Tammy Sharpe
Director of CLE & Section Programming
505 Main Street, Suite 50
P.O. Box 2027
Knoxville, TN 37901-2027
Phone: (865) 522-6522
Fax: (865) 523-5662
tsharpe@knoxbar.org
How do you help our members?
As the Director of CLE & Section Programming, I collaborate with KBA staff and bar leaders to produce timely, educational, entertaining and high-quality CLE programming for the members of the KBA. I help our members stay educated while at the same time provide opportunities for attorneys to earn their yearly CLE credit requirements for the state of Tennessee. I provide many of the resources our members need to learn new skills which will give them the knowledge to improve the way they practice law and embrace their legal future with confidence. Talking and connecting with our KBA Members is one of the highlights of my job, along with working with the KBA’s Committee and Section volunteers. They give me guidance on which programs would be of interest to our members and help keep me informed on upcoming changes in the law. I also produce and maintain an extensive online CLE catalog which in turn gives our members more opportunities to earn CLE credit hours on their own time.
What is a typical day for you?
Each day is never the same and that is one of the many aspects I like about my job. I am either in the office planning CLE programs or you will see me offsite with my camera getting ready to record a CLE. The majority of my day is focused on CLE planning and following up with section chairs about potential presenters and program topics. My biggest challenge is juggling my daily responsibilities while planning my time out of the office to attend a CLE program. A few of my CLE tasks include confirming venues, communicating with presenters about the program details, creating marketing promotions, CLE credit submissions and approvals through the TN CLE Commission and uploading online programs to the KBA website.
Tell us more about yourself.
I was born and raised in Knoxville. I spent the majority of my youth either on a ball field playing softball, swimming, or traveling across country with my parents (I have been to the World’s Largest Drug Store, you’re jealous, I know). I received my Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee. My first job was at the Knoxville Zoo where I worked for 12 years before joining the KBA in 2006. And no, I didn’t work directly with the animals, but I did get to go behind the scenes quite often to feed and visit with some of my favorites (Giraffes, Tigers, Elephants, Penguins and Gibbons). I am an animal lover, especially fond of the domesticated felines, and will do whatever I can to help an animal in need. Thanks to my father, I love to travel and enjoy some old school country music on occasion. I am a people person and, like my parents, I have never met a stranger. I often speak my mind and I am a big cut up which means I enjoy a good laugh. My retirement dream is to open a dive bar on the beaches of Key West or at least live at the beach in my better years.
