Action Platform (GAP) in partnership with the Porter Development Initiative (PDI) and is part of the statewide Tennessee Leaders Action Platform (TLAP), a network of 120 senior leaders organized into eight regional economic Steering Committees.
Mark Farley, Chair of the Upper Cumberland Steering Committee, and Dr. Scott T. Massey, Chairman and CEO of Global Action Platform, announced the regional delegation today.
Pictured, from left, Helene Cash, Scott Massey, Megan Spurgeon, Samantha Cross, and Stefanie Byrd. Back row, from left: Zach Stephens and Denny Wayne Robinson. Not pictured: Lisa Uhrik and Adam Poe.
The leaders inducted from the Upper Cumberland region are:
- Stefanie Byrd, Tennessee Technological University
- Lisa Uhrik, Franklin Fixtures
- Helene Cash, Tennessee Central Economic Authority
- Samantha Sherrell Cross, Encompass Manufacturing
- Adam Poe, Highlands Economic Partnership
- Denny Wayne Robinson, White County Executive
- Megan Spurgeon, Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency
- Zach Stephens, Livingston-Overton County Chamber of Commerce
A Selective Statewide Leadership Initiative
Membership in the Academy is highly selective. Regional Steering Committees and the Tennessee University Presidents Council nominate leaders based on their capacity for impact, commitment to collaboration, ethical integrity, and role in advancing economic opportunity and community well-being. Beginning this year, approximately 135 leaders from eight regional economic zones across Tennessee and neighboring counties in adjoining states will be inducted into the Academy and invited to the executive session.
Data-Driven Leadership for Regional Impact
The Academy is designed to strengthen regional competitiveness and shared prosperity by equipping leaders to work as a regional delegation to address complex economic and social challenges.
Drawing on the renowned work of Michael Porter and other leading research, the Academy deploys a proprietary curriculum incorporating Harvard Business School case studies, a Competitiveness Scorecard, and customized cluster economic data and social metrics from the U.S. Cluster Mapping Project, available only to Academy members.
Members of the Academy will address the increasing and unsustainable divergence in prosperity in the US and our region. Working- and middle-class citizens struggle, while corporations and individuals who can access global opportunities are thriving. Prosperity and opportunity are generated but not shared as broadly as needed, especially in rural areas.
At the June executive session, delegates will work with their regional peers to develop a pragmatic and sustainable action initiative focused on a priority opportunity for their region. These projects will be documented and shared statewide to support ongoing collaboration and implementation.
“The Academy and Tennessee Leaders Action Platform are building a network of leaders committed to strengthening the long-term competitiveness and opportunity of their regions,” said Dr. Massey, Chairman and CEO, Global Action Platform. “We are honored to work with the Upper Cumberland Steering Committee, the Porter Development Initiative, and the Tennessee University Presidents Council to support this important effort.”
“The Upper Cumberland Development District is excited to be a sponsor of this inaugural event,” said Mark Farley, Chair of the Upper Cumberland Steering Committee and Executive Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District and Human Resource Agency. “This is an investment in our economic development leadership for our region.”
About Global Action Platform: Global Action Platform (GAP) is an international university-business alliance based in Tennessee that advances scalable solutions for economic growth, workforce development, and shared prosperity. TLAP and the PDI Fellows Academy are programs of GAP, presented in collaboration with the Porter Development Initiative, founded by Professor Michael Porter and building upon and expanding his research and work at the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness, Harvard Business School. GAP also leads a health equity program in Virginia with the Virginia Department of Health and is applying microeconomic strategies to develop a sustainable market economy for Indigenous communities in the Philippines.
About the Porter Development Initiative: The Porter Development Initiative (PDI) stands at the forefront of economic strategy and social development consulting. PDI harnesses the frameworks pioneered by Professor Michael Porter and the team at the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, translating them into practical strategies that foster competitiveness at the national, regional, and organizational levels. For nearly two decades, PDI has advised governments, companies, and international organizations around the world, applying pioneering frameworks on cluster-based growth, competitive strategy, and public–private collaboration to deliver measurable results.
