Oral Communication Workshop Presenter
Oral Communication Workshop Presenters
Dr. James E. Akenson
Professor of Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education
Tennessee Tech University
James E. Akenson is Professor of Curriculum and Instruction where he teaches elementary and secondary social studies methods, graduate social studies classes, special topics dealing with the educational applications of country music, as well as a PhD seminar on Educational Issues. He is a board member of the Tennessee Council for the Social Studies and co chair of the International Country Music Conference.
Bob Luna
Financial Advisor/Senior Partner/Branch Manager
Luna & Birdwell Investment Group
Bob Luna is a graduate of Tennessee Tech and a veteran of the United States Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He served on board two fleet ballistic missile submarines. He has participated in numerous civic activities over the years. Currently, he is chair elect of the Cookeville Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. He is past chair of WCTE’s Board of Directors and past president of the Cookeville Rotary Club. During the Tech Football games you can hear him as the voice of the Golden Eagle Marching Band. Bob and his wife, Gail, have two daughters; one is a graduate of Tennessee Tech and the other is a current student at TTU. For the past 24 years he has been a financial advisor and is currently branch manager and senior partner or the Luna & Birdwell Investment Group with securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services.
Rick Woods
Director of Department of Leisure Services and Public Facilities, Cookeville
Rick is a native of West Virginia and a graduate of Marshall University. After spending several years as a professional actor, he moved to Cookeville in 1985 to become Director of the Cookeville Drama Center (now known as Cookeville Performing Arts Center) where he served until being appointed Director of the City’s Department of Leisure Services and Public Facilities in 2000. Rick also served 15 years as Director of Music for First Presbyterian Church and he has been a high school football official for the past 18 years. He is married to Amy Crabtree Woods and they have three children, Emily (23), Elliot (20), and Ethan (19).
