Southern Word
Executive Director
| Executive Director | Mr. Benjamin Smith |
|---|---|
| info@southernword.org | |
| Term Start | October 2008 |
| Benjamin's Experience: Benjamin Smith worked for six years in various youth development organizations including the YMCA, Conservations Corps, and Summerbridge Louisville. By the end of his tenure at the Buchanan YMCA in San Francisco's Fillmore, he managed 8 to 13 staff and 30 to 40 volunteers in the execution of a tutorial program, recreation program, summer employment program, and project-based literacy program. While at the YMCA he expanded an after-school recreation program from 5 students with 1 staff to 50 students with 3 staff; created a literacy program that promoted reading and writing skills by pairing students and adult volunteers with similar interests; revitalized volunteer-based tutorial program serving 32 students; created magazine production training program for middle school youth; managed an employment program which placed 100 - 150 high school age youth at summer work sites; and designed programming and purchased equipment for newly renovated high school computer learning center. Benjamin also worked for 6 years at Levi Strauss & Co. where he managed the Dockers licensed product business and planned sizable events. The licensed products, many of which were market leaders, included outerwear, sweaters, belts, hats, loungewear, swimwear, and socks. The functions of this position included sales & marketing, brand management, communications, and contract management. Benjamin founded Southern Word in 2008. The organization now engages more than 20 mentors and reaches over 7,500 students a year in 8 Tennessee counties. Benjamin Smith is also a singer-songwriter who has produced three CD's and performed in country, jazz, rock, and Americana bands. He is on the roster of the Tennessee State Art Commission's approved teaching artists. He graduated from Brown University in 1994 with a degree in English and American literature. |
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Senior Staff
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Amber McCullough (She/Her) | Director of Marketing and Communications |
| Shawn Whitsell (He/Him) | Mentor/Staff Liaison |
| Alita Gay (She/Her) | Program Coordinator |
| Benjamin Smith (He/Him) | Executive Director |
| Kalin Hendricks | Writers' Room Coordinator |
Staff
| Full Time Staff | 3 |
|---|---|
| Part Time Staff | 0 |
| Volunteers | 0 |
| Contractors | 14 |
| Retention Rate | 75% |
Plans & Policies
| Does your organization have a Fundraising Plan? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Does your organization have a Strategic Plan? | Yes |
| Years Strategic Plan Considers | 3 |
| When was the Strategic Plan adopted? | February 2022 |
| Does your organization have a Management Succession Plan? | Yes |
| Does your organization have a Policy and Procedure Plan? | Yes |
| Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy? | Yes |
| Does the organization have a Whistle Blower Policy? | No |
| Does the organization have a Document Destruction Policy? | Yes |
Evaluation
| Is there a formal evaluation for... | Frequency (if applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| CEO/Executive Director | Yes | Annually |
| Senior Management | Yes | Annually |
| Non-Management | N/A | N/A |
Awards
| Award / Recognition | Organization | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Brave New Voices Leadership Cohort | Youth Speaks, Inc. | 2015 |
| Impact Award | Nashville State Community College | 2014 |
| Nashville Poet Selected as Finalist for National Youth Poet Laureate | Urban Word, Inc. | 2017 |
| Nashville Poet Selected as Finalist for National Youth Poet Laureate | Urban Word, Inc. | 2018 |
| Nashville Poet Selected as Finalist for National Youth Poet Laureate | Urban Word, Inc. | 2016 |
| Skanska Educational Enhancement Award Finalist | Center for Nonprofit Management | 2018 |
| Host for 2-Year Brave New Voices Fellowship | Youth Speaks, Inc. | 2019 |
| Host for 2-Year Brave New Voices Fellowship | Youth Speaks, Inc. | 2016 |
| Experiential Learning Innovator of the Year | Alignment Nashville | 2020 |
| Nashville Poet Selected as Finalist for National Youth Poet Laureate | Urban Word, Inc. | 2021 |
| Third place in national teen poetry slam. | Youth Speaks, Inc. | 2023 |
| Third place in national teen poetry slam. | Youth Speaks, Inc. | 2024 |
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| In proving a non-profit concept, one spends an immense amount time demonstrating the value of the work, often to an extent that is beyond sustainable. For many years, the executive director was stretched between program and administration to execute opportunities. We talked about hiring administrative support for a number of years, but it is hard to reach the point where cash flow is dependable enough to make this hire.In Fall 2015, we were able to hire a Program and Operations Coordinator to serve in this capacity. We were also able to hire a Director of Strategic Partnerships. We have been able to sustain this staff successfully as we transitioned out of the Brave New Voices Initiative grant at the end of 2017. This new administrative capacity allows us to absorb some of the existing additional operational weight as well as set the stage for growth. In addition to setting up effective systems for this growing organization, this team is responsible for justifying itself by increasing the work available to the artists who work for the organization. |
