Summary
Executive leader with 20+ years building organizations, expanding social impact, and leading advocacy teams through transformational change. Expertise in systems-level coalition building, equity-centered program design, and policy advocacy. Scaled nonprofit budgets from $0 to $750K+ and generated $3.7M+ in mission-driven revenue. Proven grassroots nonprofit leadership applied to progressive advocacy, foundation strategy, and public policy roles focused on social justice and community power-building.
Areas of expertise
Nonprofit Management
Marketing Strategy
Media & Public Relations
Coalition Building
Collective Impact
Brand Positioning
Equity & Inclusivity
Social Impact & Revenue
Grant Administration
Program Development
Content Strategy
Budgets & Planning
Systems Change
Event Management
Crisis Management
Professional experience
Executive Director & Founder
Inclusion Tennessee — Nashville, TN
- Rebuilt Tennessee's LGBTQ+ advocacy infrastructure; implemented comprehensive organizational vision across advocacy, health, and community pillars guiding strategic direction for 5+ years.
- Attracted $750K+ in annual funding, including the organization's largest foundation grant of $250K.
- Developed four communication strategies across digital, traditional media, grassroots, and coalition channels — driving a 300% increase in community participation and statewide recognition.
- Cultivated relationships with 90+ national and state partners; built a coalition of 40+ community leaders influencing 12+ pieces of state legislation.
- Grew annual budget from $0 to $750K, exceeding fundraising goals by 20% while maintaining 100% federal compliance.
- Scaled from solo founder to full operation; recruited and led a team of 5 full-time staff and 200+ volunteers, achieving 95% staff retention and 80% volunteer engagement over five years.
- Created comprehensive brand guidelines and served as primary spokesperson across 10+ channels, achieving a 500% increase in media mentions.
- Organized statewide advocacy campaigns across healthcare access, voter participation, gun safety, and LGBTQ+ representation — mobilizing 5,000+ advocates and securing policy victories in 3 of 4 targeted legislative areas.
Marketing Specialist (Contract)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee — Nashville, TN
- Revitalized post-COVID marketing efforts across 12 platforms, driving a 45% increase in volunteer applications and 30% boost in community awareness within 8 months.
- Produced comprehensive annual report — original copywriting, design, and photography — influencing a 25% increase in major donor retention and $150K in additional contributions.
Agency Director & Senior Strategist
BAM! Social Business, LLC — Nashville, TN & New York, NY
- Drove 180% year-over-year growth; positioned agency as a dominant regional player across political, nonprofit, retail, real estate, and entertainment sectors.
- Directed comprehensive marketing strategies for 100+ clients, achieving an average 40% ROI improvement and 85% client retention over 12 years.
- Managed $1M+ annual ad budgets across 8 industry sectors, delivering 35% improvement in campaign performance metrics and 90% contract renewal rates.
- Led a 25-member team across four departments with a structured check-and-balance system for communication and strategic alignment.
- Coordinated 50+ high-profile events nationwide — fashion shows, movie premieres, product launches — earning $2M in media value per event and building 15+ long-term production partnerships.
Additional employment
Affiliate Commercial Real Estate Broker
The Cauble Group — Nashville, TN
- Built trusted partnerships across diverse stakeholders through adaptive communication and consistent follow-through.
- Navigated complex project challenges through cross-functional coordination and data-driven insights.
Corporate Partnerships Host
Goodera — Nashville, TN
- Connected 4,000+ volunteers for events ensuring seamless participant experience and sustained community involvement.
- Collaborated with 20+ regional and national NGOs to extend programming impact to 50,000+ individuals in marginalized communities.
Education
Master of Business Administration
Belmont University
Nashville, TN
Bachelor of Science, Communication Strategy
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Certifications & professional development
Project Management Professional (PMP) — Project Management Institute
Advanced Grant Writing — Center for Nonprofit Management
Collective Impact — Center for Nonprofit Management
Circle + Group Facilitation — The Circle Center
Leadership Connect — Nashville Chamber of Commerce
Streetwise MBA Program — U.S. Small Business Administration