Nashville is no longer just Music City. It’s rapidly becoming Money City. From corporate headquarters and tech investment to real estate growth and entrepreneurial expansion, Nashville’s economic evolution is reshaping opportunity across industries. Join NextUp Nashville for Music City to Money City: Nashville’s Economic Transformation, an engaging evening designed to help professionals understand what this growth means for their careers, their companies, and their leadership paths. This session will explore the forces driving Nashville’s rise and how leaders can position themselves to thrive in a fast-changing economic landscape.
Event Speakers and Moderator:
Lisa Ferrelli
Financial and Strategic Professional and Community Leader
Lisa has 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, including fifteen years in commercial real estate banking followed by national sales performance and strategic planning roles. Prior to retiring from Bank of America in 2025, she served as a Senior Relationship Manager with the Mid South Global Commercial Banking team at Bank of America. In this role, she was responsible for client relationships and business development in the middle Tennessee area focused on private and public companies with revenues of $50 million to $2 billion. Prior to joining Global Commercial Banking in 2015 she served as a national Sales Performance Manager supporting the development and execution of strategies to support business integration across the company.
Laurel Orley
Laurel Orley is the CEO and Co-founder of Daily Crunch Snacks
Daily Crunch Snacks, an Inc. 5000 company that Laurel launched in 2020 to redefine healthy snacking with sprouted ingredients. A former Unilever marketer who worked on brands like Dove and the award‑winning Campaign for Real Beauty, she was named an EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women Class of 2024 honoree and a 2025 NOSH Notable.
Lauren Morales
Chief Operating Officer at TomKats Hospitality
TomKats Hospitality restaurants have been named to Restaurant Business Magazine’s Top 100 Independent Restaurants for five consecutive years. A Nashville native, Lauren brings together deep roots in music and hospitality, having led production catering for major artists and productions and now overseeing venues including Acme Feed & Seed and The Southern Steak & Oyster.
Michelle Brown (moderator)
Principal, Public Policy at Amazon
Michelle leads state and local policy efforts across Tennessee on issues including AI, workforce development, affordable housing, and economic growth. A recognized civic and business leader, she has helped drive Amazon’s major community investments in Nashville and has been honored by Nashville Business Journal, The Business Journals, and Nashville Lifestyles.