Spotlight: Nashville Chamber CEO Stephanie Coleman Advances Public Education Through Civic Leadership

Stephanie Coleman spoke with The Tennessee Firefly on the Nashville Business Chamber’s work in the public education sector.

When Stephanie Coleman became president and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce in February 2025, she brought with her a clear vision for the organization’s future.

Having served at the Chamber for 17 years, Coleman told The Tennessee Firefly she emphasized three key focus areas when she took her new office: innovation, initiation, and strategic growth.

“Innovation (meaning): how do we think about things like data analytics, technology, AI, and advancements in how we operate, from an internal level to an external level, and how do we leverage those technologies and make sure we’re on the leading edge of that,” Coleman said. “Initiation (as in): we just want to be prepared, willing, and ready to take bold action on bold initiatives. Finally, ‘Strategic Growth’: It’s about growing our own network... to be influential and to understand and grow our membership by 50 percent in five years.”

Public Education as a Nashville Business Priority

Public education has long been a priority for the Nashville business community. Coleman described the Chamber as “a mechanism, a way to get things done. We provide ways for the community to come together.” While the Chamber’s efforts have historically focused on Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), Coleman acknowledged the growing need to expand collaboration “across counties,” recognizing MNPS as having “the highest need.”

One key initiative reflecting this commitment is the Leadership Public Education (LPE) cohort, a civic leadership program launched about five or six years ago in partnership with the Nashville Public Education Foundation.

Coleman said the program’s purpose is to raise awareness about education.

“To get more people in the community [to] have a deeper understanding of what it takes to run a school system and what the main issues are that policymakers, students, and teachers are facing, and how the community can be better advocates.”

The program convenes approximately 20 participants monthly from January to June to explore topics such as budgeting at the district and state levels, teacher preparation, and direct engagement with parents and students.

Coleman emphasized that the LPE model is designed to be adaptable and replicable.

“Any program like that could be replicable, it’s just about how to find the applicants and who to partner with.”

She additionally highlighted the value of bringing in “the local context,” evolving content over time, and fostering peer learning among participants.

Graduates of the program have gone on to impact education and civic leadership in Nashville. Coleman cited Christian Buggs, former MNPS school board chair and current CEO of the PENCIL Foundation, and Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who served on the Chamber’s Education Report Committee before his election.

The Chamber’s Education Report Committee, a long-standing initiative, annually researches critical education issues, including barriers in career and technical education staffing, career-based learning partnerships, and postsecondary access. The committee is exploring expanding its scope to other regions and additional education topics.

Education: A Catalyst for Workforce Readiness

On the intersection of education and the economy, Coleman stressed the importance of early career exposure.

“One of the big areas of focus we’ve been focused on is looking at the values of short-term credentials... showing students where there is demand for occupations in the Nashville chamber, showing them the career pathways as early as possible.”

She added that it is essential “to make sure middle schoolers especially are getting exposure to different options,” supporting students in understanding future workforce opportunities. She pointed to successful business partnerships, such as Nissan’s collaboration in Rutherford County, as examples of meaningful public-private cooperation.

Coleman also addressed common misconceptions about public education quality in Nashville.

“I think there is a lot of misconception of the quality of public schools in Nashville and have been fortunate to see MNPS grow in their growth scores, it’s so important to have a way to measure that.”

Looking forward, Coleman envisions the Chamber continuing to serve as a hub for collaborative community involvement. Education remains one of the most urgent issues the Chamber aims to tackle.

“It goes back to the purpose of the chamber to encourage economic prosperity through community involvement, and we are the mechanism though which you can do that.”

Editor’s Note: The Leadership Public Education cohort is a partnership between the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Public Education Foundation. For more information or to apply, visit nashvillechamber.com.