Jon Meacham THE POWER OF HOPE

Presidential Historian and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Jon Meacham shares THE POWER OF HOPE: History of Leadership Triumphs to Alumni of Four of Tennessee’s Leadership Organizations October 20

Tennessee Leadership Organizations Unite in Their First-Ever Collaborative Initiative

For Immediate Release (9-14-20) – For the first time ever, four of Tennessee’s premier leadership organizations will collaborate to present a conversation with Jon Meacham, Tennessee native son and resident who has established himself as one of the foremost voices on presidential history, as well as a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his biography on legendary Tennessean Andrew Jackson.  THE POWER OF HOPE: History of Leadership Triumphs will be offered virtually to the members and alumni of Leadership Middle Tennessee, Leadership Music, Leadership Nashville and Leadership Tennessee on Tuesday, October 20. Meacham will be interviewed by former NBC anchor and Nashville communications strategist John Seigenthaler Jr.

The interview, which will focus on leadership triumphs in challenging times throughout history, will be presented to the members and alumni of the four leadership organizations, and marks the first time these four leadership organizations have collaborated on an event for their alumni. Cathy Cate, Executive Director of Leadership Tennessee, expressed excitement about the historic first this represents for the nonprofits. “The Executive Directors of all four organizations have known each other for a while,” she said, “but it was Covid-19 that brought us closer together to share our common challenges during this extraordinary time. Each of our organizations has been disrupted by the virus and stay-at-home mandates. Separately, we were planning various platforms to keep our alumni engaged. We are thrilled that through our collaboration and community support, we can bring a speaker of the stature of Jon Meacham to unite hundreds of leaders from all four organizations, across Tennessee and beyond.”

Meacham is one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals. A contributor to TIME and The New York Times Book Review, the Chattanooga native is a highly sought-after commentator, regularly appearing on several TV news networks. Known as a skilled orator with a depth of knowledge about politics, religion, and current affairs, he brings historical context to the issues and events impacting people’s daily lives. The author of the New York Times No. 1 bestseller The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, Meacham recently released his latest timely biography, His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope.

His presidential biographies include those on Thomas Jefferson and George Herbert Walker Bush, and his biography of Andrew Jackson, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2009. He eulogized both First Lady Barbara Bush and President George H.W. Bush.

“When you delve into America’s history, you can find incredibly contemporary stories that yield important lessons for leaders today,” said Meacham. “I’m so very excited to connect with the leadership organizations across my home state of Tennessee to discuss the qualities of our greatest leaders next month.”

Seigenthaler is an award-winning journalist and former anchor and correspondent for NBC News. He anchored NBC Nightly News Weekend Edition for more than a decade.  His reports appeared on The TODAY Show, Dateline, Meet the Press, MSNBC, and CNBC. After spending more than 25 years in the New York area, Seigenthaler (Leadership Nashville Class of ‘94 -’95) moved back to Nashville, where he is a Partner with DVL Seigenthaler – FINN Partners, a global public relations and marketing firm.

About the Leadership Organizations:

Leadership Middle Tennessee was founded in 1999 as an initiative of Partnership 2000, to contribute to future planned and sustainable economic and community growth and development in the 10-county area through the participation of the community, nonprofit, government, and business leaders.

Leadership Music is a national educational organization founded in 1989 providing programs designed to further communications and understanding among facets of the entertainment business, and to assist established leaders in their roles as decision makers.  The eight-month program based in Nashville explores how all elements of the industry operate.

Leadership Nashville has provided a multi-dimensional view of opportunities and critical issues to proven leaders from all part of this community since 1976, resulting in diverse, connected, enlightened leaders making broader-based decisions that move Nashville forward as one city.

Leadership Tennessee is the only statewide leadership program in the state of Tennessee designed to convene a geographically and professionally diverse group of high-level thought leaders around conversation on issues of state importance.

Contact:

Judi Turner (615) 390-6409

Deb Barnes (615) 804-1413