Leadership Nashville Class Of 2016 Includes CAA’s Rod Essig

Rod A. Essig, Music Agent and Co-head, CAA Nashville

Forty-four community leaders have been named to participate in Leadership Nashville’s 40th class. Among those included in the nine-month program is Nashville music industry’s Rod Essig, Agent and Co-head of Nashville office at Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

“Selection was especially difficult this year because of the large number of very qualified applicants,” says Jerry B. Williams, Executive Director of Leadership Nashville.

The 44 participants were chosen from more than 215 applications. The selection process takes place each spring when alumni and the public are encouraged to nominate established leaders who are willing to devote the time and effort to an in-depth study of the community.

The program is designed to assist community leaders in their roles as decision makers. The course, which will begin in September, focuses on issues related to government, media, education, business, labor, diversity, quality of life, human services, health, arts, entertainment and crime and criminal justice.

Lawson C. Allen: President, Lee Danner & Bass, Inc.
Jill D. Austin: Chief Marketing Officer & Assist. Vice Chancellor, Vanderbilt University Medical Ctr.
Grace Awh: Community Volunteer
William Biggs: Director of Affordable Housing, Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency
Stephen Bland: CEO, Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority
Sheila Calloway: Judge, Davidson County Juvenile Court
Ravi Chari, MD: Senior Vice President, Clinical Excellence, Hospital Corporation of America
Rene D. Copeland: Producing Artistic Director, Nashville Repertory Theatre
Elizabeth E. DeBauche: Commissioner, Ohio Valley Conference
Parag Desai: Senior Vice President of Strategy & Shared Services, Genesco, Inc.
Kerry Dunn: President-Elect, Junior League of Nashville
Marjorie Eastman: President & COO, YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee
Rod A. Essig: Music Agent/Co-head of Nashville Office, Creative Artists Agency
Paul D. Gilbert: Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Life Point Health
Glenda B. Glover, PhD: President, Tennessee State University
Max R. Goldberg: Co-Owner, Strategic Hospitality
S. Marcela Gomez: Founder & President, Hispanic Marketing Group, Inc.
Linda Claire Guttery: President, Junior Chamber of Commerce
Charles K. Hannon, Jr.: Executive Vice President, Healthcare Banking, First Tennessee Bank
Danny J. Herron: President & CEO, Nashville Area Habitat For Humanity
Daniel P. Hogan: President & CEO, Medalogix
Kelly S. Holmes: Senior Vice President & Commercial Team Leader, SunTrust Bank
Gordon G. Howey, Jr.: Captain, Youth Services Division, Metro Nashville Police Department
Jennifer L. Hutchison: Senior Vice President & Corporate Comptroller, Ryman Hospitality Properties
Jan D. Maddox: Director of Business Operations, Deloitte Services LP
Charles (Chuck) Mader: Senior Vice President & Regional Mortgage Executive, Regions Bank
Andrew Maraniss: Partner, McNeilly Piggott & Fox
Shaka Mitchell: Regional Director for Tennessee, Rocketship Education
John Murfee: Private Client Advisor, Bank of America U. S. Trust
Anna-Gene O’Neal: President & CEO, Alive Hospice
Carolyn W. Schott: Attorney/Shareholder, Sherrard & Roe
Bernard J. Sherry: President & CEO, St. Thomas West & MidTown Hospitals
Joshua H. Smith: Owner & General Manager, The Standard Club at Smith House
Kelly Miller Smith, Jr.: Pastor, First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill
Gatluak Tach: Executive Director, Nashville International Center for Empowerment
John R. Tarpley: Shareholder, Lewis Thomason King Krieg & Waldrop
Wendy J. Thompson: Vice Chancellor, Tennessee Board of Regents
Emilie Townes, DMin, PhD: Dean, Divinity School, Vanderbilt University
Doreen Wade: General Manager, WSMV-TV4
Larry Whisenant: Senior Vice President & Client Services Manager, Pinnacle Financial Partners
Lisa Wiltshire: Director, Early Learning Innovation, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Matthew Wright: President, Disciplina Group
Helena W. Yarbrough: Associate General Counsel, Bridgestone Americas
Alan Young: President & CEO, Armour Concepts