Signature Required with Spencer Patton

Brian Hicks is the CEO of Harvest Hands CDC and Humphreys Street Coffee Company, an enterprise that began as an after-school program to foster positive behavior in Nashville’s underserved youth. With a mission of using the stunning growth of Nashville to benefit those who might not normally be recipients of the wealth transfer caused by gentrification and development, Hicks has s

House Representative Gino Bulso knew as a teenager that something didn’t sit right with him about the United States’ rising national debt. From writing a letter to then-President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s to now pushing for the Supreme Court to revisit a case about the powers of the Federal Government, Bulso is laser-focused on lowering the national debt.Send us a text

Judge Sheila Calloway graduated from Vanderbilt University, where she earned both her undergraduate and law degrees. After law school, she served as a public defender in Nashville until 2004, when she transitioned into the role of Juvenile Court Magistrate. In 2014, she successfully ran for Nashville’s Juvenile Court Judge and was re-elected for another eight-year term in 2022. H

JT Olson founded Both Hands in 2008 to support adoption funding through service projects for widows, having been orphaned as a child himself. The average project raises $22,000. helping over 1300 families nationwide. In this episode, JT Olson and Jared Delong (Executive Director) discuss Both Hands' successes, its business model, and the growing challenges in adoption. Send us a te

Rachel Freeman is the President and CEO of Nashville’s Sexual Assault Center (SAC). She leads the SAC in creating a safe, compassionate environment for survivors to begin their healing journey. In this episode, Freeman discusses the SAC's role in the community, key sexual assault statistics, and preventive initiatives like the Safe Bar program and campus outreach efforts.Send us

Will Acuff is a born and raised pastor’s kid and has long had a servant’s heart. More than a decade ago while on a mission trip to Kenya, Will felt called to return home to Nashville and think critically about how to best love his neighbors. Will and his wife, Tiffany, founded Corner to Corner in 2011 to help underestimated Nashvillians increase their economic participation thr

Steven Gentile is the Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and also teaches education policy at Vanderbilt University. THEC plays a crucial role in advocating for an increase in the number of Tennesseans who obtain postsecondary credentials. In this episode, Stephen discusses the decision of whether to attend college, the benefits of choosing a tec

Jennifer Turner joined TPAC in 2019, bringing over 20 years of nonprofit arts experience to the role of CEO. In her five years, she's guided TPAC through the pandemic, an aging facility, and a business model re-evaluation. In this episode, she shares her journey to becoming CEO, TPAC's developments, outreach and upcoming touring broadway shows.Send us a text

Diana Beach Batarseh is an accomplished educator, trainer, and presenter with experience working with students from preschool to high school. Currently, she serves as the Head of School at King's Academy, which offers a Christ-centered classical education as part of its mission to develop a socio-economically and racially diverse school body. In this episode, Diana shares what make

John Hoomes is the CEO and Artistic Director of Nashville Opera. Since 1995, he has guided the organization from a budget of $340,000 to over $3.4 million annually in 2024. Under his leadership, Nashville Opera has staged more than 200 productions of opera and music theater. In this episode, Carli and Spencer talk with John about accessibility to the arts, upcoming productions, and