Jessica Usherwood ('99)

Jessica Usherwood, soprano, began her vocal studies at Lee University under the guidance of Virginia Horton. Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in music, she studied with Valija Bumbulis of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and completed a master’s degree in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy at the Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University.

Jessica has appeared with the Chicago Opera Theater, at the Chicago Cultural Center, and in the celebrated Harris Theater, credited for contributing to the performing arts renaissance in downtown Chicago. Recently she inaugurated Lee University's Distinguished Alumni Recital Series, where she presented a program of American art songs.

Jessica is the soprano of the International Chamber Artists (ICA). With ICA she has performed works including Mozart's Requiem, Britten's Les Illuminations, and Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915. During the 2010-‐2011 ICA season, Jessica performed works including Ralph Vaughn Williams' Ten Blake Songs and Giovanni Pergolesi's Stabat Mater. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.

Herbert Parker ('80)

Herbert Parker began his career as a staff accountant at the global power and technology company ABB Group in Chattanooga.  For 28 years he was promoted through a series of positions of increasing responsibility. In 1994, he became Segment Controller for ABB China in Beijing.  In 1998 he was promoted to Vice President and Business Controller for ABB in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2002, Herbert was named Chief Financial Officer of the $12 billion global automation division based in Norwalk, CT.

From 2008 to present Mr. Parker has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Harman International Industries Inc., a company that designs, manufactures, and markets audio products. In 2012 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TMS International Corp., North America's largest provider of industrial outsourced services to the steel industry.

Herbert earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Lee University.  He continued his education at Harvard Business School, completing the Executive Education program in Financial and Business Management and the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland.  In February 2009, the magazine, Black Enterprise, named Mr. Parker one of the most powerful corporate executives in America.  He currently lives in Weston, CT and is married and with two children, a 14 year old daughter and a 12 year old son.

Steve Dorman ('79)

When Steve finished Lee in 1979 he went on to complete his Master of Public Health and his doctorate in health education both from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. From there he served for a year as a health education supervisor for the Onslow County Schools in Jacksonville, N.C. Following that position Steve accepted a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Science Education at the University of Florida in 1986. Two years later he became the Co-Director and founding faculty member of the Center for Cooperative Learning in Health Science Education at the University of Florida. In 2000, Texas A&M University recruited Steve as their Division Chair in Health and Safety before promoting him to Department Head in 2002. At A&M, Steve directed over 85 faculty, 30 support staff, and 65 graduate assistants with a total budget of $5 million. In 2006 the University of Florida lured Steve back to Gainesville as the Dean of Health and Human Performance where he works today.

In June 2012 Steve was named the 11th president of Georgia College & State University. He is celebrated as a scholar and leader in the field of public health. In addition to being widely published in his field, Steve has also been honored in his role as an outstanding college administrator. Steve was the Lee University 2007 Alumnus of the Year.

Nathan P. Chapman ('01)

Nathan grew up in the music industry.  He started playing guitar at age 3 and was recording in the studio by age 14.  The son of a well-known Christian duo, Nathan was also part of a Nashville church that gave the gospel world names like Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith.  As a boy he sat in studios watching legendary figures like Don Potter and Gary Hedden produce and engineer for world famous artists. But by the time he reached high school Nathan was burned out on the music industry.  He was ready to get away from the Nashville setting. 

 After hearing a Lee University choir in a local church he decided to enroll at Lee.  He declared a major in English and began having thoughts of one day becoming a professor.   But at Lee, Nathan’s love of music started to return.  He led worship in chapel using his skills as a writer and musician to connect with the audience.  By the time he graduated, Nathan was ready to return to the world he knew so well.     

Today Nathan Chapman is a sought-after studio musician and Grammy award winning record producer.  He has his own studio and works with a wide range of artists including Point of Grace, Taylor Swift, Sara Evans, Jewel, Stephanie Chapman, Shania Twain, and Colbie Caillat.  When asked what one piece of advice he would give to aspiring Lee grads, Chapman replies, “Work really hard.”