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Veronica Foster 
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Civic Design Center Announces 2020 Board of Directors
Civic Leaders Join Nonprofit in Efforts to Envision the Future of Nashville & Promote Public Participation in Matters of Civic Design and Urban Planning
NASHVILLE, TN – FEBRUARY 26, 2020 - Nashville Civic Design Center announces its new Board of Directors for the current fiscal year. The organization has a total of 25 board members, and a board intern serving through the Young Leaders Council program.

“We are thrilled to announce our new board members, who are all passionate about our mission to create better communities for all. Each member brings incredible talent and expertise in their own fields. Their dedication and passion will help elevate our work in Nashville, and reflect the diversity of the areas and focus of our work.”
– Gary Gaston, Chief Executive Officer of Nashville Civic Design Center

The newest and most recent members are profiled below and a full list of board membership may be found at https://www.civicdesigncenter.org
Asia Allen is an architect in the Healthcare Studio at Gresham Smith. She is also a founding member and serves as treasurer for the Nashville chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Other professional organizations she is involved in include AIA and Leadership Healthcare.
Young Leaders Council Intern
Rebecca Delaney is an Associate Director and MEP Leader with the Sustainable Engineering Studio at SOM. Delaney leads multiple sustainable-engineering project teams for projects including the design competition for the world's tallest office tower, a LEED Gold high school and a boutique high-rise art museum.  
Hemalatha Gokhale received her Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University and her MD with honors from New York University. Currently, she is a practicing radiologist with Mednax. She is passionately interested in city development and, in particular, utilization of public spaces. She helps run an urban community garden, Farm in the City.
TanishaHall is the CEO and Principal of Fairpointe Planning, LLC, a management consulting firm focused on transportation planning. For over 20 years, Ms. Hall has worked across the country to help communities to assess their transportation needs and develop strategies to improve mobility. 
Michael Kenner founded MiKen Development in 2013, when he returned to his hometown of Nashville from Seattle and following his service in the U.S. Military. He has since developed over 300 units within Nashville’s urban core and has come to be known as a tireless advocate and expert of affordable housing policy in Middle Tennessee.
Neil Krugman is a Partner at Waller focusing on matters related to healthcare. Neil was recognized for his health law experience by Nashville Medical News in 2013 and is a frequent speaker on healthcare and insurance topics before a wide range of industry groups and professional organizations. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. 
DeePatel is the Managing Director of The Hermitage Hotel, Tennessee’s Only Luxury Five Star Hotel. Patelis a leading ambassador in the Nashville hospitality industry and serves as a committed community partner in preserving historic land, culture and architecture in the heart of Music City. In 2019, she was named a Woman of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal, and received the Outstanding Woman Hotelier of the Year award presented by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.
Martha E. Silva works at Conexion Americas as Senior Director of Economic Integration programs. She holds a B.S in Business and Strategic Management from Universidad De Negocios EAN, and an M.B.A in Human Resources Management from Universidad Externado in Colombia.  Martha has served as an Appointed Commissioner for The Metropolitan Housing Trust Fund Commission as well as an Appointed Commissioner for Financial Empowerment Subcommittee for the City of Nashville.
Executive Committee
Board President-Cyril Stewart
Vice President-Andrew Beaird
Secretary-Jennifer Carlat
Treasurer-Irwin Venick
Immediate Past President-Ron Lustig
Returning Board Members
Tifinie Capeheart • Scott Chambers • Laurel Creech • Meg Epstein • Edward Henley III • Lee Molette II • Melanie Moran • Judson Newbern • David Powell • Chris Powers • Eric Shultenover • Phiip Shepard • Fatiyah Shepard-Suso • Michelle Steele

About Nashville Civic Design Center
The mission of Nashville Civic Design Center is to elevate the quality of Nashville's built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more functional and beautiful city for all. The Civic Design Center fulfills its mission through projects and promotion derived from its seminal works,  The Plan of Nashville:  Avenues to a Great City  and  Shaping the Healthy Community: The Nashville Plan .  Further, the Civic Design Center works to revitalizing and reclaiming public spaces; facilitating community visioning sessions; educating youth through its Design Your Neighborhood program, providing public education opportunities around civic design and urban planning including monthly events open to the public. To learn more, please visit  www.civicdesigncenter.org. 

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