TDEC Names Adkins Deputy Commissioner for Bureau of Environment

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today named Dr. Ronné Adkins deputy commissioner for the Bureau of Environment, elevating him from his role as director of TDEC's Division of Stakeholder Engagement.

Adkins replaces Deputy Commissioner Greg Young, who is leaving TDEC to pursue other interests after serving in that role since February 2019.

"We are fortunate to have someone of Ronné's ability and commitment to step into this position," TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. "Ronné has an accomplished environmental background and a proven track record of working with stakeholders and citizens across the state. I'm confident this experience will serve him well in this new capacity and pay dividends for Tennessee citizens and our natural environment."

"I am grateful for this opportunity to serve our state in an even greater capacity," Adkins said. "We know we have the responsibility of protecting this state's natural resources every day, and I can assure all Tennesseans that our commitment to that task will be as strong as ever."

"I could not have been more honored than to serve in this role," Young said. "It has been a tremendous experience working with the men and women at TDEC, and I know the bureau will be in great hands with Ronné's leadership."

"I am grateful to have served with Greg for the last five years," Salyers said. "While we will certainly miss him, we are thankful for his service to Tennesseans and look forward to seeing what he will do next in his outstanding career."

The TDEC Bureau of Environment manages regulatory programs that set standards for air, water, and soil quality, providing assistance to businesses and communities in areas ranging from recreation to waste management. Programs and initiatives in the bureau protect human health and the environment and support economic development, job creation, and quality of life.

Adkins has had a distinguished career at TDEC. His role as director of the Division of Stakeholder Engagement, which he held since May 2022, included overseeing the Office of External Affairs, Office of Sustainable Practices, and the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program.

Adkins served as director of the Office of External Affairs from 2021-2022, maximizing internal and external stakeholder relationships. He was regional director of External Affairs in the Memphis Environmental Field Office from 2014-2021. In that position, he was the primary point of contact for the public and stakeholders in the region that covers Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton counties.

Previously, Adkins was director of the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program, which provides free environmental consulting services to Tennessee small businesses. He was an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Memphis and served as a minor sources branch supervisor at Shelby County Health Department Pollution Control, after working there as an air quality coordinator.

He earned his Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of Memphis, where he was also a National Science Foundation Fellow. He received an M.S. degree in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University, after earning a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College.

Adkins enjoys hiking, fishing, hunting, biking, coaching baseball, and a variety of other outdoor activities. He is a native Tennessean. He and his wife, Danielle, have two sons, Zachary and Jonathan.

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