Nashville Pride Grand Marshal + Equality Awards
Nashville Pride Equality Awards
Each year Nashville Pride recognizes people, businesses, and community groups making a difference. Award winners will be apart of the Pride Parade and be recognized from the festival Main Stage.
Awards
Each year Nashville Pride celebrates those in the community that are integral in helping bring together the annual celebration.
Mark Middleton/Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer Award, given to a Nashville Pride volunteer who embodies Mark Middleton’s passion for and commitment to the GLBT community and Nashville’s annual Pride Festival.
The Mark Manasco Community Service Award, given to a member of the LGBTQ community who demonstrates Manasco’s devotion to community service and GLBT organizations.
Nashville Pride Trailblazer Award, given to individuals whose pioneering work and social justice activism helped pave the way for the vibrant LGBTQ community that is celebrated at Pride, as well as around the world.
2022 AWARDS
Grand Marshals: TJ Osborn, Leslie Jordan, Greg Cason, Alberta Hardison
For more information on the Grand Marshals visit www.nashvillepride.org/grandmarshals
Ally Award: Pam Kelner
Pam Kelner
Pam Kelner first got involved with Pride through her work as Executive Director of Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, which has been building families through adoption in the LGBTQ+ community since 2002. As a Pride board member for six years, Pam transformed the Kid and Family Zone into one of the highlights of the festival. She now serves on the newly-formed board of IN|TN, whose mission is to connect people, opportunities, and resources to enrich and enhance the multi-faceted LGBTQ+ community. Pam also serves as Chair of the local board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Secretary of Congregation Sherith Israel, and as a board member of Akiva School and AgeWell's Leadership Council. In 2019, the Nashville Business Journal named her a Women of Influence in Nonprofit Leadership.
When asked about her involvement with Pride, Pam says, "I originally started going to Pride to speak with people who wanted to learn about adopting through Jewish Family Service. Later, as a Board Member of Pride and afterwards, I specifically chose to run the Kids Zone. Year after year, I get to see those families that we helped to form through adoption and love seeing how the kids have grown every year! I also love seeing teens in the Youth area, creating their own space to be who they are, freely and in a safe space. The number of teens that come to Pride has grown exponentially. It is great to see!"
Mark Manasco Community Service: Terry Vo
Terry Vo
Terry Vo is part of the External Affairs team at Comcast Cable Corporation and manages government affairs, community investments, and partnerships in the Tennessee and Virginia region. She has opened ten computer labs in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, Conexion Americas, Hispanic Family Foundation, Urban League of Middle Tennessee, and Legacy Mission Village and connected over 500,000 Tennesseans to the Internet Essentials Program. She moved to Nashville in 2009 to work at the Consulate-General of Japan and has held leadership roles in a local political campaign and consulting firm.
Terry is very active in the community and serves as the Board President of API Middle Tennessee, Board President of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition as well as President of the Chestnut Hill Neighborhood Association.
She was recently a finalist for the 2022 LGBT+ College Conference Diane Easter Corporate Engagement Award. She was named a Women of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal. She was also named one of Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30, Nashville Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40, recipient of the Japan American Society of Tennessee Sakura Award for Outstanding Leadership, and recipient of the Rising Star Award by the Arkansas Alumni Association. She is a former tnAchieves Mentor, proud alumna of Leadership Middle Tennessee, and MyCity Academy. She is the co-founder of the Beautiful Bookworms Book Club, avid domestic and international traveler, and enjoys checking out the local food scene.
2021 AWARDS
Grand Marshal: Maxine Spencer
Ally Award: Jevonte Dantzler
Mark Manasco Community Service:
Philanthropic Business Award:
2019 AWARDS
Grand Marshal Students of Stonewall
Honorary Grand Marshal Ty Herndon
Honorary Grand Marshal Kathy Holbrooks
Honorary Grand Marshal Joseph Interrante
Honorary Grand Marshal Mac Huffington
Honorary Grand Marshal Dwayne Jenkins
Ally Award CAM
Mark Manasco Community Service Chris Ott
Philanthropic Business Award Out and About Nashville
2018 AWARDS
Ally Award: Margaret Ellis
Mark Manasco Community Service: Kesley Page/Out Central & T.K. Hampton/You Shall LHiV
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Joseph Woodson
Philanthropic Business Award: Performance Studios and Slim & Husky's
Trailblazer Awards: Greg Howard and Chely Wright
2017 AWARDS
Ally Award Kathy Halbroooks and Maneet Chauhuan
Rising Star: Shawn Reilly
Mark Manasco Community Service: Linda Welch
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Joey Leslie and Vickie Davis
Philanthropic Business Award: Ron Sanford Productions
Trailblazer Awards: Lavender Country
2016 AWARDS
Ally Award: Rep. John Ray Clemons, Senator Jeff Yarbo
Rising Star: Brandon Anderson
Mark Manasco Community Service: Justin Sweatman-Weaver, Marisa J. Richmond
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Lisa Howe and the Oasis Center
Philanthropic Business Award: Bacon & Caviar
2015 AWARDS
Ally Award: Pastor Stan Mitchell of Gracepointe Church and Mayor Karl Dean
Rising Star: Shaun Arroyo and Derrick Lachney
Mark Manasco Community Service: Jim Schmidt/Joe Woolley and Greg Cason
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Allan Gonce and Covenant of the Cross Church
Philanthropic Business Award: Erica & Chris Rain of The Chef & I. and Phil Cobucci and the team at BAM! Social Business
2014 AWARDS
Ally Award: Nashville Metro Council and Vice Mayor, Diane Neighbors
Rising Star: Joseph Brownell, Garrard Wesson, Bobby Thompson
Mark Manasco Community Service: Dwayne Jenkins
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Randall Roop
Philanthropic Business Award: Jack Davis, Good Neighbor Festivals - and Jenn Garrett, Solve Solutions
2013 AWARDS
Ally Award: Nashville CVB
Rising Star: Kerrie Turney, Jessi Coggins, Jen Cowherd, Amanda Henson
Mark Manasco Community Service: Music City Sisters
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Debra Hyslop
Philanthropic Business Award: Joey Brown, Play Dance Bar
2012 AWARDS
Ally Award: Shea Webber, Nashville Predators
Rising Star: Annie Golighty, Jennifer Bieta, Heather Hauser
Mark Manasco Community Service: Chris Sanders
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Pam Wheeler
Philanthropic Business Award: Arnold Myint
2011 AWARDS
Ally Award: Mike Curb, Curb Records
Rising Star: Heather Thompson
Mark Manasco Community Service: Outcentral Board of Directors
Bianca Paige Pride Volunteer: Mac and Keith Hinkle