NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Leadership Nashville, an independent executive program founded in 1976, has announced its class for the upcoming year. The program, one of the oldest community leadership programs in the country, has a goal of connecting Nashville’s leaders while helping the leader emerge better equipped to make decisions that benefit the community.
“We do not attempt to provide solutions,” Evette White, the program’s executive director, said. “In fact, our participants are so diverse that they wouldn’t agree with each other – by design. Instead, we expose them to various viewpoints on each issue, believing that Nashville will be stronger because decisions these leaders make in the future will come from a broadened, enlightened perspective.”
The course focuses on issues related to government, media, diversity, equity & inclusion, business, education, quality of life, health, arts & entertainment, and public safety.
This year's class was selected from more than 250 nominations by program alumni and the public.
The 2024-25 class is below:
- Isaac Addae, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, Office of Mayor Freddie O'Connell
- David Andrews, Owner & Executive Chef, D'Andrews Bakery & Café
- Ian Ayre, CEO, Nashville Soccer Club
- Meera Ballal, Founder, Women's Healthcare Initiative
- Martha Boyd, Shareholder, Baker Donelson
- Gerard Bullock, Real Estate Broker, Compass RE
- Elise Cambournac, President & CEO, Nashville Technology Council
- Sarah Cates, VP, Imagination, Strategic Initiatives, & Partnerships, Belmont University
- Katie Crumbo, Retired Nurse Practitioner & Community Volunteer
- Sam Davidson, CEO, Nashville Entrepreneur Center
- Tina Doniger, CEO, Community Resource Center
- Tonya Hallett, Vice President, People Experience & Technology, Amazon
- Todd Hartley, SVP, Legal & Business Affairs, Country Music Association, Inc
- Darrell Hawks, Executive Director, Friends of Mill Ridge Park; Jeff Haynes, Partner, Boyle Nashville
- Kelly Hodges, Chief Development & Engagement Officer, Gresham Smith
- Monchiere' Holmes-Jones, Chief Brand Curator, MOJO Marketing & PR
- Kathleen Fuchs Hritz, Senior Director of Community Relations, Vanderbilt University
- Melissa Hudson-Gant, CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee
- Deana Ivey, President & CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
- Ted Johnson, President, Practice Operations, HCA Healthcare
- Emmanuel LeGrair, Creative Director, R.H. Boyd
- Tessa Lemos Del Pino, Executive Director, Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors
- Johari Matthews, VP & Executive Director, ONE Community & Titans Foundation, Tennessee Titans
- Bill McCleskey, Founder, MiTech Partners
- Jeff McGruder, Chief Relationship Officer & Principal, Citizens Savings Bank & Trust
- Jim Meade, CEO, LBMC, PC; Dale Mitchell, EVP Community Development, Pinnacle Financial Partners
- Roger Moore, Deputy District Attorney, Office of the District Attorney General
- Berthena Nabaa-McKinney, School Board Member, District 4, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Sneha Oakley, General Counsel & VP, Partner Development, HealthStream, Inc.
- Kerry Price, Chief Strategy Officer, Bass, Berry & Sims
- Tonya Quarles, VP of Sales, Dell Technology; Robert Ramsey, EVP & Chief Development Officer, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
- Bethany Rhoten, President-Elect, Junior League of Nashville
- C.J. Sentell, CEO, The Nashville Food Project
- Pamela Sessions, CEO, Renewal House
- Knight Stivender, Partner/Owner, MP&F
- Amy Sullivan, President & CEO, Kirkland's
- Jim Todd, Judge, Davidson County General Sessions, Div VI
- Jennifer Turner, President & CEO, Tennessee Performing Arts Center
- Heather Vassar, SVP, Operations, EMPIRE
- Joseph Webb, CEO, Nashville General Hospital
- Dayton Wheeler, Inspector, Metro Nashville Police Department
- Juan Williams, Commissioner, Department of Human Resources, Tennessee State Government
- Richard Wolfson, Senior Vice President, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
Courtney Ross, a senior manager with Amazon chaired the selection committee this year. Beth Chase, the retired founder of C3 Consulting, is the president of the Leadership Nashville Board of Trustees.
Amidst their own grief and facing hatred these gentlemen worked to save lives. Forrest Sanders brings us a history lesson that's ripple effects are still evident across Nashville.
-Carrie Sharp
