Immediate Past Chair
Brenda Gadd is a partner at Hancock & Gadd Public Strategies, where she represents nonprofits and socially conscious companies in the public policy arena. Connecting grassroots to grass-tops through effective lobbying, coalition management, issue advocacy campaigns, collective impact models, she trains and speaks on these topics as well as being a practitioner.
Prior to starting her own public affairs practice, Brenda served in lobbying and public policy roles for the Tennessee Bar Association and Vice President of CivicPoint, LLC. In 2014, she managed the successful statewide retention election of three Tennessee Supreme Court Justices — becoming the first woman to manage and win a contested statewide election. In recognition of this work she recognized by the American Association of Political Consultants.
Brenda began her career working on political campaigns and quickly rose through the ranks to serve as a chief of staff in the Tennessee Senate and then as a legislative liaison in Governor Bredesen’s administration.
In addition to her work, Brenda serves on several boards such as The Sycamore Institute, Nashville Cable, Lawyers Association for Women’s Marion Griffith Chapter, Emerge America, Tennessee Equality Project and the Tennessee Lobbyist Association.
Recognized for her leadership through the Young Leaders Council, Leadership Middle Tennessee, Nashville Emerging Leaders and as the recent chapter director of Nashville’s New Leaders Council she was recently recognized for community service with the Molly Todd Cup award from Nashville Cable. She is an appointee to Metro Nashville Mayor’s Gender Equity Council where she and others championed Nashville’s first family leave policy and an overhaul in metro government’s hiring practices.
Brenda is the proud alumna of Maryville College, Nashville School of Law, and the Women’s Campaign School of Yale University. While she is passionate about her work, she loves and cherishes the time with her family and friends. You’ll find her near them, traveling, hiking, catching up on her reading list or listening to live music when not advocating for others.