Laurel Creech is our emcee of the night. She oversees environmental initiatives including renewable energy, energy efficiency, green infrastructure, waste reduction practices, and outreach/ education via the program called Socket. Projects she is currently working on are helping implement the city’s first Climate Action & Adaptation Plan, increasing renewable energy, reducing built infrastructure’s energy consumption, fleet electrification, and overall greenhouse gas emissions mitigation strategies. Under her leadership, the Division has received two Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards and four U.S. Green Building Council Impact Tennessee awards.
Previously from 2010 to 2015, Laurel held three positions in the Office of the Mayor for Karl Dean including Sustainability Director, Livability Director, and Chief Service Officer. As one of the first ten Chief Services, she led the development of Cities of Service, a national movement to connect citizens to the greatest needs of cities in the United States. In addition to advising other Chief Service Officers across the country, Laurel served as the US delegate for the launch of Cities of Service UK.
Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office Laurel was the founder and director of Team Green Adventures with the goal to connect Middle Tennessee community to the outdoors through active and engaging events for all ability levels. She was also on-air talent on both WRLT Lightning 100 and WYYB The Phoenix. In 2009 after an interview with Mayor Dean, she co-founded Live on the Green with her fellow co-workers at Tuned In Broadcasting.
Laurel was nationally recognized as one of the Smart Energy Decisions’ inaugural Women in Smart Energy(WISE) in 2022, a Women in Sustainability Award for Local Public Sector in 2021, and in 2019 she served as a U.S. Delegate on the European Union Sustainability Delegation Tour. She currently serves on the boards of the Nashville Parks Foundation, Cumberland Trails Conference, and the Tennessee Nature Academy. She also serves on the Advisory Boards of Urban Green Lab, Tennessee Women in Green, and Walk/Bike Nashville. On a regional level, Laurel serves on the Southeast Sustainability Directors’ Network’s(SSDN) Steering Committee and is co-host of the SSDN’s Green Minds podcast. She is also an on-air radio air talent on two Nashville radio stations: WXNA 101.5FM and WMOT 89.5FM
