We recently caught up with former Metro Nashville Council candidate Nancy VanReece to find out what she's been up to. Quite a bit, as it turns out.
Grand Divisions: You recently took a new position with the Nashville Symphony. Tell us what you'll be doing.
Nancy VanReece: I
am working with a great Communications team as part of the External
Affairs Department. Daily, you can bet that I am busy crafting and
managing social media strategies for each event produced by the
Nashville Symphony as well as for each department of the Nashville Symphony and Schermerhorn Symphony Center. In addition to doing our best to turn content into conversations in the social-sphere, I am managing the updates to to www.nashvillesymphony.org
Grand Divisions: You've always indicated that equality in the workplace is an important
value to you. Tell us about what modifications to their employment
policies that the Symphony has made since you started working there.
Nancy VanReece: Actually,
there has been no modification of practice, just an update in the
language to their nondiscrimination policy. Back when I was the
Executive Director of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival I did a quick
survey of nonprofit arts organizations receiving funding from Metro
Davidson County that had inclusive non-discrimination polices. Almost
all did, including the Nashville Symphony. I
learned at that time that they also allowed domestic partners of
employees to receive health benefit options. I tucked that information
away back in 2007.
You can bet
that it came back up when I was interviewing for the position 4 years
later. I asked again about both. I had pledged to not work for a
company that didn't have an inclusive policy so it was imperative that
what I learned in 2007 was still true. After reading the
policy, however, there was some antiquated language that I asked to be
updated. Jonathan Norris, VP of Human Resources didn't hesitate. I
simply suggested they use the same exact language that our Metro
government uses. The policy was quickly updated. I was proud to add it to the website the first week I was there.
The
domestic partner benefit option, although not inexpensive, was one the
factors that encouraged me to leave my growing free-lance work for the
opportunity to be part of the NSO team. Joan, my partner of nearly 24
years, is still under employed part time (She is the food bank
coordinator at Martha O'Bryan and fulfills customer orders for Cool
People Care). We have been unable to afford 2 individual policies at the
rate offered to us. It's still expensive this way and until federal
changes are made, we have to pay taxes on her benefit, but it still
costs less than buying it directly.
Grand Divisions: As well as your work with non-profits and your engagement with artistic
creativity, you're known as an advocate for the Madison area of
Davidson County. What neighborhood projects do you have in the works?
Nancy VanReece: I'm
an advocate for Nashville and for the development of the Northeast
Corridor. The new District 8 is part of Madison, Maplewood, Gra-Mar,
Inglewood, It's Dickerson Pike and Gallatin Pike and everything
in-between. it's all Nashville. At the request of some folks I met
during the campaign this past year, I help start a Facebook Group called
the The Blue Star Group.
It exist to provide information and facilitate conversation about the
corridor that is part of Districts 7,8 and 9. Councilmen Pridemore and
Davis have participated on occasion. I'm still waiting to see how many
of the 12 of us that started the page will facilitate. I asked
Council-lady Bennett to join and post updates but she told me, "I don't
have time for Facebook.". I certainly hope that she will change her
mind.
I went to a local coffee chat with Councilman
Anthony Davis and there were people there from 7,6 and 8. We are all in
this together. The success of Riverside Village in 7 will bring
confidence to the development of the Madison Village in 8/9. The success
of the East-West Connector mass transit line into 5-points in District 6
connects the Rivergate-Madison MTA 56 BRT-Lite directly in a way that
can only be productive up the northeast corridor. I still envision a
major Madison resurgence with landscaping, park and rides, local shops
and restaurants all coming… and it can't come soon enough. Meanwhile,
the people that live in this area continue to enjoy their escape to a
suburban environment only 9 miles away from the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Grand Divisions: Thank you, Nancy, and congratulations!
-Chris Sanders
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