McCarver

Scott McCarver, associate operating office for Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital and Clinics, has been named chief operating officer for the Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital.

As COO, McCarver is responsible for providing operational oversight of professional and ambulatory departments, clinical service lines and the Patient Care Centers and Institutes residing within the adult inpatient enterprise.

McCarver, who earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Mississippi State University, holds a master of health administration from Pfeiffer University.

Also:

Rodriguez

-- Anna Rodriguez, BSN, has been selected to lead the oncology nursing enterprise as associate nursing officer at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

Brown

Rodriguez, who holds a master of science in nursing and a master of health administration, is replacing Carol Eck, who spent more than 30 years in nursing leadership at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Eck retired in August.

-- H. Alex Brown, Ph.D., the Bixler-Johnson-Mayes Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, has been named interim director of the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology.

Brown succeeds Lawrence Marnett, Ph.D., University Professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacology and Mary Geddes Stahlman Professor of Cancer Research, who was appointed dean of Basic Sciences in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine earlier this year.

He is a leader in the field of lipidomics, the application of analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry and systems biology to lipid profiling in cells and tissues. He has helped define the critical role that the enzyme phospholipase D (PLD) plays in intracellular lipid signaling pathways involved in growth promotion and invasive cancers.

Brown earned his Ph.D. in neurobiology and pharmacology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and did postdoctoral training at the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center. He began his independent research career at Cornell University before coming to Vanderbilt in 2002.

Kelsey tapped as Metro chief strategy officer

Kelsey

Brian Kelsey has been named Metro Nashville’s first chief strategy officer, focused on ensuring the government is delivering the best level of services and accountability to the citizens of Nashville.

As CSO, Kelsey will work across Metro departments and agencies to develop and implement strategies to promote collaboration and align the Metro budget with the needs and priorities of Nashville’s residents.

Kelsey most recently served as principal of Civic Analytics, an economic research and planning firm based in Austin, Texas, and was on faculty in the Community and Regional Planning Department at The University of Texas at Austin.

Prior to founding Civic Analytics, Kelsey was a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Economic Development Administration, where he engineered the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a collaboration of 16 federal agencies focused on supporting innovative, inclusive approaches to regional development.

The Chief Strategy Officer position was a recommendation from the Strategic Budgeting and Innovation Project Public Investment Plan presented during this year’s innovative budgeting process.

Kelsey will engage with Metro department heads, employees, and citizens to design and implement changes that will lead to improved government functions. He will also work with Metro’s chief data officer to better collect, analyze, and publish data that can be used to make more informed decisions.

Attorneys, law student honored for public service

Gruber

Two Tennessee attorneys and a recent University of Tennessee College of Law graduate are being honored for their public service by the Tennessee Bar Association.

The Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award is going to Susan Gruber for her service to indigent clients.

A homemaker who maintains her law license, Gruber volunteers with Legal Aid of East Tennessee every week, handling more than 60 cases in the last three years.

Taylor

The Ashley T. Wiltshire Public Service Attorney of the Year Award winner is Richard Taylor, an assistant public defender in the 23rd Judicial District who earned the recognition after his years of work on behalf of the Drug Court program, which focuses on rehabilitating non-violent drug offenders.

Taylor has volunteered hundreds of hours with the program, personally transporting more than 600 clients to treatment clinics across the state.

Jacobsen

He also helped pioneer the district’s Sober Living facilities, at which clients can live in supportive group housing and adjust to life after treatment.

The Law Student Volunteer of the Year Award winner is Kirsten Jacobson, who logged more than 900 hours of pro bono work during her time at the University of Tennessee College of Law and earned a prestigious Equal Justice Works fellowship.

During Jacobson’s tenure as student director of UT Pro Bono, the number of law students participating the program increased to more than 40 percent. Jacobson’s post-graduate fellowship is allowing her to work with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services to expand access to justice across the state through technology.

CMA Foundation named new board of directors

Galante

The Country Music Association has announced its new Board of Directors for the CMA Foundation with Joe Galante, chairman of Galante Entertainment Organization, serving as chairman and Lon Helton, CEO of Country Aircheck, serving as vice chairman.

Helton

Additional board members include:

• Kix Brooks
• Frank Bumstead, Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.
• Karen Fairchild, Little Big Town
• Blair Garner, Cumulus Media
• Ed Hardy, Hardy Media and Entertainment Group
• John Huie, Creative Artists Agency
• Ron Samuels, Pinnacle Financial Partners
• Victoria Shaw, AvaRu Productions
• Jennie Smythe, Girlilla Marketing
• Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium
• Kitty Moon Emery, Foundation Emeritus

CMA created the nonprofit CMA Foundation in 2011 with the goal of improving and sustaining music education programs everywhere while supporting worthwhile causes important to the Country Music Association.

Since its inception, the CMA Foundation has given more than $17.5 million to organizations enhancing the lives of students through the power of music.

Nashville postmaster takes oath of office

Cole

Stephen T. Cole has been installed as the 39th Nashville postmaster.

Cole has 22 years with the Postal Service, working in many positions, including postmaster of Springfield, and Clarksville. His most recent position was finance manager for the Tennessee District.

As Nashville Postmaster, Cole is responsible for 644 employees and the 18 Nashville Postal Stations and branches.

NashvilleHealth announces steering committee members

NashvilleHealth, founded by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to harness the force of community-wide collaboration and improve Nashville’s health outcomes, has appointed a steering committee to guide the work of the organization.

The committee brings together 24 business, government and community leaders. The group will work with NashvilleHealth’s governing board, announced in October. A primary goal of the Committee is to align community attention and resources around efforts to collaboratively address poor health outcomes and health equity issues.

Steering committee members include:

• Nancy Anness, Saint Thomas Health
• Stephanie Bailey, M.D., Meharry Medical College
• Melinda Buntin, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• John Chobanian, Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness
• Terry Cook, The Nature Conservancy, Tennessee
• Magi Curtis, Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock
• Dan Dummermuth, YMCA of Middle Tennessee
• John Esposito, Warner Music Nashville
• Gary Gaston, Nashville Civic Design Center
• Todd Henry, Metro Nashville Police Department
• Hayley Hovious, Nashville Health Care Council
• Phil Johnston, Pharm.D., Belmont University College of Pharmacy
• Shawn Joseph, Ed.D., Metro Nashville Public Schools
• Rebecca Leslie, Nashville Academy of Medicine
• Leslie Meehan, Tennessee Department of Health
• Janet Miller, Colliers International
• Bill Paul, M.D., Metro Nashville Public Health Department
• Dexter Samuels, Ph.D., Meharry Medical College
• Vicki Shepard, Healthways
• Divya Shroff, M.D., Centennial Medical Center
• Tom Starling, Ed.D., Mental Health America of Middle Tennessee
• Joseph Webb, D.Sc., Nashville General Hospital
• Consuelo Wilkins, M.D., Meharry Vanderbilt Alliance
• Michele Williams, M.D., Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center

Launched in partnership with the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NashvilleHealth is now an independent 501(c)3 organization. To date, the organization has conducted research, convened national experts and met with more than 200 community, health, business and academic leaders, while also participating in local, state and national partnerships. Caroline Young serves as executive director.

Southeast Venture has new marketing coordinator

Harrison

Commercial real estate and design firm Southeast Venture has hired Kaylen Harrison as its first full-time marketing coordinator.

In her role, she will work with all teams at Southeast Venture – brokerage, design, development and property management – to further expand the company’s presence in the Nashville community.

A University of Kentucky alumna, Harrison’s previous roles include digital media specialist, marketing administrator and independent website manager.