Anna McQuiston
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Anna is a facilitator, communicator, and relationship builder with deep experience identifying ways groups and people across the Mid-South region can collaborate for success. With degrees in both socialwork (MS from the University of Tennessee, where she also earned her undergraduate degree) and business (MBA from Boston University), Anna knows how to ask the right questions then convene the people and groups tocome up with new and innovative answers. Her professional experience includes serving as the leader of both the MidSouth Mayors Council and the Memphis Council of the Urban Land Institute. She has also been the Vice-President of Marketing at the Henry Turley Company and worked at an internet startup, along with running her own consulting firm helping organizations and teams turn strategy into achievements.
“I am a firm believer that teams are what allow us to accomplish great things, and I know that building One Regional Team will do that for the MidSouth. I am excited by the support we’ve received from leadership and citizens both regionally and nationally who want to see our region thrive.”
Laura Harris
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Throughout her career, the goal of Laura Harris’s work has been to improve communities by supporting effective initiatives and programs. Her experience ranges from working at a national think tank doing federal policy research to teaching and conducting research at the university level about low-income housing policies to writing and evaluating federally funded grant programs. She has also run her own data-evaluation consulting business, Data for Good. Laura’s degrees are all in sociology, including a Bachelors from Newcomb College at Tulane University, a Masters from the University of Memphis and a Doctorate from the State University of New York, Albany. Though her past work has mostly focused on urban issues, she is excited to think more broadly about how to support public, private and nonprofit partners to better leverage resources for communities throughout the region.
“I understand how federal priorities translate into federal funding opportunities; the majority of federal grant applications I’ve written have been funded. I know how to ask A LOT of questions.”
Lydia Holmes Sokoll
DIRECTOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Lydia Holmes Sokoll has spent her career translating complex issues into strategies that move people forward. She will lead our government affairs and communications work, building relationships with policymakers, advising on legislative priorities and ensuring we continue to be a trusted voice for the region. Most recently, Lydia was a Special Assistant to Memphis Mayor Paul Young, and has worked for the Greater Memphis Chamber, too, leading advocacy at both the state and federal levels. She has also managed national-level communications and coalition-building in the agriculture sector. A graduate of Rhodes College and George Washington University, Lydia started her career in federal regulatory policy at the Office of Management and Budget and the USDA, which she says has shaped how she approaches policy at the local and regional level today.
“I really value building consensus — I like bringing different voices to the table and finding the common ground to get things done. What drives me is making sure policy doesn’t just stay on paper but actually improves people’s lives.”
Ashley J. Jones
COMMUNITY GRANT MANAGER
Ashley J. Jones has built her career around strengthening communities through collaboration, data-informed planning, and inclusive engagement. With experience spanning family advocacy, urban agriculture, and strategic impact management, she brings a holistic understanding of how to create meaningful change. A graduate of Florida State College at Jacksonville with a master’s degree from Purdue University Global, Ashley’s work centers on empowering residents and aligning partners across sectors to improve quality of life and expand opportunity. A proud West Tennessean, she believes in the power of community resilience and creativity to drive regional progress.
“West Tennessee is more than home — it’s a community on the rise. I’m proud to be part of its story and committed to helping shape the bright future ahead.”
Sarah Farrell
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Sarah Farrell has built her career around community impact, strategic planning, and thoughtful collaboration across sectors. She brings a practical, solutions-focused approach to her work based on her experience in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and public sector project management.
Sarah began her career in donor relations at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis before spending more than a decade at FedEx, where she led global citizenship initiatives, managed community investment strategies, and developed enterprise-wide volunteer engagement efforts. Before joining this team, she served as Project Manager supporting the Memphis Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services Division, where she led strategic planning, grant management, and program implementation efforts.
“I am committed to strengthening our region through thoughtful collaboration and data-informed strategies by valuing the role of public service and partnership in creating more resilient, connected communities.”
Rebecca Kaufman
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Rebecca’s career has centered around how to best support the MidSouth Region and the people who call it home. From working with federal agencies like the Delta Regional Authority and the US Dept of Agriculture to non-profits like AgLaunch Initiative, she has worked to build on the region’s assets to build lasting economic impact.
She has held leadership and policy roles that have allowed her to understand the impact of those policies on the ground, build lasting relationships, and support regional ecosystems that benefit the communities and residents of the area.
She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service.
“It is a privilege to support the people working to improve the places they call home."
Brandi Rinks
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Brandi enjoys bringing organizational harmony to the teams she supports and has spent the last decade of her career facilitating growth and structure at Memphis startups and nonprofits.
She has a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Arkansas State University and a certificate in Project Management. Her early career as a legal assistant to high-profile attorneys in law firms across Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee led to a deep understanding of the value that detail-oriented organizational and executive support can bring to a project.
“I grew up in the Arkansas Delta and chose Memphis as my home because it’s my favorite place in the world. I am excited to use my experience and energy on important projects that are helping to advance our region!”
Jordan Smith
TRANSPORTATION PLANNER
Jordan has built his career intentionally developing broad skills and knowledge across fields of transportation planning. After graduating with a Master's in Transportation Planning from Florida State University, he has brought his passion and expertise to transit agencies, planning departments, and the MPO.
He is committed to assisting our partners throughout the region to access funding and implement projects that make our communities safe, livable, economically successful, and ready for the future.
"I've spent my entire career in the MidSouth and have a deep commitment to the area... it is one region and I'm excited to make that even more of a reality in cooperative and innovative ways."