Dr. Lesli Gooch, CEO, MHI
Dr. Lesli Gooch is the Chief Executive Officer of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) and a recognized leader in housing policy, advocacy, and regulatory affairs. With a decade of experience at MHI, she has built a highly effective team that has delivered significant legislative and regulatory victories for the manufactured housing industry.
Under her leadership, MHI has made strides in elevating manufactured housing within Congress and the Administration. Notable recent achievements of Dr. Gooch and her team include protecting the industry from being subject to poorly constructed Department of Energy building standards and elevating the Office of Manufactured Housing Programs in the HUD hierarchy to be on par with the offices for single-family and multi-family housing. Additionally, MHI secured the first comprehensive update to HUD construction standards in over a decade, expanding the scope of manufactured housing to include single-section duplexes and multi-unit designs. Since 2019, MHI has partnered with HUD to bring a range of manufactured homes to the National Mall as a part of HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase. On the Hill, MHI has ensured that manufactured housing is a part of the discussion during congressional hearings about housing supply. At the state level, Dr. Gooch has led advocacy efforts before a number of state legislatures to combat bills that would negatively impact land-lease communities.
Prior to joining MHI, Dr. Gooch served across a variety of vantage points in Washington – including as a congressional staff member, congressional candidate, lobbyist, and political scientist focused on Congress. She has served on both Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s Affordable Housing Advisory committees.
Dr. Gooch’s impact on housing innovation and homeownership expansion has earned her numerous accolades. Most recently, Dr. Gooch was honored with the prestigious Jack E. Wells Memorial Award for her efforts on behalf of the industry. She has been recognized for four consecutive years as one of HousingWire’s Women of Influence for her efforts to elevate housing innovation and expand attainable homeownership. She has been ranked as one of The Hill’s top lobbyists in the United States and was a finalist for the Women in Government Relations’ Advocate of the Year Award in 2020. In 2018, Dr. Gooch was a nominee for the Professional Women in Advocacy’s Excellence in a Federal Issue Campaign award. In 2017, she was named in M Report’s “Wonder Women of Housing” as one of the top females impacting the housing industry. Dr. Gooch has a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma.
Mike Bell - Assistant Commissioner, Commerce & Insurance
Mike Bell was appointed as the Department's Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention in 2024.
In this capacity, Mr. Bell leads the division's seven sections, which includes the State Fire Marshal's Office, in its mission of protecting Tennesseans and their property.
A native of Bradley County and a resident of McMinn County since 1989, Mr. Bell had a 16-year tenure in the Tennessee General Assembly where he first served as a state representative and later as a state senator. His career included leadership roles as chairman of the Senate Government Operation Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. Starting in 2022, Mr. Bell served as the Legislative Director for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Association.
Bell and his wife Lisa have been married for 39 years have five children and eight grandchildren.
Beth Winstead - McMahan Winstead & Richardson
Beth Winstead joined McMahan Winstead & Richardson in December 1996. After leaving her law practice in 1986, Beth held an array of positions in Governor Ned McWherter’s administration, including Field Director for his First Congressional District campaign, Special Assistant to the Governor for Boards and Commissions, and was a member of McWherter’s legislative team.
In 1990, Beth became the Executive Assistant to the Bureau of Environment in the newly minted Department of Environment and Conservation. In that position, she assisted with legislation and held oversight responsibilities of ten divisions within the Bureau. Winstead was also the Commissioner’s representative on the Solid Waste Control Board, Air Pollution Control Board, Underground Storage Tank Board, and Water Quality Control Board.
In 1995, Beth was appointed as the Assistant Chief Clerk of the Tennessee House of Representatives. She then joined the staff of Mayor Phil Bredesen as his chief lobbyist on Capitol Hill where she was instrumental in bringing the Tennessee Titans NFL team to Tennessee. She also served as a member of his legislative team representing the Mayor’s office before the Metro Council, where she played a significant role in the building of Bridgestone Arena and the addition of the Nashville Predators, which were paramount in the revitalization of Nashville’s world famous Broadway.
Beth received her A.A. from St. Mary’s Junior College in Raleigh, North Carolina and her B.S. in Business Administration magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She received her J.D. from the Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law, University of Memphis. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, The Downtown Rotary Club of Franklin and was a founding member of the Tennessee Lobbyists Association. She frequently is invited to speak at the University of Tennessee Law School Institute of Professional Leadership where she shares her experiences in the government relations field with first year law students.
She is married to Brigadier General Kurt Winstead, USA, Retired, and they have two daughters, Bridget and Mary Hannah.
The contacts Beth has made across the state are abundant and diverse. She possesses strong and enduring relationships across both sides of the aisle and her lobbying skills are well respected by every legislator in the Tennessee General Assembly.