Panelists

VP of Brand Strategy, Delta Dental

Consumerism of healthcare, healthcare policy, increased competition, and marketplace dynamics have all created a greater need for more strategic approaches to integrated marketing communications and brand management. As Vice President of Brand Strategy, Missy oversees all external and internal communications and ensures the company’s brand purpose is at the heart of it all.

Missy joined Delta Dental of Tennessee in 2006 as Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations and was promoted to Vice President of Marketing in 2007. In 2015, Government Relations was added to her area of responsibility.

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce honored Missy with the Spirit of the Region Award in 2020 for her leadership of the Business Conditions Council at a critical time for Nashville’s economy, providing regular updates on the impact COVID-19 has had on Nashville’s key industries. In 2016, Missy received the honor of Distinguished President by Kiwanis International for her leadership of the Nashville Kiwanis Club, one of the largest civic clubs in the country. Missy was named to the prestigious 15-to-Watch by PR Week Magazine in 2002, a recognition that placed her among the top of peers nationwide. As a freelance writer, she has been published in The New York Times, MIX Magazine, Country America, Christian Bride, and Campus Life, among others.

She graduated magna cum laude from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts double majoring in Mass Communications and Public Relations and received her MBA at Trevecca Nazarene University.

Now living with her family in Mt. Juliet, Missy is a Nashville native and very involved in the local community, even going “Over the Edge” for Big Brothers Big Sisters repelling over 200 feet down a skyscraper in Nashville to raise money for the organization. She serves as chair for the NFIB Tennessee Leadership Council, the first woman to hold this position, serves as immediate-past president for Cable Nashville, immediate past-chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters Board of Directors, and immediate past-chair for the Nashville Chamber of Commerce Business Conditions Council. She is a member of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and lends her talents to event committees for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Scott Hamilton Cares Foundation.

Prior to joining Delta Dental, Missy was the Vice President and General Manager for Waterhouse Public Relations; Director of Public Relations at Gish, Sherwood & Friends (now known as GS&F); and an Account Manager at Ackermann Public Relations. Her career started as a publicist in the music industry working with such artists as Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and DC Talk.

Founder and CEO, Renaissance Marketing Group

Sydney Dozier the visionary behind Renaissance Marketing Group, a leading Nashville-based social media agency founded in 2014. Over 9 years, Sydney has curated a top-tier team, establishing Renaissance as a go-to agency delivering proven social media marketing results.

Renaissance offers a wide array of services, from social media management to content creation, professional photography and videography, branding, and more, serving clients across the nation. Their focus is clear: drive revenue, foster online growth, and exceed client expectations.

Sydney is not only a business dynamo but also the co-host of The Renaissance Podcast, aimed at empowering entrepreneurs. Her dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs led to The Mona Lisa Foundation, offering mentorship, grants, education, and a vibrant community. She's also the brains behind The Renaissance Women’s Summit, an annual event in Nashville with a mission in inspiring women entrepreneurs.

Sydney is a wife and mother to Sawyer James and has an unwavering passion for entrepreneurship, the color pink, and her two furry companions, Stevie Nicks and EmmyLou Harris.

Founder and CO, Brielle Cotterman Media

Brielle Cotterman is a TEDx Speaker, Contributor at Entrepreneur, Activist Against Domestic Violence, Publicity Expert, and Celebrity-Maker. She has spent the last decade helping clients to craft and scale Dream careers to multiple 7 figures and beyond by leveraging their personal stories and passions in order to create speaking tours, author award-winning books, procure media placements, and inspire the millions of people that need to hear their story. She is a survivor of attempted murder and domestic violence and an advocate for a world where intimate partner abuse is not tolerated and survivors are met with empathy.

Her clients are regularly featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company, Martha Stewart Living, Cosmopolitan, NBC, CBS, and many more! She is a graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, a World’s Grand Champion Equestrian, former National Spokesperson for multiple charitable organizations, Former Title Holder and Director within the Miss America Organization, Member of The Public Relations Society of America, Member of the Association of Image Consultants International, 2019 Epic Award Nominee from the National Association of Women Business Owners and named a finalist for 2023’s Most Admired Woman Entrepreneur by Today’s Woman Magazine.

Brielle has been married for over 4 years to the love of her life and owns & operates a show horse breeding farm, where she lives with her husband, three children and many, many animals!

Founder and CEO, Zak Consulting Group

With an extensive background in executive-level Human Resources across diverse healthcare startups and Fortune 500 companies, Nadian possesses a profound understanding of an organization's lifecycle stages. Recognizing the pivotal role of establishing a sustainable HR foundation for scalability, she has honed a distinctive skill set that seamlessly operates on both strategic and tactical levels crucial for startup environments.

Nadian is the proud founder of Zak Consulting Group (ZCG), your modern, fractional HR department specializing in comprehensive solutions for startups to mid-size companies. ZCG empowers small businesses to scale responsibly while unlocking organizational growth and building an exceptional culture.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Nadian is a dedicated mother of two boys, a savvy real estate investor, and has steered her enterprise from conception to a six-digit organization in under 12 months.

CRO, Nashville Predators

The 2023-24 season is Dionna Widder’s first with the Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena. In her role as Chief Revenue Officer, Widder is responsible for ticket sales and service; premium seating; suite sales and service; partnership sales and service; data analytics; and business intelligence. Previously, Widder served as the Chief Revenue Officer for Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dash for four seasons. Widder was responsible for leading the revenue-generation strategy and execution for the Club, including overseeing the corporate partnership sales & marketing, ticket sales & service, and business intelligence & analytics teams.

Before making her move to Houston, Widder was the Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Under Widder’s leadership, the Cavs recorded more than 250 home consecutive sellouts at the 20,562-seat Quicken Loans Arena. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Widder spent two years as a Director in the NBA’s Team Marketing and Business Operations group, providing league support to individual teams with a focus on ticket sales, corporate partnerships and marketing functions to NBA, WNBA, and G-League teams.

Widder broke into professional sports in 2006 upon graduating from Central Michigan University, as a first-generation graduate, with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and WNBA’s Indiana Fever. She advanced rapidly within the club, starting out as a group sales executive before being named the Director of Group Ticket Sales and ultimately Sr. Director of Ticket Sales.

Widder is a native of Flint, Michigan and resides now in Gallatin, Tennessee along with her husband and their three children.