Join us on Thursday, June 20th for our next EC Member Lunch featuring a panel discussion focused on entrepreneurship and parenting. Moderated by Dr. Andrea Mata, published author of The No. 2 Parenting Book and founder of BrightSpot Families, the panel discussion will cover the tension, the purpose, the wins and the challenges of being an entrepreneur and a parent. Fellow parent panelists include Harry Allen, co-founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Studio Bank; Sunny Bray, founder and CEO of Catalyst Collective; and Carly Waddell, mommy social media influencer (...and you may recognize her from The Bachelor).
Parking: Parking is available in the red brick parking garage located behind the trolley barns (entrance on Lea Avenue); please bring your ticket inside for validation.
Agenda:
11:00-11:30 - Arrival, Networking & Grab Lunch
11:30-12:30 - Panel Discussion
12:30-1:00- Networking
Meet the Parenting Panel:
Dr. Andrea Mata
Dr. Andrea Mata, statistically, should not be as successful as she is. The daughter of a Mexican immigrant, she grew up in a gang-infested nine-block unincorporated neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. Andrea learned the value of having a strong and loving family at an early age and attributes much of her success to her close-knit and sarcastic family.
Andrea graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science degree from Valparaiso University. While there, she majored in Psychology and minored in Criminology and Urban Studies. Andrea completed her Doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology at Kent State University. She had the fortunate experience of interning at Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska where the mission is to save children and heal families.
Andrea was a college professor at the University of Findlay for 9 years until she realized she needed to live out her life’s mission of fortifying the family. She joined the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Toledo and founded BrightSpot Families.
Andrea has been married to her husband, Jim, for 11 years. They are blessed with girl-boy twins and a younger daughter. When Andrea is not spending time with her family or fortifying other families, she can be found reading, biking, running, and swimming.
Harry Allen
Harry Allen will join Belmont University on July 1 as the new Executive Vice President for Financial Excellence and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Allen most recently served as Co-Founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Studio Bank, the first locally headquartered bank launched in Nashville since 2008. With Allen’s leadership, Studio Bank has become one of Nashville’s fastest growing companies, with total assets of approximately $1 billion and over 80 employees. Allen will continue to serve Studio Bank on its Board of Directors as Vice Chairman.
Prior to Studio Bank’s launch in 2018, Allen served Avenue Bank for 6 years as Senior Vice President and Director of Nonprofit Banking and Community Investment where he launched the organization’s nonprofit and institutional industry segment. He has also held leadership roles at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and Suntrust Bank.
Allen has been recognized by countless organizations for his civic work, his celebrated career and his leadership. These awards include being listed No. 12 on Nashville Power Poll’s 2024 Most Powerful People, a finalist for the 2021 & 2022 Entrepreneur Center’s “Market Mover” award, 2021 Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) Hall of Fame inductee and multi-year member of the Nashville Business Journal’s Nashville Power 100, among others.
A double graduate of Belmont University, Allen holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Management and a Master of Business Administration from the University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business.
Sunny Bray
Sunny Bray is a passionate community-builder, intentionally bringing people together to make lasting change. She began her professional career in Indianapolis in corporate sales, tech start-ups and as a consultant providing sales growth and business development for various companies and industries. In 2018, Sunny founded Catalyst Collective which equips nonprofits with the tools and resources needed to make positive change. Over the last 5 years, she has helped numerous mission-driven organizations achieve better outcomes, increased revenue and increased impact through capacity-building services. Prior to launching Catalyst Collective, Sunny led Network Under 40: Nashville, a successful networking group for young professionals. She is passionate about people, community and impact, knowing firsthand the value of cultivating authentic relationships. A daughter of an immigrant, Sunny has navigated her career with an undertone of the importance of hard work, dedication and tenacity.
Sunny has been recognized through several awards including The Nashville Post’s 2020 All-Star Board and the 2023 & 2024 In Charge list; named to the 2021 40 Under 40 list and a 2023 Women of Influence Honoree by The Nashville Business Journal; Nfocus Magazine’s 2022 Model Behavior and the 2023 Bizwomen100 list. When she’s not out in the community, Sunny is spending time with her husband, daughter and two German shepherds.
Carly Waddell
Carly Waddell is well known for her appearances on The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise (twice), but it is both being a mom and music that is her true calling. She just wrapped a American tour alongside the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter, as well as opened on tour for country star Niko Moon, and has new music releases on the way alongside her ever-growing fanbase with her passionate social media "mommy influencing" postings as she navigates life a single mother of two. http://instagram.com/carlywad/ & http://carlywaddell.com
