Speaker - Chip Baker

Chip Baker has been the Executive Director of Friends of the Festival since 1999.  For the 20 years prior to that, he was a hospital administrator, having moved from Dallas, TX in 1992 to be the Administrator of Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.

Chip has been married to Karlette Baker for the past 30 years.  They have 4 children and like so many people who have moved to Chattanooga, fell in love with the community, the people, and the great outdoors.  After making a life altering career change from hospital administration to festival management in 1999, to give their children a permanent place to call home, Karlette and Chip have never looked back on their decision.  Who would?!  This is the greatest place on earth!!

Besides overseeing Friends of the Festival and all the events they produce, most notably Riverbend, Chip has been actively involved in other parts of our community, from Boards at the Ronald McDonald House to the Children’s Advocacy Center, to the Craniofacial Foundation, as well as Hamilton County Board of Education.  

Like so many Chattanooga and Hamilton Countians, Chip was infected with what is affectionately known as the “Chattanooga Way!”