Taneshia Nash Laird is a social change agent and advocate for underinvested communities. As President and CEO of Newark Symphony Hall she is actively engaged in a $40 million renovation process she calls Symphony Works; the initiative supports broader efforts to revitalize the historic Lincoln Park community that hosted the likes of Marian Anderson and Nina Simone.
A Mercer County resident, Nash Laird previously served as Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton where she brought together artists, local residents, businesses, foundations and government to find creative solutions to build community through the arts. Her ties to Trenton are no less impressive and run deep having served as Director of Economic Development and Acting Director of Housing Production for the City of Trenton. As Executive Director of Trenton Downtown Association, Nash Laird initiated Destination Trenton, an award-winning arts and tourism program. Nash Laird also served as Regional Director of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce.
In her spare time, Nash Laird is an adjunct professor at Drexel University, serves as the first female President of Philadelphia’s Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, and lends her voice to global discussions about diversity and equity. This year, Nash Laird was counted among The Network Journal’s 25 Influential Black Women in Business for her professional achievements and contributions to community.
