Ascension Leadership Accelerator names 10-member fall cohort

Hinton & Company and the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce selected 10 emerging and mid-career professionals for the Fall 2026 Ascension Leadership Accelerator cohort. The program is designed to build leadership pipelines across Chattanooga’s business, nonprofit, education, government and philanthropic sectors.

Why it matters: - The Fall 2026 cohort brings together leaders from multiple sectors that shape Chattanooga’s economy and civic life. - The program is built to help organizations prepare high-potential employees for greater responsibility before they reach the next level. - Hinton & Company is also looking at expansion into additional markets in 2027 and customized in-house versions for employers.

What happened: - Hinton & Company and the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce selected 10 professionals for the second Ascension Leadership Accelerator cohort. - The group includes participants from business, government, education, philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. - The Fall 2026 cohort will run through the end of the year.

The details: - The program launched earlier this year. - Ascension combines individual assessment, supervisor input, personalized development planning, group learning, peer accountability and one-on-one coaching. - Participants work on identity, communication, decision-making and leadership behaviors. - The cohort includes Amanda Jordan of Chattanooga State Community College, Austin Corcoran of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chris Adams of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Clarence Shields of Chattanooga Preparatory School, Jennifer Crum of the Chattanooga Lookouts, Khadesha Gordon of the City of Chattanooga, Layla Ghazi of EPB, Maggie Sparks of United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Robert Banks of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Walker Rhodes of Unum Group. - Organizations represented by the cohort span Chattanooga State Community College, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Chattanooga Preparatory School, Chattanooga Lookouts, City of Chattanooga, EPB, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Unum Group. - Hinton & Company says organizations interested in future cohorts or customized in-house programming can contact the team at team@hintonco.com. - Hinton & Company describes itself as a Chattanooga-based leadership development and executive coaching firm offering cohort programming, executive coaching, keynote speaking and corporate workshops. - The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce describes itself as the region’s leading business association, founded in 1887, focused on business support, talent development and economic growth. - Benwood Foundation describes itself as a Chattanooga-based private foundation focused on regional wellbeing.

Between the lines: - The program is designed as a cross-sector network, not just a training course. - The emphasis on relationships across government, education, business and philanthropy suggests the goal is community-wide leadership capacity, not only individual advancement. - Hinton & Company’s expansion plans indicate the Chattanooga cohort is being used as a proof point for a broader product.

What's next: - The Fall 2026 cohort will continue its work through year-end. - Hinton & Company will explore opportunities to launch the accelerator in additional markets in 2027. - Hinton & Company is also evaluating custom in-house versions for organizations that want to build their own leadership pipelines.

The bottom line: - Chattanooga’s latest Ascension cohort is meant to do more than train 10 people. It is meant to connect them across sectors and strengthen the region’s next generation of leaders.