BOARD of directors
Steve Rogers
BOARD PRESIDENT, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Steve Rogers is the Festival Director of the Lookout Wild Film Festival (LWFF). He first came to LWFF as a fan, then volunteered, joined the screening team, and served three years as Screening Director and three years as Event Director before stepping into the director role in 2024. An engineer by trade and adventurer by spirit, Steve is a landscape and adventure photographer, a mountain-bike rider, and a musician. He is the local organizer for PechaKucha Chattanooga and serves on the boards of the Urban Century Institute and Chattanooga Sister Cities. Favorite wild place: Iceland. He believes in stories that connect people to nature and community.
Michelle Howard
BOARD MEMBER, VICE PRESIDENT
Michelle Howard serves as a board member of the Lookout Wild Film Festival and is a passionate advocate for connecting people to the outdoors. She is committed to expanding access to nature and using
the power of storytelling to inspire connection, resilience, and a love of the natural world. She also serves as the HOPE Initiative Program Manager and Site Director for Camp HOPE America – Chattanooga. Michelle’s work centers on helping individuals overcome barriers and discover pathways to hope, healing, and opportunity through meaningful, restorative experiences in the outdoors. She enjoys hiking and exploring trails and waterways with her partner, Tim. Together, they enjoy spending time camping, gardening, and discovering WILD places.
Courtney Head
BOARD MEMBER, SECRETARY
Courtney proudly serves as the Board Secretary for the Lookout Wild Film Festival. A longtime supporter of LWFF, she began as a film screener and volunteer and has been attending the festival since 2015.
Courtney holds a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a B.A. in Public Relations from the University of Georgia. Her nursing career has spanned caring for oncology patients, supporting the unhoused community, and serving children in her local elementary school.
When she’s not working or volunteering, you’ll most likely find Courtney outdoors—hiking, biking, taking photos, or crafting something creative. She’s especially proud of her family and loves sharing big adventures with them. Courtney has been married for 23 years to her husband, Tyler, a Chattanooga firefighter, and together they’re raising three sons: Bryson, Khyber, and Crosby.
TOM HAMMOND
BOARD MEMBER
Tom Hammond is a longtime outdoor-industry professional and business strategist based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He entered the outdoor world 27 years ago working retail at High Country Outfitters in Atlanta, where the relationships he built opened the door to independent repping and, eventually, to starting his own agency, Adventure Marketing Group. Tom’s connection to the Lookout Wild Film Festival (LWFF) began at outdoor-industry trade shows, where he encountered LWFF through pop-up events while attending with the family of outdoor brands he represents. When he’s not on the road visiting retailers or trade shows, Tom can be found mountain biking, bikepacking, rock climbing, paddling, backpacking, hiking, fly fishing, traveling, or simply spending time outside with his family.
TERRI CHAPIN
BOARD MEMBER
Terri Chapin is a longtime fan and supporter of the Lookout Wild Film Festival (LWFF), with a special passion for helping young people turn inspiration from the screen into real adventure outside. Through her work with Outdoor Chattanooga, she focuses on creating welcoming, low-barrier opportunities for youth from underserved communities who are moved by LWFF films and want to try outdoor sports such as climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking. Terri is especially committed to helping first-time participants feel confident, supported, and safe as they discover new activities, new places, and new possibilities for themselves in the outdoors.