The Contributor (https://thecontributor.org/tag/a-few-questions/)
Erika Burnett has a tremendous track record in community leadership in the private and public sector. Most recently she served as the VP of Community Development at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Executive Director of The Village.
Bob Mendes served Nashville as an at-large member of Metro Council from 2015-2023, followed by a two-year stint as the Chief Development Officer in the Mayor’s Office.
Judge Lynda Jones was elected to the bench on Aug. 7, 2014, and serves as the Division 9 General Sessions Court judge in Nashville-Davidson County.
For a year-end interview, we spoke with Whitney Pastorek, a writer and community organizer who most recently has served as the executive producer of City Cast Nashville.
Ashford Hughes Sr. is the Executive Officer of Student Success and Opportunity for Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).
Chaplain Dahron Annelies Johnson is a trans rights advocate who has become a mainstay of activism in the halls where the Tennessee General Assembly meets.
Rico X has worked with young people throughout his career and recently was named the chief mission delivery officer of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee.
In the past decade, people working in the nonprofit sector have increasingly become interested in the creation of housing units to serve vulnerable populations. One local leader who has made the shift from social work to housing development and property management is Nathan Harmening. Since April of this year, Harmening has served as the vice president of operations for AGB Real Estate, the development company that has opened 250 permanent supportive housing units in two complexes called Wallace Studios and Greenview Apartments. Prior to joining AGB Real Estate, Harmening was the executive director of I Am Next, an organization you may have read about in our July-16 issue when Contributor vendor Norma B. featured their work with young people aging out of foster care. At AGB Real Estate, Harmening tackles a dual role of overseeing the property management operations for the company as well as scaling the supportive housing portfolio.
Bachelder’s background is in public health and community organizing.
Rev. Davie Tucker has served as the executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission since 2022.