Staff
Dr. Izetta Slade, Ed.D.
Executive Director, HR/Employee & Organizational Development
865-974-0807
izetta.slade@tennessee.edu
Izetta is currently the Executive Director for Employee and Organizational Development with University of Tennessee (UT) System Human Resources. Immediately preceding her move to UT System HR she served as Executive Director of Human Resources at UT Knoxville. Other positions held at UT include; Associate Director for Equity and Diversity, Interim Department Head for UT Extension Evaluation and Staff Development, Interim Human Resource Officer for UT Institute of Agriculture, and Training Program Manager at the Institute for Public Service.
Izetta has over 20 years of work experience with higher education institutions. She also has experience in working with business, non-profit, and local, county, and state government agencies to provide human resources, customer service, strategic planning, program facilitation, event planning, leadership coaching and development, performance and organizational consulting, and professional development services.
Izetta received her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina, her M.S. in Educational Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University, and doctorate in Learning and Leadership through UT, Chattanooga.
Jeannie Tennant
Associate Director
865-974-9187
jtennan4@tennessee.edu
Jeannie, a dedicated professional, joined Employee and Organizational Development (EOD) in June 2021. Prior to her tenure with EOD, she served the UTK campus as a Learning and Organizational Development Consultant. With a foundation as an educator and coach, Jeannie boasts a diverse background encompassing public education, healthcare, and higher education, all with a strong focus on leadership and staff development, professional coaching, and program facilitation. Her unwavering commitment to lifelong learning is evident in her work, which centers on creating meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities.
Jeannie has extensive experience providing inclusive leadership development, strategic planning, differentiated learning, and organizational consulting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies and Human Learning from Tennessee Technological University and earned her master’s degree in leadership and management, further enhancing her expertise and dedication to the field.
Sarah Crichton
Learning Consultant and Business Partner
865-974-4430
sarrcric@tennessee.edu
Sarah joined Employee and Organizational Development in January 2022 as the Learning and Development Coordinator. In August 2022, she transitioned to her current role as Learning Consultant and Business Partner. Sarah is a dedicated professional with a passion for learning, leadership, and development.
As Learning Consultant and Business Partner, Sarah’s mission is to provide system-wide consulting, assistance, and support for designing and implementing synchronous and asynchronous learning. She is responsible for event planning for major conferences, certificate programs, and the UT Leadership Institute, as well as providing support for in-person and online learning opportunities. With her unwavering passion, educational pursuits, and ambition, Sarah is committed to driving educational excellence and fostering inclusive learning opportunities.
Sarah holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis on Human Resource Management and International Business from the University of Tennessee. Currently, Sarah is pursuing her M.S. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Adult Education, also from the University of Tennessee.
Kortney Jarman
eLearning Manager
865-974-6055
kjarman@tennessee.edu
Kortney joined Employee and Organizational Development in February 2022. Prior to joining the EOD, he served the UTK Campus for 20 years in various roles, first as a Computer Support Specialist for the Haslam College of Business, an IT Specialist and Systems Admin for the Center for Career Development, and a Learning Technology Specialist for the Instructional Support and Training team in the Office of Information Technology. Kortney has a diverse background in technology support and training and strives to use technology as a tool for growth, collaboration and development.
He has a passion for learning and providing learning opportunities. His focus is to provide employee development and compliance training initiatives via the K@TE learning management system for statewide internal employees, UT departments and campuses. He advises on eLearning best practices that adhere to high quality standards and aids in training and support for campus learning administrators.
Kortney holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Alyssa Thom
Sr. Learning Consultant and Business Partner
865-974-8359
athom@tennessee.edu
Alyssa joined Employee and Organizational Development in February 2023. Prior to joining the EOD team, she served the UTK campus as an Academic Personnel Specialist. Trained in education and with 10 years of experience in human resources, Alyssa has a diverse background in public education, local government, and higher education. Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys serving her community through volunteering and service projects. In nearly 20 years of volunteering for Canine Companions, she has helped to raise 11 service dogs.
As Sr. Learning Consultant and Business Partner, Alyssa’s focus is to address the unique learning and development needs of each campus and institute, through the design, development, and delivery of learning programs. Alyssa is passionate about providing meaningful learning opportunities to every employee of UT.
Alyssa holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from San Diego State University, a certificate in Human Resources Management from University of Nevada, Reno, and is currently pursuing a M.S.S.W in Organizational Leadership at University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Josiah Roberts
eLearning Coordinator and LMS Technical Assistant
jrobe226@tennessee.edu
Josiah brings a wealth of experience to the Employee and Organizational Development team since joining in April 2024. With a robust background as a Learning and Development Specialist in the private sector spanning five years, he possesses a deep-seated commitment to fostering learning and leveraging technology for organizational advancement, culminating in his decision to join the University of Tennessee system.
In his role as eLearning Coordinator and LMS Technical Assistant, Josiah is dedicated to optimizing user experience within the K@TE system, adeptly resolving technical challenges, and actively contributing to the evolution of compliance training initiatives. His academic achievements include a Bachelor’s degree in Preaching and Youth Ministry, complemented by a Master’s degree in Education from Johnson University.
