Dr. Greg Jones became president of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee on June 1, 2021. Prior to his appointment at Belmont, he served as the longtime dean of Duke Divinity School. Between 2010 and 2018, he served in a variety of roles, including vice president and vice provost for global strategy at Duke University and provost and executive vice president of Baylor University.

During his time at Belmont, Greg has established a new vision for the institution “to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, radically championing the pursuit of life abundant for all people.” Achievements during his first year include securing more than $35 million in grants and gifts, launching the Belmont Data Collaborative, expanding the Bridges to Belmont program to support Metro Nashville Public School students and establishing a program that more deeply connects Belmont students, faculty and staff to the regional community to create programs that foster social good.

Dr. Jones is also a gifted speaker, media contributor and thought leader in higher education, social innovation and theology. Greg is passionate about re-shaping cultures within and across organizations and has coined the term “traditioned innovation” to capture how he re-frames complex challenges to seize significant opportunities.

Dr. Jones is married to the Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones, and they are the parents of three children.

Brett R. Smith, Ph.D. is the Cintas Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship, Founding Director, Center for Social Entrepreneurship, and Founding Research Director, Leading the Integration of Faith & Entrepreneurship (L.I.F.E.) Research Lab at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. His research interests focus on social and faith-based entrepreneurship. His research has been featured in leading academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Business Venturing, Leadership Quarterly, and Long Range Planning. Smith serves as on the editorial board for the Journal of Business Venturing and as an Associate Editor, Journal of Social Entrepreneurship.

Smith has won several international awards including the GCEC Award for Best Social Entrepreneurship Program and two Ashoka U Innovation Awards. He has received $500,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of State to host seminars on social entrepreneurship for Fulbright students from around the world and has been invited to speak at the United Nations, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Tedx Youth, and a number of leading universities. His work has been highlighted in Time, Business Week, Financial Times, CNN, MSNBC and 100 other media outlets.

Smith is a co-founder and advisory board member for Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub and a member of the Board of Directors of OCEAN Programs, a faith-based technology accelerator.

Dan Boone reflects a life deeply rooted in God and generously extending grace to others. Raised in a home embodying God's expansive grace, he draws inspiration from his mother's transformative encounter with the people of God and his father's deep Christian character. Answering a call to preach at age 12, Boone revitalized a struggling church during high school, sowing the seeds of his pastoral journey.

A proud alumnus of Trevecca Nazarene University, Boone was profoundly influenced by mentors, chapel services, and friendships, experiencing a life-altering surrender to God. His academic journey includes a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, Master of Divinity, and a Doctorate of Ministry.

After being ordained by Dr. William Greathouse, Dan and his wife, Denise, embarked on a ministry journey, serving in Raleigh, NC, before discovering a passion for working with college students. In 2005, he assumed the role of President at Trevecca Nazarene University, passionately championing a Christlike way of life for future generations.

Dan lives in Nashville with his wife, Denise. He has three daughters who have graduated from Christian universities and a growing list of grandchildren. Dan's deep desire in his seventies is to continue gifting the next generation with enduring acts of leadership, devotion, vision, and compassion.

Moderator

Dr. Jennifer Tharp is an executive coach and trainer with Novus Global, an international executive coaching firm that works with Fortune 500 companies, business leaders, creatives, and professional athletes to transform teams and elevate companies and individuals to explore their full capabilities. Prior to working full-time as an executive coach, Jennifer served as a senior leader in higher education and consulted for over 20 universities on thriving and success. Jennifer continues to teach at the graduate level while coaching senior leaders and business owners to explore what they and their teams are capable of.