Rumira Xhaferaj

Rumira serves as the chief business officer for IPS. In her role, she supports each of the institute's agencies with budgeting, financial administration, business operations, policy compliance and interpretation, State of TN reporting, and more. 

She joined the University of Tennessee in 2011 and worked for the Institute of Agriculture for 10 years before joining IPS in 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Tirana, Albania, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

Born and raised in Albania, she started her professional career in the capital city of Tirana, working for international organizations like the World Health Organization, the Swedish International Development-Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the World English Institute. With her husband and two children, Rumira emigrated to the United States in 2009 and moved to Maryville. She and her family had visited several times and had fallen in love with the Smoky Mountains and southern hospitality! 

 Rumira enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, including mission work, reading and watching old movies.