Board of Directors

President: Christina Mullinax clmullinax@lenoircityschools.net	Christina Mullinax currently holds the position of President at the Tennessee Chess Association (TCA). Her journey into the world of chess commenced during her high school years in the early 2000s, and her passion for the game has remained constant throughout her life. One of the most significant milestones in Christina’s chess journey was her team’s 1st place finish in the 2004 Georgia Team State Championship. This accomplishment remains a source of immense pride and is one of the reasons that scholastic team events always hold a special place in her heart. It further solidified her dedication to promoting chess at all levels and her commitment to the vibrant chess community in Tennessee. During those high school chess years, Christina met her husband, Danny Mullinax, who was also a vital member of that team. Their shared love for the game has enriched their lives and remains a deep bond between them. In addition to her role as TCA President, Christina serves as a math and computer science teacher and chess coach at Lenoir City High School in Lenoir City, TN, where she has the privilege of inspiring young minds with the game she loves. She is also honored to co-chair the Chess in Education committee for US Chess, working diligently to enhance and promote chess in educational settings. This role has allowed her to forge connections between chess and learning, fostering a rich educational experience for students. As Christina continues her journey within the Tennessee Chess Association, she eagerly anticipates contributing to the growth and thriving chess community throughout the wonderful state of Tennessee.
Vice President: Alan Kleiman 901-246-7278 akleiman12@gmail.com	Former president of Tennessee Chess Association, Alan Kleiman has provided steady guidance and support for Tennessee Chess Association as well as Mid-South Chess since its inception. He is a practicing attorney and has on occasion served as a special judge. His other hat bears the banner of President of Shelby County Chess that reaches out to the greater community and area of Memphis and Shelby County running a weekly chess club and holding local tournaments.
Secretary/Membership: Chris Prosser 733 Long Hunter Ct Nashville, TN 37217 (615) 426-7105 (cell) Regioniii@aol.com	A retired Metro Schools violin teacher, Chris Prosser has been coaching chess for 30-plus years. Over that time, he has helped countless students compete in Local, Regional, State and National chess tournaments. In addition, he has facilitated and taught at Chess Camps for the Nashville Chess Center, The Tennessee Chess Association, Nashville Community Education, Middle Tennessee State University and Western Kentucky University. Mr. Prosser is also an active tournament coordinator and director at the local, state and national level. For the last 20 years, he has been a volunteer on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Chess Association serving as the Middle Tennessee Scholastic Chess Coordinator and Secretary.
Treasurer: Angela McElrath-Prosser (615) 426-7105 tcanews@aol.com	I began my chess journey in 1996 helping with local tournaments in Nashville and at the Inaugural SuperNationals in Knoxville TN. The only tournament where I had to have a police escort to hang up the pairings. I continued helping at local and Tennessee tournaments. Learning the correct way to handle things from our mentor, Harry Sabine. I was asked to take on the Newsletter Editor role which I held for six years producing three to four hard copy editions each year. Then, I moved to the Treasurer role which I have held for 18 years. I take my role very seriously. I feel the weight of the hard work from previous board members and association members to make the Tennessee Chess Association financially sound. I continue to monitor the association funding to make sure we are providing the best value for our members. At the national level, I served as a Tennessee delegate to the US Chess Federation for several years. I am part of a volunteer mobile chess tournament team along with my husband, Chris Prosser, and the other volunteers from the chess community. Chris and I have helped at tournaments in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. We both believe strongly in the benefits of chess to scholastic students. Among other skills, Chess promotes patience, planning, deep thinking, and teamwork. We took Chris’ students to national tournaments all over the country as well as Tennessee. Volunteering to serve at the city, state and national levels has been rewarding and educational. For my “day job”, I am an accountant with the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. My volunteerism continues in my work environment. I served in varies roles in my professional organization, the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) including Nashville Chapter President, Nashville Chapter Treasurer, and the Nashville Chapter Representative to the National AGA Organization. I recently completed my term on the National AGA Governing Board as the AGA Area Representative for six states in the Southeast region.
Tournament Coordinator: Danny Mullinax 865-292-9701 dcmullinax@gmail.com	Serving on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Chess Association, Danny Mullinax leverages a lifelong passion for chess that originated during his high school years in the early 2000s in rural North Georgia. Chess evolved from a mere hobby into a profound connection to the wider world beyond his quiet corner of the state. In 2004, Danny’s high school team achieved an impressive victory by securing the Georgia State Team Championship, a remarkable feat that marked a pivotal moment in his chess journey. He also demonstrated his chess prowess by attaining 2nd place in his section at the Super Nationals chess tournament held in Nashville, TN, in 2005. Throughout his formative years, Danny frequently attended events at the bustling Atlanta Chess Center, honing his skills and forging bonds within the vibrant chess community. These experiences nurtured a deep-seated love for the game. Committed to promoting chess across all levels, Danny dedicates his time to support his wife, Christina Mullinax, and her chess team at Lenoir City High School in Lenoir City, TN. Organizing tournaments for both scholastic and adult players, he strives to strike a harmonious balance between his administrative responsibilities and his passion for playing the game.
Scholastic Coordinator: Paul Semmes PaulSemmes@gmail.com	I was part of the “Bobby Fischer boom” in the early 1970s, made friends and grew as a chess player at the local club in Savannah, GA. I competed in as many tournaments in the area as I could, and won the annual club championship several times while in high school. One of my chess adventures from that time is that a Soviet oceanographic research vessel visited Savannah in 1973, and I was part of a group from the chess club who went on board the ship to play a match against some of the sailors. To my recollection, I played on 2nd board, and won my game! For many years now, I have been involved much more often as a tournament director than a player, although I was TN Senior co-champion in 2011 and 2017. Prior to my retirement from Tennessee Tech University in 2021, I was Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Professor of Physics. As faculty advisor to the TTU Chess Club, I helped host the State Scholastic Individual Championships 22 times since 1998 and the Team Championships 17 times since 2004 at TTU. With a little luck, I hope to return these tournaments to Tennessee Tech University.
News Coordinator: Tiffany Andrews Elliott (615) 504-2329 tiffany.elliott@comcast.net	Tiffany Elliott grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and learned chess at her grandparent’s house with her brother, Todd Andrews. He taught her how to play at a very young age, and the two made up their own variations of the game as well. Tiffany entered into the child care field while working her way through college and ran a three-star licensed child care program for a little over five years. In 2007, she began her career for the Nashville Chess Center as an instructor for the 1st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Chess Camp. These camps have grown into a big success! In 2009, Tiffany earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education, Summa Cum Laude. In May of 2010, she earned the Tennessee Early Childhood Program Administrator Credential from Tennessee State University. Tiffany uses her training and experience in child development to teach and encourage children as young as three years old to play and enjoy chess using developmentally appropriate methods and strategies. She has coached chess programs at multiple Nashville area schools, libraries, and community centers and works as a chess tournament director. Tiffany has volunteered on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Chess Association since 2013 and became the NCC’s first-ever Assistant Director in 2017. She also enjoys music, camping, crafts, gardening, organizing community environmental projects, and being mom to her sons, Kyler and Kasen and wife to her husband, Eric.
West Tennessee Director: Mike Shuey (731) 868-5755 shueybalooey@gmail.com	Mike Shuey is the current West TN Director for the TCA. He played briefly in elementary and came around to competitive chess in his late 20s during a long stay in Kutno, Poland. After coming back to Jackson, TN, he developed his modest playing ability via self study while traveling for work, between as far south as Jackson, MS, up to north Midwest like Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Chicago, playing in dozens of clubs, including overseas where possible. He’s played in several places, and “achieved” 2018 TN Amateur Champion, Jackson TN City Champion one year, and has played in Memphis City Championship. He briefly achieved 1800+. He recently achieved Senior TD status, and manages the Memphis Chess Club in addition to his role in TCA, helping Memphis win the USCF 2022 Chess Club of the Year Award, and directs most of its tournaments. He’s also acted as a TN Delegate in 2023 and is one of two current delegates for 2024. He also assists other clubs like Jackson TN, and oddly enough the BC Chess Club of Indianapolis. As West TN Director he hopes to encourage more chess in West TN and assist West TN’s clubs where possible.
Middle Tennessee Director: IM Ron Burnett (615) 828-8616 rburn2500@aol.com	Our Most Valuable Player, Ron Burnett, has been excelling in Tennessee Chess across decades. Born in 1967, he got off to a strong start as a kid winning the 1979 TN Scholastics Elementary State Championship. He was four-time Tennessee Junior Champion, Tennessee’s top High School Player and Tennessee High School Champion representing Overton High School. By 1984 his rating had soared past 2000 and he was invited to represent the United States in England in an Under 18 national event where he finished in sixth place. He was among the top 10 active Tennessee players of all ages throughout the mid-1980s (a list he remains on to this day). He was among the top 15 rated players in the U.S. for his age under 21 during this time, too. Ron soon went on to achieve an astonishing dozen Tennessee state champion titles, 10 Nashville City Championship titles, and was recently able to start earning Tennessee Senior Championship titles, too. Other numerous Tennessee victories through the years include the Fairfield Glade Open, Crossville Open, Turkey Tour, Music City Open, Memphis Open and Invitationals, Cumberland County Open, Tennessee Winter Open, Oak Ridge Swiss, Tennessee Speed Chess Championship, Dollywood DreamMore Smokey Mountain Tournament, Knoxville Swiss and many more. Always a good team player, he led his Nashville Chess Club team to win the Scrivener plaque in 1986 as well as other various team awards. On the national level, he’s picked up countless victories including but certainly not limited to the Mid-South Open (six-time winner), 1998 New York State Championship, 2004 USCF/ICC U.S. State Champion of Champions event, 2011 Mid-America Open, 2020 U.S. Senior Online Championship, and the National Correspondence Championship. With so many tournament achievements to list, it’s easy to see how Ron and a group of chess friends with which he traveled to tournaments earned themselves the nickname “Road Warriors” from fellow chess enthusiasts. Ron continues to achieve a top level chess career of the ages! He holds titles with US Chess as Original Life Master, National Master, and Life Senior Master and the FIDE title of International Master. On top of his playing skills, Ron is a dedicated TCA member (perhaps one of our longest running members) and volunteer of the TCA Board of Directors. He serves as Middle Tennessee Director and on various committees. He teaches chess independently and through the Nashville Chess Center. He helps produce top-level, champion players and teams of all ages. He co-authored a chess book in 1991 studying the games of Anderssen. With his sharpest of eyes, we can always count on Ron to proofread our Tennessee Chess News for mistakes; and since 1994, he’s been working as Technical Editor for Chess Life magazine checking that all their moves are correct, too. He spent time serving as a tournament director in the 2000s and has helped at probably hundreds of scholastic and other events. Dependable, skilled, giving, precise, curious and with an attitude and disposition welcoming and kind to all, Ron Burnett is the definition of a Tennessee Chess Hall of Fame recipient.
East Tennessee Director: Natosha Authier nmauthier@gmail.com	Natosha Authier is a dedicated stay-at-home mom of five children who has found her passion in the world of competitive chess. Serving as the East Tennessee Director for the Tennessee Chess Association, Natosha’s journey into the chess community began when her son, Lyric, won his first chess tournament in 2016. Intrigued by the game and the supportive atmosphere surrounding it, Natosha and Lyric started actively seeking out tournaments, with Lyric becoming one of the top scholastic players in the state. Driven by her love for chess and its numerous benefits for children’s minds, Natosha’s other children have also developed a love for the game. She firmly believes in the transformative power of chess in nurturing young minds and is dedicated to promoting scholastic chess. In addition to her role as East Tennessee Director, she also serves as the Publicity Coordinator for the Cumberland County Chess Club, where she works to raise awareness and engagement. Additionally, Natosha takes on the roles of Chess Club Sponsor and PTA President at Glenn Martin Elementary School in Crossville, TN. As East Tennessee Director, Natosha hopes to make a significant contribution to the chess community in East Tennessee.
Internet Coordinator: Michael Robertson (731) 225-4092 myk.robertson2@gmail.com	Michael Robertson serves as the Internet Coordinator and former West Tennessee Coordinator for the Tennessee Chess Association. Based in Milan, TN, he brings his expertise from the technology sector, working for an Internet Service Provider. A dedicated chess enthusiast, Michael is passionate about promoting the game and expanding its online presence. He eagerly anticipates connecting with fellow chess and tech enthusiasts, combining both realms to further enhance the game’s reach and digital future.

Comments are closed.