Andrea Blackman
(She/Her)
"Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced."- James Baldwin
Andrea Blackman serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the City of Nashville and is responsible for convening, developing, and driving initiatives that build on and advance the City’s commitment to equity, inclusion and anti-racism. She is a DEI curriculum designer and facilitator, a podcaster, educator, and cultural content creative.
Prior to this role, Andrea served as the Director and curator of the Civil Rights Center and the Votes for Women Center for the Nashville Public Library. Throughout her career, she has been known for her professional leadership, advocacy for cultural inclusivity and sensitivity, and innovation in teaching historic harms. She also holds the post of adjunct professor at both Lipscomb University and Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Her ongoing research includes education disparity and self‐representations in children’s literature.
Since 2005 and with increased media attention on interactions between law enforcement and African‐Americans and BIPOC communities, she developed a cultural and anti‐racist education curriculum rooted in historic and contemporary movements for law enforcement across the country. She is an adult leader with the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Andrea has served on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and the Ivy Center Foundation of Nashville.
Michelle Boudreaux
(She/Her)
Michelle serves as Administrative Services Officer for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Prior to joining the office, Michelle served as an office support specialist in the Metropolitan Treasurer’s office. Born and raised in Middle Tennessee, Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 2020 from Middle Tennessee State University, where she majored in political science and double minored in history and women’s and gender studies.
Michelle is passionate about advocating for intersectional feminism and the representation of women and minority groups in local, state, and federal government. She is excited that she was able to begin her career with Metro and looks forward to serving the city for many years to come.
Sneh Pravinkumar Patel
(She/Her)
Sneh Pravinkumar Patel, Ph.D. is an anthropologist and Tennessee native who serves as the Policy and Research Manager for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Sneh completed her doctoral studies at New York University in 2017 where she utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to identify specific social behaviors across different cultural, geographic, and economic landscapes.
Before joining the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Sneh served as a Program Coordinator at the Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni at Georgia State University where she developed and led programs aimed at increasing access to graduate degree programs for students and alumni from underrepresented communities and ultimately promote diversity in academic and professional careers. Sneh is excited to bring her research skills and experiences as a Nashvillian to turn data into impactful narratives that will promote equity within the Metro region.
Renee G. Gadsden
(She/Her)
Renee G. Gadsden serves as the Community Engagement Research Analyst and self-proclaimed dot connector for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her life purpose is to help build systems and cultures that socially and economically mobilize marginalized communities. Her role in our office is to create, execute, and manage an inclusive community engagement strategy that builds trust with, listens to, informs, and elevates the voice of BIPOC communities across Davidson County.
Renee is the first in her family to graduate college and receive a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Renee earned a Bachelor of Science at Bryant University in Rhode Island, where she majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing Research and minored in Urban Sociology. She earned her Master’s degree in Public Affairs and certificate in Nonprofit Studies at the University of Texas at Austin Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, where she studied public policy, social and economic mobility, and philanthropy.
Her personal life experience in exploring self-identity and cultural history led her to a career in diversity, equity, and inclusion and engagement. Renee honors all those that saw her potential, elevated her, and opened doors of opportunity and consistently finds ways to pay it forward.