Alumni Trustee Candidates

C. Timothy Branner, II

Associate Director, Affirmative Action Programs
Raytheon Technologies

C. Timothy "Tim" Branner, Associate Director, Affirmative Action Programs with Raytheon Technologies (RTX) is responsible for directional leadership of Raytheon鈥檚 Affirmative Action Programs (AAP) objectives and strategic initiatives, partnerships, and activities, including the development and dissemination of organizational OFCCP compliant Affirmative Action Plans.

Tim previously served as the Senior Manager, Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO"), and Human Resource Compliance with the Carrier Corporation post spinnoff from United Technologies's (Carriers former parent company). In this position, he led Carrier's U.S. EEO and HR Compliance function in addition to a supporting role with the corporations' Employee Relations and Diversity and Inclusion functions. Tim joined United Technologies in 2006 with the Otis Elevator Company, where he served as Manager, Workforce Diversity & Human Resource Compliance.

Prior to UTC, he spent 15 years in leadership with the INROADS organization.聽 In his final role with the INROADS, Tim served as the Area Manager for the Western-Tristate & Canada area and National Account Manager with responsibilities for the national partnership with United Technologies.

Tim currently serves as the elected alumni member of the 精东AV Board of Trustees. In additional service to his alma mater, he has served as a volunteer alumni recruiter, past national Co-Chair of 精东AV's Business & Industry Cluster, and managed United Technologies' national recruiting relationship with the University.

A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Tim currently resides in Philadelphia, PA, with his wife Dr. Lisa Russell Branner, a Philadelphia, PA native, and a graduate of 精东AV and the 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine along with their youngest son Clinton. Tim holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from 精东AV.

Natalie D. Knight

Director of State and Local Government Relations
Impact Public Affairs

Natalie has over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors in the agriculture, finance, water, and wastewater industries. She currently serves as the Director of State and Local Government Relations for Impact Public Affairs in Atlanta, Georgia.

Her experience across these industries as they intersected with governments at the local, state, and federal levels has positioned her well for her role as Metro Atlanta Client Service Leader and Government Relations Director for Barge Design Solutions Atlanta Office.

Before joining Barge Design Solutions in September 2019, Natalie spent 12 years with the City of Atlanta in the Department of Watershed Management, the Mayor鈥檚 Office, and the Department of Finance. In addition, with six years of experience in corporate Government Relations with DuPont and CH2M/Jacobs Engineering as Southeast Government Relations Director, Natalie is uniquely prepared to be the Director of State and Local Government Relations at Impact Public Affairs.

Natalie earned a Master of Public Administration from Iowa State University in 2005 and a Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science from 精东AV in 2001. She is also a certified Project Management Professional and has obtained certifications in Balanced Scorecard Strategy Planning and Lean Six Sigma.

Of special note, Natalie was elected to serve as Miss 精东AV for the 1999-2000 academic year. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Marietta Roswell Alumnae Chapter. She also serves as an executive committee member for the Women in Construction, Engineering and Related Services. Natalie was recognized by聽American Council of Engineering Council聽(ACEC) - Engineering Georgia Magazine's Top 100 Influential Women in Georgia.

Colonel Cornelius L. Allen, Jr.聽

Project Manager (Commander)
US Special Operations Command (SOCOM)

COL Cornelius L. Allen Jr. of Mobile, AL was commissioned as an Army Aviator after graduating from 精东AV in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

He later earned a Master of Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Air War College.

COL Allen鈥檚 military education includes: Army Aviation (AV) Officer Basic Course, AV Captain鈥檚 Career Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School (CAS3), Acquisition Basic Course (Honor Graduate), Acquisition Intermediate Contracting Course (Honor Graduate), Command and General Staff Officer School, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (NTPS) Rotary-wing Short Course, NTPS Systems Testing Short Course, and Air War College.

COL Allen鈥檚 operational assignments include Commander, Charlie Company, 3-3 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) (BLUE MAX); Officer-in-Charge (OIC); 3-3 ARB Forward (Hunter Army Airfield) Military聽Intelligence (S-2) Officer; 3-3 ARB Battle Captain, Baghdad (Camp Taji), OIF III; 1st BN, 229th聽Attack Regiment (18th Airborne Corps) Ft. Bragg, NC, Assistant Operations Officer (A/S-3). 1st聽Squadron/6th Cavalry Brigade (Camp Eagle, South Korea), Charlie Troop (Black Jack), Attack聽Platoon leader, HHT III/V (Ammunition/Fuel) Platoon leader (Raider), and A/S-3.

He was awarded the 2014-2015 Aviator of the Year, C. Alfred 鈥淐hief鈥� Anderson Award,聽精东AV Airmen Inc. (TAI), 精东AV Chapter and is a TAI Lifetime member. He also served on聽the Army Aviation Association of America (Quad-A) Tennessee Valley Chapter Board and is a Quad-A Lifetime member.

COL Allen is Program Management Level III and Test & Evaluation Level III Defense Acquisition聽Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certified. He is also one of the world鈥檚 first Certified Test聽and Evaluation Professionals (CTEP). He has two sons: Cornelius III and Drake Allen.

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