An Update on the Leadership of The Nashville Food Project

This is a consequential year for The Nashville Food Project — one in which we will commemorate the organization’s tenth anniversary. I am honored to lead our board through this milestone as 2021-2022 Board Chair for The Nashville Food Project. It’s also a year in which we’re making deliberate, strategic, and thoughtful steps regarding leadership of The Nashville Food Project. And in so many ways, this is our most vital work of 2021.

Last August, after The Nashville Food Project’s founder and longtime CEO Tallu Quinn was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the Board of Directors and I went to work to ensure that our important programs and services would continue and grow as strong as ever in service to this city and our community. We created a new role of Founder for Tallu to both recognize and continue to include her in essential organizational vision and strategy while relieving her of day-to-day management responsibilities so that she could focus on her health. We are happy to report that Tallu is doing well and receiving expert medical care from her team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is chronicling her experience online here.

In this time of transitional leadership, Christa Bentley and Teri Sloan were named Interim Co-CEOs while both continued their respective roles as Chief Programs Officer and Chief Operations Officer. Christa and Teri have provided exceptionally strong leadership during this time of significant transition, and the entire staff has worked tirelessly to continue our vital programs and services. The team’s effort is abundantly evident in The Nashville’s Food Project’s 2020 Community Impact Report.

Although this interim structure has worked well, the Board recognizes the need for more permanent leadership to guide this incredible organization into its next decade. To that end, we will soon launch an official search for The Nashville Food Project’s next CEO. We have chosen Koya Partners, a leading executive search firm, to direct this effort — based on the firm’s successful placement of nonprofit leaders in Nashville and beyond. Koya’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion aligns with The Nashville Food Project’s core values and made them a natural fit for this search. The firm’s principals have been actively meeting with The Nashville Food Project’s staff and board members to refine the needs of the role, and we anticipate releasing a job description in the coming weeks. Candidate inquiries and requests for information on the search can be directed to our team at Koya:

Christy Farrell
Vice President, Executive Search
cfarrell@koyapartners.com

Christopher Wilson
Coordinator, Executive Search
cwilson@koyapartners.com

While the past year has challenged everyone at The Nashville Food Project — both personally and professionally — we have been reminded again and again of the important mission of this organization and the vital needs we serve in our community The entire Nashville community should look forward with confidence to seeing how The Nashville Food Project’s evolution continues to lead, impact and innovate work on issues of food security, food justice and food access.

Jeff Warne
Board Chair
The Nashville Food Project

A Statement From Susannah Berry, Chair of The Nashville Food Project Board of Directors

A STATEMENT FROM SUSANNAH BERRY, CHAIR OF THE NASHVILLE FOOD PROJECT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

As Tallu Schuyler Quinn, The Nashville Food Project’s founder and CEO, undergoes medical treatment for a recently-diagnosed brain tumor, the Board of Directors has focused on how to ensure the organization continues its essential work in our community and our city — while providing Tallu the flexibility necessary to care for herself during this time.

To do so, the Board has offered the positions of Interim Co-CEOs to Christa Bentley, Interim Chief Programs Officer and Teri Sloan, Development Director. Together, these two dedicated and experienced colleagues will guide The Nashville Food Project’s day-to-day operations. 

In considering strategies for interim leadership, the board also wanted to ensure that Tallu’s wisdom and guidance continues as a meaningful, essential part of The Nashville Food Project. Hence, the board offered — and Tallu has accepted — a new position, in the role of Founder. In that role, she’ll work with the board on vision and strategy, among other duties. We are so pleased and gratified that in this role, Tallu will stay core to the work of The Nashville Food Project.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff, thank you for supporting The Nashville Food Project and its mission. And thank you for keeping Tallu and her family in your thoughts and prayers. 

A Statement from Susannah Berry, Board Chair of The Nashville Food Project

A STATEMENT FROM SUSANNAH BERRY, BOARD CHAIR OF THE NASHVILLE FOOD PROJECT 

The Nashville Food Project is a close-knit community of staff, volunteers and community partners, and we want to share some important recent news about our founder, CEO and friend, Tallu Schuyler Quinn. 

Tallu is currently undergoing medical treatment for a brain tumor. It is still early in her treatment. In the meantime, the board is working closely with the dedicated staff to ensure that all of The Nashville Food Project’s vital programs and operations continue without interruption. We are committed to the organization’s core mission to bring people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city. And in this pandemic, that mission remains more urgent than ever.

All of us connected to The Nashville Food Project are keeping Tallu and her family in our thoughts and prayers — and know that, throughout our community, so many others are doing the same. As we’re able to share further updates about Tallu’s well-being, we will. Thank you for your support, your kindness and your understanding.