ULI Nashville Management Committees, Affinity Groups, and Issue Action Councils/Initiatives

ULI Nashville members can engage in the work of ULI Nashville by volunteering to serve as part of the Management Committees, Affinity Groups, and Issue Action Councils/Initiatives. By doing so, you can work with other members to offer networking and education across the District Council. Below are brief descriptions of these opportunities as well as FY24 Chairs. Opportunities to engage in ULI Nashville Committees, Affinity Groups, and Issue Action Councils/ Initiatives are open only to ULI members. To inquire about current committee openings email [email protected].

Management Committees

COMMUNICATIONS/MARKETING COMMITTEE – Kaylen Harrison (Southeast Venture) and Katie Wainman (Hardaway Construction), Co-Chairs
The Communications/Marketing Committee is responsible for helping create ULI Nashville’s communications and marketing plan and supporting ULI Nashville’s presence on social media, and through print/tv media relations with consistent ULI Nashville messaging.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE – Chris Ferguson (Wolfram Development) and Kevin McAdams (Elliott Davis), Co-Chairs
The Membership Committee is responsible for ensuring ULI Nashville membership retention and growth. Committee members attend bi-monthly New Member CONNECT orientations and network with small groups of new members. They also reach out individually to new members to help them become engaged with ULI Nashville. In October this committee will host a “Member Bring a Member” party as outreach to new and potential members.

PROGRAM AND AWARDS COMMITTEE– Brittany Earlie (Busy Branding) and Bailie Klages (Commerce Bank), Co-Chairs
The Program Committee is responsible for selecting and helping plan ULI Nashville programs outside of the work of Action Councils, Initiatives, and Affinity groups. Examples include project tours like the Content before Cocktails series and social programming like the ULI Nashville Chairs’ Party in early summer. This committee also works with the Executive Director of ULI Nashville to put on the annual Excellence in Development Awards program – ULI Nashville’s largest annual event.

SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE – Dillard Adams (Southeast Venture) and Bryan Hay (Skanska), Co-Chairs
The Sponsorship Committee is responsible for the solicitation of the vital Annual Sponsor campaign. This work runs from September– early December.The committee will also host a Sponsor Kickoff Party in the Fall and an Annual Sponsor Appreciation Party in the Spring.

Affinity Groups

NEXT STEERING COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEES – Jonathan Holmes (Manganaro TN) and Brittney Rowe (Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital), Co-Chairs
The ULI Nashville NEXT initiative provides opportunities to identify, connect, and elevate the next generation of leaders from mid-career professionals age 35 to (approximately) 45 years. Committee members help suggest, plan, and evaluate NEXT activities offered to ULI Nashville members.

NEXT LUNCH WITH A LEADER – Kaitlin Dastugue (Civic Design Center) and Katie Hawk (FSA Lighting), Co-Chairs
Three times a year gather over lunch with other ULI Nashville NEXT members for networking and small-group conversation with local leaders.

NEXT SOCIALS – Brantley Beeler (Gresham Smith) and Lindsey Heird (Truxton Trust), Co-Chairs
Twice a year gather for networking over cocktails or enjoy other fun events with other ULI Nashville NEXT members.

NEXT NETWORKING EXCHANGE – Ripley Bickerstaff (Hoar) and Hayley Schulist (CBRE), Co-Chairs
Connect virtually with ULI NEXT members from other district councils in peer cities.

NEXT COFFEE CLUB – Julie Debow-Davis (EOA Architects), Co-Chair
Connect monthly one-on-one with other ULI Nashville NEXT members.

PATHWAYS TO INCLUSION COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEES — James Harper (Hensel Phelps) and Terry White (Purser White Architecture, PLLC), Co-Chairs
The Pathways to Inclusion initiative works to diversify ULI Nashville and the development industry through programs that highlight the work of and promote the advancement of diverse communities. Committee members help manage the Pathways program and related programming.

PATHWAYS EVENT COMMITTEE – Youvonia Moore (Thomas Moore Properties, LLC) and Andy Zhu (MFX Ventures), Co-Chairs
Plans networking and educational events for the Pathways cohort.

PATHWAYS STOOP TALKS – Brittany Macon (Polsinelli) and Quan Poole (Waller), Co-Chairs
Three times a year gather virtually with other ULI Nashville Pathways members for small-group conversation with local and national leaders.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE STEERING COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEES – Laura LoJacono (TLC Engineering Solutions) and Lori Smith (TMPartners), Co-Chairs
The Mission of the ULI Nashville Women’s Leadership Initiative is to provide professional development opportunities for women, raise the visibility of the accomplishments of women and increase the number of women leaders in ULI and its member industries. Steering Committee members help suggest, plan, and evaluate WLI activities offered to ULI Nashville members.  

WLI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES – Jesse Brown (Design Object) and Danielle Pyle (CBRE), Co-Chairs
Twice yearly, the WLI hosts speakers on a range of professional development topics for all ULI Nashville Members. Past topics have included conversational intelligence, the intergenerational workplace, and the road to the C-suite.

WLI STUDIO AFTER DARK – Sera Cremona (Cremona Consulting) and Suzannah Gills (Turner), Co-Chairs
The committee plans the Studio After Dark series where small groups of female members meet in homes to discuss issues of importance with a local female leader.  

WLI COFFEE CONNECT – Susan Marlow (Stantec), Chair
Connect monthly one-on-one with other ULI Nashville female members.

YOUNG LEADERS (YL) GROUP STEERING COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEES – Sheena Francis (Kimley-Horn) and Kelly Hiett (AL Neyer), Co-Chairs
ULI Nashville Young Leaders Group is organized to serve the specific goals of our ULI members under the age of 35. To serve YLG’s interest in career development, mentorship, and networking, YLG offers special programs and events. Committee members help suggest, plan, and evaluate Young Leader activities offered to ULI Nashville members.

YL MENTOR COMMITTEE – Orlando Cordero (Pearl Street Partners) and Ryan Gram (Kimley-Horn), Co-Chairs
The Mentor Committee plans and runs the successful Mentor Program each year including matching member mentor/mentee pairs and hosting programming in support of the participants.

YL POP-UP PROJECT TOURS – Erin Leaf (Remick Architecture) and Michael Wasyliw (EOA Architects), Co-Chairs
The Pop-Up Committee plans casual, impromptu small-group project tours that highlight the work of Young Leader members. Each tour is followed by a networking happy hour.

YL SPORTS SOCIALS – Blair Seymour (Catalyst Design Group) and Holland Whitaker (New City, LLC), Co-Chairs
This committee offers casual, networking happy hours for YL members based around watching and participating in popular sporting events.

YL LEADERSHIP LUNCHEONS – Kylie Brown (Hensel Phelps) and Caroline Churchill (Kimley-Horn), Co-Chairs
This committee offers a series of lunch and learn programs for YL professionals focused on becoming a leader within your profession.

Issue Action Councils / Initiatives

BUILDING HEALTHY PLACES (BHP) – John Vick (Tennessee Department of Health) and Kathryn Withers (Barge Design Solutions), Co-Chairs
BHP members focus on how to make our city healthier for residents, employees, and visitors through thoughtful design of the built environment. BHP has taken the lead on ULI Nashville’s work on the ULI mission priority to accelerate decarbonization and achieve net zero. In FY24, BHP will focus on active mobility and on biophilic design, with an emphasis on private sector creation of public open space.

CAPITAL MARKETS – Stephen Brink (1^st Southern Mortgage) and Jody Moody (The Mathews Co.), Co-Chairs
This action council hosts the annual ULI Nashville Real Estate Outlook event, one of ULI Nashville’s signature programs, attracting over 350 industry leaders to learn about national and local market trends.

CIVIC LEADERSHIP FORUM (CLF) – Clay Adkisson (Openworks) and John Gore (Barge Civil Associates), Co-Chairs
The mission of the ULI Nashville Civic Leadership Forum is to build Nashville’s best future by enhancing the dialogue and understanding between local decision-makers and the land use and development community. The work of the ULI Nashville CLF reinforces the timeless value that strong communities are built through mutual understanding, productive communication, and good partners. Each year CLF creates opportunities for ULI Nashville members to connect with the leaders of Metro Departments related to growth and development. CLF also creates programs that showcase developments that exhibit exceptional public/private partnerships.

HOUSING ACTION COUNCIL (HAC) – Burkley Allen (I.C. Thomasson Assoc.) and Aron Thompson (Urban League of Middle Tennessee), Co-Chairs
The HAC monitors the status of housing in Nashville, discussing policy and programming solutions with an emphasis on promoting affordable housing.

PRIVATE MARKETS ATTAINABLE HOUSING ACTION COUNCIL – Madison Adams (InvestSmart TN, LLC) and Matt Nicholson (The Clear Blue Company), Co-Chairs
This member group is open to development/design professionals whose work is dedicated to delivering attainably priced / mixed-income housing product or who have an interest in this product. The PMAHAC hosts colleague discussions on best practices and market challenges, highlighting local examples of attainable housing developed without subsidies and exploring new models for this product on the national level.

URBANPLAN – Tara Myers (ESa) and David Powell (HASTINGS Architecture), Co-Chairs
With the help of volunteers, UrbanPlan harnesses the power of experiential learning by teaching and engaging participants – high school students, university students, or public officials – to learn the fundamental process and forces that affect development in our communities. They experience challenging issues, private and public sector roles, complex trade-offs, and fundamental economics in play when proposing realistic land use solutions to vexing growth challenges. ULI Nashville UrbanPlan’s Steering Committee leads this initiative by guiding its growth within the Nashville community.

To inquire about current committee openings email [email protected].