Michelle Nichols, M.D., M.S., MBA, FAAFP, has been named as senior vice president of clinical affairs Meharry Medical College. Nichols will lead Meharry’s clinical enterprise, collaborating with the college’s clinicians and overseeing its graduate medical education programs. She will spearhead efforts to advance health equity and reduce disparities among those in underserved communities.
Nichols joins Meharry from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, where she served as associate dean for clinical affairs and medical director for Morehouse Healthcare. There, Nichols worked on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, directing the Morehouse School of Medicine/Morehouse College Community COVID-19 Vaccination Program in Atlanta.
Nichols earned her medical degree and completed residency training in family medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. She completed her faculty development fellowship at Duke University and earned a physician executive MBA from the University of Tennessee. She is board certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Physicians.
Buffkin / Baker names Marsh partner
Buffkin / Baker, a Brentwood-based executive search firm, has added Steve Marsh as a partner in its health care practice.
Marsh will be responsible for leading the health care delivery vertical of the firm’s health care practice, serving health systems, AAMC institutions, not-for-profit and for-profit hospital and medical groups with physician executive and health care executive searches.
Marsh brings nearly 30 years of experience in health care recruiting, the first two decades in clinical search, and is one of the original founders of The Medicus Firm, one of the largest clinical recruiting search firms in the country. Marsh then founded M3 Executive Search after Medicus was acquired by M3, USA, Inc. in 2015.
Montgomery joins Dickinson Wright
Stephen M. Montgomery has joined Dickinson Wright in the firm’s Nashville office as of counsel.
Montgomery practices in the areas of commercial transactions, bankruptcy, commercial real estate, estate planning and probate and civil litigation.
He is recognized as a leader in the field by Best Lawyers in America for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association and the Nashville Bar Association.
Montgomery earned his B.A. from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.
Centerstone’s Bean promoted to CFO
Centerstone, a national provider of behavioral health and addiction services, has promoted Carol Bean to chief financial officer.
Bean joined the long-established nonprofit in 2014 and most recently served as vice president of finance and assistant treasurer. As chief financial officer, she will manage Centerstone’s revenues of more than $295 million and lead a finance team of 225 professionals, including those working in financial planning and analysis, accounts payable, accounts receivable, procurement and payroll.
Bean holds an MBA from University of Phoenix and a degree in business administration, accounting, from East Tennessee State University.
McBride Robles is new Nashville Symphony COO
The Nashville Symphony has hired Tonya McBride Robles as its new chief operating officer. McBride Robles replaces outgoing COO Jonathan Marx.
McBride Robles comes to the Nashville Symphony with more than 20 years of experience working with symphonies and choruses across the East Coast. She has served in leadership positions with Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, The Metropolitan Chorus in Arlington, Virginia, City Choir of Washington, D.C., Concert Artists of Baltimore, San Antonio Symphony and, most recently, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where she spent the past six years as the organization’s senior vice president and chief operating officer. She also has worked in elementary education as both a teacher and an administrator internationally in Spain, Japan and Ecuador.
During her tenure at Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, McBride Robles was a critical partner in reaching a five-year agreement with the musicians in 2020, the first multiyear contract in many years.
NMAAM appoints new COO, vice presidents
The National Museum of African American Music has announced the hiring of three new leadership executives, Dion Brown as the chief operating officer, William Jeffries as vice president of development and James C. Munch as vice president of finance.
Brown will lead the day-to-day operations of the museum. He previously served as the president and COO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, founding executive director of the National Blues Museum and executive director of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center.
Brown holds a degree in human resources and a master’s degree in leadership from Southwestern College. He is a retired, 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force.
Jeffries will lead and oversee the institution’s philanthropic efforts, including the annual capital campaigns. He has 21-plus years of experience in nonprofit fundraising.
Jeffries holds a master’s degree in community planning from the University of Maryland and completed an executive certification program at the University of Pennsylvania on social impact investments.
Munch has more than 30 years of experience in finance and accounting, with a most recent position as vice president of finance and administration for the Community Foundation of North Illinois. A former educator, Munch spent 18 years teaching accounting, finance and economics as an adjunct instructor to local colleges and universities.
Munch has an MBA, two bachelor’s degrees and advanced training from the Wharton School of Business on strategic partnering for finance leaders and project and risk management.
Additional new hires include: Brennen Boose (senior manager of marketing and communications), Mallory Bowman (sales and events coordinator), Kelcee Easley (event sales manager), Dylan Holder (guest services manager), Jordan Johnson (digital and social manager), Sandi Krzynski (financial controller), and Eboni West (event services manager).
THA promotes Blair to VP/state govt. affairs
Lacey Blair has been named of vice president of state government affairs for the Tennessee Hospital Association. She also will serve as the association’s chief state lobbyist.
Blair has been THA’s senior director of advocacy since joining the team in 2018. She previously worked as a legislative assistant in the Tennessee Senate before joining the administration of Gov. Bill Haslam, where she served as a legislative liaison for the Tennessee Department of Health.
Blair succeeds Joe Burchfield, who is stepping down after 11 years with the association.
Walker, L’Heureux join Graham Healthcare Capital
Graham Healthcare Capital has announced the addition of Charlie Walker as general counsel and Jon L’Heureux as vice president of business development of the Nashville-based health care capital firm.
Walker will direct the legal team as GHCC continues its growth through the expansion of its existing businesses as well as acquisitions in the health care field. L’Heureux has direct accountability for business development and strategic sourcing.
Walker joins the firm from WireMasters, a multinational interconnective parts supplier for the aerospace and defense industry, where he was general counsel. L’Heureux comes to GHCC with prior experience building out the development function for Council Capital, a lower mid-market health care private equity fund, investing in health care service and technology companies.
FiftyForward welcomes 4 new board members
FiftyForward is welcoming four new members for the 2023 fiscal year.
In addition, Lamar Moore will continue serving on the board by stepping into a new role as board chair. Moore is vice president and senior commercial credit underwriter with Bank of America who joined the FiftyForward board in 2018.
New FiftyForward board members for the 2023 fiscal year are:
• Penny Grogan, vice president of client engagement for Trinisys.
• Adam R. Hill, owner of a private legal practice focused on issues related to estates, probate, wills and trusts.
• Brittany Irby, director of community engagement at MP&F.
• Fatima Karwandyar, director of product management at Lirio, a digital experience health platform.
Andrew Jackson Foundation appoints 5 new trustees
The Andrew Jackson Foundation, which operates The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, has elected five new trustees to its board. The new trustees, who join 16 others, began their term July 1.
The new trustees are:
• Susan A. Basham, co-owner of The Belle Meade Shoppes, which specializes in antiques and interior furnishings.
• Karl F. Dean, former mayor of Nashville and Davidson County.
• Andrew Jackson (A.J.) Donelson, attorney, business leader, public affairs professional and entrepreneur.
• Dwight (D.J.) Farris, licensed Realtor and Broker with Pilkerton Realtors in Nashville.
• James C. Free, chairman of The Smith-Free Group, a Washington, D.C.-based government relations firm he co-founded in 1995.