Meet Taylor Dawson, AF-Nashville’s New Chapter Leader

America’s Future Foundation is excited to welcome the new chapter leader of AF-Nashville, Taylor Dawson!

Taylor serves as the outreach coordinator for both the Beacon Center of Tennessee and Beacon Impact. Prior to Beacon, Taylor was with the Alabama Policy Institute, where she worked most recently as the director of communications. She graduated from the University of Alabama in 2014 and went to work for the Alabama Republican Party. Taylor has spent her career focused on advancing free enterprise and individual liberty. In addition to free-market policy, Taylor is passionate about Alabama football, travel, books, and music.

Get to know a little more about Taylor!

What do you enjoy about your career path so far and why?

I have always been passionate about politics and policy. I still can’t believe that I am several years into a career that allows me to focus my time and energy accomplishing goals and pursuing solutions about which I am so passionate. The best thing about my job is getting to meet people who are directly impacted by our work and getting to hear their story. What I do every day actually changes people’s lives. That’s a really great feeling.

Why did you choose a career in the liberty movement?

I did a brief stint in politics where I quickly realized that I much preferred policy over politics. People change; principles are consistent.

How long have you been in Nashville and what brought you there?

I’m actually very new to Nashville! I moved here from Birmingham in mid-August of 2018. I had always planned on making the move to Nashville; I just didn’t know when. An opportunity presented itself at the Beacon Center, and I felt foolish not to pursue it. One of the reasons I love Nashville so much is that it feels like both a large city and a small town. The city center is always bustling, but in almost any social situation, you can find someone who knows someone who you know.

What has been your history with AF?

I’ve gotten to know AF over the years being involved with the State Policy Network. Everyone I have met through the organization has inspired me to help reach my age group and demonstrate why our principles are best for long-term success.

What helpful skills do you hold that people could ask you for advice about?

One of my favorite things to do as a communications professional is to prepare people for interviews. From going over talking points to mock interviews to picking out the color that’ll look best on camera, I take a lot of pride in helping the spokespeople of our movement put their best foot forward in media interviews.

What are you most excited about for the AF-Nashville Chapter Leader role?

Being new to Nashville, I’m excited to get to know people and help bring like-minded people together. I think that sometimes people are afraid to speak up for what they believe in because they are afraid they’ll be alone or shut down by others. It’s very cool that AF provides a place here in Nashville for people to come together, get to know each other, and learn more about our shared principles.

Book recommendations?

–The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron (I’ve been really into the Enneagram lately)
–Love and Friendship by Whit Stillman
–Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier (I read this in the eighth grade, and it’s still one of my favorite books ever)
–Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
–A Torch Kept Lit: Great Lives of the Twentieth Century by William F. Buckley, Jr.

I also read the Saturday essay in the Wall Street Journal every week, and it’s something I always look forward to.

Coffee Order?

Either a hot or iced Americano, sometimes with an extra shot of espresso. Depends on the time of day.

Favorite places to travel? OR Places you would like to travel to?

I’d love to go to Iceland and Sweden. I’ve become more of a cold-weather girl lately. But I went to Cuba during the summer of 2017, and it was certainly one of the most unique experiences of my life.

What is on your “Top 5 Fun Things To Do in Nashville” list?

1. Eat! There are so many great restaurants in Nashville. If you’re ever in the area and need recommendations, I can send you my Excel document. (Nerd alert?)
2. Live music. I feel like I’m always surrounded by really talented musicians. There’s never a shortage of shows to attend, and because this is Music City, a lot of them are free.
3. Go outside. For a city of Nashville’s size, there are actually a lot of great places around the city to get outside, walk, hike, and experience nature, which is something us downtown workers don’t get to do every day.
4. Coffee. Give me all the coffee. There are new, awesome coffee places popping up all the time in Nashville. On my restaurants Excel document, I have a coffee shop tab.
5. Sports. I grew up in Alabama, so it probably goes without saying that I’m a football girl (Roll Tide). But I went to my first hockey game this year (Go Preds) and I’m hooked. There’s so much to choose from if you want to watch a sporting event in Nashville. And since my only team is the Alabama Crimson Tide, I can be loyal to all my new Nashville professional teams!

You can follow Taylor on Twitter @tay_dawson and connect with her on LinkedIn.