Fellows Officers

Fellows elect officers from among themselves to act as liaisons to the Blackburn Institute staff and the Advisory Board. These officers serve two-year terms, based on the academic calendar (August to July of even years). Officers are expected to participate actively in Institute events and attend Advisory Board meetings, as well as build programs and opportunities to support the mission of the Blackburn Institute.

Chairperson

• Acts as the official spokesperson for the Fellows.
• Provides general leadership and presides over all meetings of Fellows.
• Responsible for overall coordination of the network’s activities, goal-setting, fundraising plan, and reporting.
• Serves as the liaison between Fellows and communicates regularly with the institute staff and Chairperson of the Advisory Board.
• Provides updates to the Advisory Board at its semi-annual meetings.
• Solicit volunteers for and create positions (e.g. Regional Coordinators and/or Class Coordinators) as necessary to extend the reach and impact of the Fellows Involvement Network.
• Assumes responsibility for the Fellows’ continued development through participation in Institute activities.

Trey Hayes

Trey Hayes (jthayes@southernco.com) joined Alabama Power’s SVP of Power Delivery, Scott Moore, as his A2 in 2022 and currently supports Scott and his staff in their endeavors to safely create, construct, and maintain the smart, reliable and secure grid for today and the future.

Having previously served as Team Leader of the Connectivity and Innovation Team and as a Project Manager in Economic Development, Trey knows how important connectivity is not only to the grid, but also the new economy and its ever-increasing role in how we work, learn, and maintain our health.  He is passionate about serving our customers and our state in a way that creates lasting change.

Trey has a strong background in industrial engineering, graduating magna cum laude from the University of Alabama and having previously served as Distribution Engineer in the cities of Trussville and Montgomery.

On the business side, he completed his MBA at Auburn University at Montgomery with summa cum laude distinction. This landed him other pivotal roles in the company, including Commercial Account Manager, Commercial Development Manager, and Industrial Account Manager.

Outside of work, Trey is an active leader in the community. He serves on the University of Alabama’s Honors College Board of Visitors and was an adjunct professor for 7 years where he developed and taught the class Servant Leadership: Theory & Function. He also is a Blackburn Fellow and serves at Iron City Church.

Trey is a native of Brilliant, Alabama, and the proud husband of Amanda and father of Sam and John. His hobbies include reading, cycling, and becoming increasingly frustrated with the game of golf.

Internal Vice-Chairperson

• Manages activities that are related to events intended solely for Fellows.
• Coordinates with institute staff on the assessment of the network and Fellows’ activities.
• Coordinates the gathering of information for use by institute staff on the website and in publications.
• Internally publicizes all Institute activities and personal achievements of Blackburn Fellows through social media and, with the support of the Chairperson, e-mail.
• Works closely with the Chairperson of the Student Selection Committee of the Advisory Board to encourage the involvement of Fellows in the selection of new students and scholarship and award recipients.

Taylor Falls

Taylor Falls (she/her) (taylorfalls35@gmail.com) is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion who thrives on driving meaningful change within organizations. With a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration from The Capstone, Taylor has dedicated her career to making a tangible difference.

During her time at the University of Alabama, Taylor was an invaluable member and executive board leader to multiple organizations on campus, including but not limited to Culverhouse Ambassadors, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc, Black Faculty and Staff Association Ambassadors, Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity, Culverhouse DEI Leadership Mentors, and Professional Women in Communication and Business. In these organizations, Taylor left her mark by pioneering endeavors to bring greater equity to the campus, including by starting an annual scholarship through her sorority that provided high school seniors funding interested in pursuing higher education.

Currently, in her role at Adobe, Taylor serves as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist, where she has been instrumental in spearheading initiatives that have transformed the company culture. Notably, she leads Adobe’s groundbreaking self-identification campaign, leveraging her expertise to assess stakeholder sentiments and implement changes that have fostered a more inclusive work environment.

Beyond these accomplishments, Taylor has participated in prestigious programs such as the Harvard Business School Summer Venture in Management Program, where she has continued to amplify her impact. From these learnings, Taylor has created her own platform on LinkedIn focused on providing college students and entry-level new grads with job and professional development opportunities.

Driven by a deep-seated commitment to fostering inclusive environments and promoting equity at every turn, Taylor continues to make waves, leaving an indelible mark on the organizations and communities she serves.

External Vice-Chairperson

• Manages activities that are related to events involving students and other non-Fellows. (This would include, for example, opportunities for involvement at the summer networking event. Additionally, this individual would be responsible for promoting campus-based institute events open to Fellows.)
• Provides appropriate external individuals, departments, and media with relevant information (e.g. press releases, event descriptions, and post-event summaries) regarding Fellows’ activities and events.
• Works closely with the Chairperson of the Policy and Finance Committee of the Advisory Board to encourage the involvement of Fellows in identifying external sources of financial support for the institute.

Kyle Van Frank

Born and raised in Memphis, TN, Kyle Van Frank (kylevanfrank901@gmail.com) is a nonprofit leader and creative storyteller committed to leaving the world better than he found it. A product of Catholic K-12 education, Kyle attended The University of Alabama and received a BA in Theatre with a Concentration in Musical Theatre, as well as double minors in Spanish and Political Science. After graduation, Kyle’s work as a professional actor, director, and teaching artist took him around the country to venues in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee. For two years, his work with Florida Studio Theatre’s WRITE A PLAY program provided opportunities to teach playwriting to students in grades K-12 across the country, as well as a virtual residency to students in Israel. Following his time in Florida, Kyle spent two years working as the Director of Alumni for his alma mater, St. Benedict at Auburndale High School. There, Kyle increased alumni giving by 300% and supported the school’s development, admissions, communications, and special events efforts. Kyle is a 2019 Sullivan Scholar, a 2017 Blackburn Fellow, and a graduate of University of Denver’s Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership program where he studied Mission-Driven Operations & Management and Philanthropy & Resource Development. Kyle resides in Denver, CO where he serves as Executive Director of FIRE Foundation of Denver, a local nonprofit with a mission to champion the inclusion of students with disabilities in Catholic schools by providing educational resources, fundraising, and promoting a culture of belonging.