Phyllis Qualls

Background

About Phyllis Qualls

Dr. Phyllis Qualls-Brooks formerly served as Executive Director of The Tennessee Economic Council on Women. She was named to that position January 1, 2012. Qualls-Brooks has extensive experience in both state and federal government, education and communications. The Tennessee Economic Council on Women focuses on research, offering the premiere economic summit for women in Tennessee each year, and working to get women on boards and commissions. Its research covers a myriad of topics focusing on women, including job training, wages and earnings, domestic violence, political participation, preventive healthcare, women-owned businesses and women in Tennessee. Qualls-Brooks is a highly sought-after speaker and presenter. As head of the Economic Council, she recently testified at the Agency’s Sunset Review Hearing and Fiscal Review Committee Hearing, with successful results. Qualls-Brooks recently served as a Congressional Affairs Specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Special Projects Coordinator with the Office of the Treasurer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She formerly served as Assistant Commissioner in the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Director of Public Relations at Tennessee State University. She holds a doctorate in higher education from the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in English from Tennessee State University. The Mississippi native earned her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the U.of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Qualls-Brooks is a member of several organizations, including Nashville CABLE, the Coalition of 100 Black Women, Societas Docta, and the Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus. Additionally, she is a member of the alumni class in Leadership Nashville and Leadership Middle Tennessee. Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church in Nashville, Tennessee is her place of worship.