My Music Row Story: CMA’s Tiffany Kerns

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Tiffany Kerns

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

In her role as SVP, Industry Relations & Philanthropy, Tiffany Kerns oversees the strategic direction and management of all the Country Music Association’s membership events, initiatives and programming. By developing and enhancing robust and innovative CMA membership strategies, she ensures professional development pathways align with the needs of the member base and the future of the industry.

Established as CMA’s philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation has invested nearly $30 million across all 50 states. In her role, Kerns is responsible for the growth, development and execution of the nonprofit’s charitable investments by creating intentional partnerships and implementing an impact-driven grant process.

With a steadfast focus on improving the philanthropic model of giving, Kerns has led the charge in enriching music education programs across the United States. She oversees advocacy efforts for the CMA Foundation at the state and federal level, which includes working with dozens of community partners, policymakers, educators and industry leaders to elevate the CMA Foundation’s mission.

Kerns will be honored as part of the current class of MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row on March 19. For more details about the class and the event, click here.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Bradenton, Florida by way of Columbus, Ohio.

The biggest thing I was taught growing up was to go into everything with commitment and an incredible amount of passion.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What was school like for you?

I particularly love where I grew up. I was exposed to so much diversity, in every sense of the word—we were a beach town, yet less than 10 miles from the country. I went to a middle school where I was the minority. By high school, we really were a community—hurricane nation to be clear. Whether you were an athlete, in the band, a part of student council or learning how to break dance—yes, I tried that too—you were celebrated for being you.

In fact, we started a nonprofit in high school that ensured anyone who moved to our community, would be properly supported as they navigated the uncomfortable transition of joining a new high school and making friends.

School pushed me out of my comfort zone on more than one occasion and truly gave me the foundation and perspective that has stayed with me, even today.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

That’s awesome! Where did you go to college?

I always knew I wanted to go out of state and attend a football school. I begged my parents to let me apply to out-of state schools versus staying in Florida. It just so happened that both our football coach and principal went to the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and his best friend was Phillip Fulmer, who was Tennessee’s football coach.

That influenced me to look at UT, and ultimately, I became a Vol. I fell in love with not just football but UT athletics as a whole. I developed an appreciation for the recruitment process. Working with parents and guardians to better understand the opportunities that exist for their child while making sure they understood that less than 10 percent of student athletes would have an opportunity to pursue a career at the professional level. It was imperative that student athletes understood their degree gave them an opportunity to have a plan B beyond playing sports.

I also credit my time within my sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, as being the ultimate education. I learned so much about developing relationships and the importance of effective communication.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What happened after college?

I graduated with a degree in political science, and I immediately pursued and developed a love for politics. I had an opportunity to learn and understand a major political campaign and what is endured on a campaign trail. The minute that was over, I was back in Knoxville and ready to tackle a new challenge. A friend of mine had recently had a child with cystic fibrosis. He asked if I would help plan a fundraiser. That fundraiser turned into the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) asking if I wanted a full time job. I took the opportunity and worked for CFF in East Tennessee.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What did you learn there?

A lot of things happened [during that time], but one thing that I immediately realized was that I loved major gift development, the cultivation of individuals that have the ability to give at a high level. This led to new opportunities with CFF, spending more time with individuals who wanted to build their legacy through gift giving. I learned to be an active listener. It was my job to understand the needs of a donor and ensure their gift and experience with us was one that had deep impact and was fruitful.

I spent most of my time in San Francisco, cultivating and soliciting gifts. Over the course of six and a half years, we raised $200 million to support this research. These funds helped excel our drug therapeutics pipeline. A drug takes a good amount of time before it can go to market, and what typically prohibits that is funding. I specifically worked on a drug called Kalydeco that we knew would have the ability to not cure but maintain the health of 90 percent of our cystic fibrosis patients. It went to market two years after I left the organization, but it was the drug that I focused on the most, and I loved it.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What was next?

I ended up moving to Nashville because there was an opportunity here with CFF. Someone on the Board of Directors locally knew Ed Hardy, who was the interim CEO at CMA. He said that they had just launched the CMA Foundation and were interested in having someone create a roadmap or a strategic plan for it.

I don’t know that I ever thought I would work [at CMA], but over the course of months, Ed and I got to know each other, and I officially applied. I’ve been [with the organization] ever since. I joined in early December of 2013.

How would you explain what your job has become at CMA?

I tell everyone that I wake up every day trying to figure out how CMA can support the professionals that make a living in this business. How that looks is different for most individuals, as we have 6,300 members. What a bus driver needs may be very different than what a manager needs which is very different than an artist, a publisher or a songwriter. I think it’s being curious enough to say, “I don’t know what you need. Talk to me about it. Let’s sit down and let me try to figure out how CMA can be woven into your professional story. How can we be supportive?” That’s my core job.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

Then there is the CMA Foundation. Being the Executive Director for the last six years has been an absolute dream. I am passionate about our mission and the students and teachers we serve. In the music education space, I feel strongly that the music industry will only be in existence if we’re exposing our students to creative potential while they’re in K through 12. Both of my roles at CMA are centered around people and it’s what makes me excited about showing up to work every day.

I also work very closely with our Board of Directors—talk about working with the most brilliant individuals in our business! They’re constantly pushing me to think bigger and differently. They are a critical piece in maintaining curiosity in the organization.

That’s a lot. When do you feel most fulfilled in what you do?

When I know that I’ve made it easier for somebody else. That is in everything, whether it’s helping out a music teacher or guiding someone from our industry to mental health resources. I see everyone as a neighbor. I believe you are most fulfilled when you are at the service of others.

Who have been some of your mentors?

Joe Galante. He is truly one of the best mentors on the planet. He has a real gift for asking questions, and he has taught me how to be curious and to never stop pushing yourself to learn.

Sarah Trahern has also been a tremendous reflection of the kind of leader that I want to be, too. She does a great job of bringing you along, and has been a tremendous asset for me and my career. I would also say Kitty Moon Emery, who is no longer with us. My first two years at CMA, she was just constantly checking in and making sure that I knew she was in my corner. That went such a long way.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

One is a lyric from Bob Dylan that said, “Don’t criticize something you can’t understand.” That was shared with me by my father. I would always get very frustrated when I was younger about why doing the right thing sometimes was so hard to for people to do. I try, as best as I can, to see as many perspectives as possible before critiquing or being quick to judge.

The other is that my success should never be at the expense of others. I never want to feel like I’ve had to step on the back of somebody else in order to achieve anything.

You will be honored at next week’s Rising Women on the Row ceremony. What has your experience been like as a woman in the music industry?

A lot better than I think most people probably would assume. I work at an organization that is predominantly female, and I love it. I also think the men that we have, not only in our building but on our Board of Directors, are incredibly supportive.

I particularly want to help shift this narrative that women can’t be supportive of one another. At Rising Women, there will be a room full of women celebrating our honorees. How do we take that one step further and ensure we are celebrating, lifting and building up all women in our business? Let’s look inward on our teams and our peer groups, let’s ask each other if we have what we need to excel. We can’t remove barriers if we aren’t asking what they are and how we can collectively overcome them.

Overall, it has been a really positive experience. Of course, like any industry, we are not perfect, and I think we have to work on making sure our tenured women are giving back to our emerging professionals. We have to continue to be curious about each other and then do everything in our power to pave the way for others, as a community.

LB Cantrell
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