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,” she said. “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 GRANTS
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.”
Hannah Walker
COMMUNICATIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS SPECIALIST
As a lifelong Memphian, Hannah Walker brings strategic communication skills as well as the ability to build strong community partnerships to her position as Communications & Special Projects Specialist. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in Business Administration Marketing, and combines innate creativity and an eye for good design with an ability to juggle multiple projects and plan and execute successful mission-driven events. Hannah’s nonprofit career has given her experience in creative problem-solving and collaboration and prepared her to join the MDD team to convene and connect a stronger MidSouth.
“I love to camp, hike, and spend as much time outdoors as possible. Whether it’s a weekend in the woods or an afternoon on a trail, being in nature is one of my favorite ways to recharge.”
Emily Zimmer
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
Emily Zimmer is an expert in the details and data that go into successfully managing complex capital and infrastructure projects for both governments and private developers. In her years working for the City of Germantown, she directed all of the city’s dozens of capital projects from departments that included Parks, Facilities, Transportation, Stormwater, Public Works, Police and Fire, coordinating budgets and contracts and producing community-facing dashboards. She understands the policies and relationships that affect how a project is initiated and completed and has worked closely with all kinds of stakeholders. Emily earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis, a certificate in Project Management from Christian Brothers University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
“I’m passionate about projects that involve public infrastructure. I think the most important thing a government can provide is reliable infrastructure.”