Connie Valentine brings to the ABC extensive experience as an Arts/Orchestra Executive. Prior to moving to Nashville, she served as the Executive Director of the Florida Philharmonic, the largest performing arts organization in Florida. For seven years, she was the Executive Director of the Greater Akron Musical Association, encompassing the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Akron Youth Symphony, the Akron Symphony Chorus, and Akron Symphony Gospel Choir. She also has held the position of Executive Director with the Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale. She began her career as one of seven individuals selected nationally to participate in the prestigious League of American Orchestra’s Management Fellowship program, during which time she worked with the Boston, Hartford, and Oregon Symphony Orchestras. She moved to Nashville to be married and assumed the position of Executive Director of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra until 2008, when she was named to her current position. Throughout her orchestra career, Connie continued to hold national leadership roles in the League of American Orchestra’s manager associations, and has been a speaker/presenter at the local and national level. She holds a BS in Business Administration and a minor in music.

Connie is currently an active member of the Nashville Downtown Rotary and Nashville CABLE, for which she chaired the inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Luncheon. She is a member of the Mayor's Nashville Music Council and is a co-founder of the Nashville Downtown Arts Partners. An alumna of Leadership Music and Leadership Middle Tennessee, for which she served as class president, she is in the 2010 Leadership Nashville class and currently serves on the Board of Leadership Middle Tennessee.

Casey Gill Summar
Director, Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts
csummar@abcnashville.org

Casey Gill Summar is the Director of the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts program, formerly the Tennessee Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (TNVLA). Co-founder of TNVLA, she opened the office as its Executive Director in September 2006. Casey is also an adjunct Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University, her alma mater.  In addition to a J.D. from Vanderbilt, Casey holds a B.F.A in Photography from Belmont University.  She is admitted to the bar of Tennessee, and previously clerked with the Georgia Lawyers for the Arts and various entertainment law firms in Nashville, TN.

An alumna of the Young Leaders Council, Casey is active in the Nashville arts and legal communities and currently serves on the board of the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services. 

Jaclyn Johnson
Communications Coordinator
jjohnson@abcnashville.org

Jaclyn Johnson is Communications Coordinator/Executive Assistant for the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville. Jackie is a 2009 graduate of Belmont University holding a BA in Political Science and Theatre Performance. Since moving to Nashville from her native Illinois, Jackie has worked as a stage manager, event planner, grant writer, and actor in Nashville’s Theatre community with Actors Bridge Ensemble, The Boiler Room Theatre, Nashville Children’s Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, People’s Branch Theatre, and the Tennessee Repertory Theatre.

Jackie is a member of the Nashville Arts Coalition and continues to be involved in Nashville theatre where work meets play. She travels the world whenever possible and allows her dreams to dictate her destination.
 

Jaime DeRensis
Legal Associate
jderensis@abcnashville.org

Jaime DeRensis is a Legal Associate for the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts program. Jaime moved to Nashville in 2006 to attend Vanderbilt University Law School, where she graduated from in May 2009. During her time at Vanderbilt she was an active member of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society and the Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law. She previously served as a legal clerk for a fashion company and law firm in New York, NY. Jaime also has a B.S. in Accounting and Communications from Boston College.

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Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville
211 Commerce Street, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: (615) 743-3055 | Fax: (615) 743-3002 | Email: info@abcnashville.org