Tiffany Kerns: Investing in the Whole Person
Tiffany Kerns has spent thirteen years building the CMA Foundation into what it is today, and along the way, helped shift the language from donation to investment. As Executive Director of the CMA Foundation and SVP of Industry Relations and Philanthropy at CMA, Tiffany joins Natalie to talk about what it means to invest in the whole person, not just the output. She shares the story behind the Music Teachers of Excellence Award, the Women's Leadership Academy, and why she believes the best colleague you'll ever have is yourself.
In this Episode:
How music found Tiffany by accident, and the throughline from political science to philanthropy
The 90-day rule that got her through a cross-country move to San Francisco, she almost talked herself out of
Why CMA Foundation made the deliberate shift from "donation" to "investment" language, and what that means for how they show up for partners
The origin story of the Music Teachers of Excellence Award, and how one dinner for 50 teachers became a national, industry-wide celebration
Building the Women's Leadership Academy from the ground up, and what she's learned about what women in the music industry actually need
Her practice of journaling and voice memos as tools for reflection, and why she calls herself her own best colleague
Advice for leaders on staying human with their teams in a fast-moving industry
Learn more about CMA Foundation.
This episode is presented by Women of NAMM and Powered by AKG.
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This episode was co-produced and edited by Natalie Morrison, Stephanie Lamond, and Julia Olsen.
Music by: Lucky Lamond