10 minute read
Degrees of Separation
How some of the most interesting women in national television ended up in Nashville
BY KATIE KNIPPER | PHOTOS BY DAVID DOBSON
Even as Nashville develops at a rapid pace, we still have a long way to go before we reach the “always on” culture of New York or Los Angeles. As Nashville’s light continues to shine a bit brighter, we have maintained a steady attraction of the top tier talent in entertainment. Musicians, actors and other recognizable personalities are excited to call Nashville home and find a greater quality of life sprinkled in with southern charm. Beyond the names we might recognize, Nashville has begun to draw in some of the most creative and hardworking people in the industry — those that typically reside on the other side of the cameras and lights. BY KATIE KNIPPER PHOTOS BY DAVID DOBSON
Beyond the glamour of the few minutes of content the viewers see lie sleepless nights, endless emails, and a group of some of the biggest hustlers in the industry. In a space traditionally dominated by men, more and more women are breaking through into the behindthe-scenes world of television. From PR to production, women are claiming their place and getting the job done in an extraordinary fashion. However, 15-hour days can become the norm in bigger entertainment cities, and even with the excitement that comes with them, long hours start to take a toll. After noticing just how many of these extraordinary women have relocated to Nashville in recent years, either continuing in their roles remotely or picking up something entirely different, it poses the question: Why here?
David Dobson
We reached out to a few remarkable ladies in media and found plenty to talk about. Though each of these women have created vibrantly individual paths for their careers, they’ve all narrowly missed each other at some point or another. Jen started working at Oprah Winfrey Network on the day Beth left. Melissa and Bonnie both moved to Nashville on the same day, having never met. Even in decidedly different experiences, they all had similar motivations to make the jump to Music City.
On one of the first mild nights transitioning Nashville into spring, these women gathered in the cozy, newly renovated mezzanine space at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel to catch up, discuss their career paths, and find similarities in their experiences.
Sara Kunin photographed at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
David Dobson
SARA KUNIN | THE PASSIONATE PRODUCER
Sarah spent over a decade bringing familiar faces into our homes as a producer for Good Morning America, working closely with Michael Strahan. After relocating here in 2018, she quickly found a great community of producers at Riverside Entertainment. She was born and raised in New York, so the southern hospitality she’s seen here quickly made Nashville feel like home.
On Being “Always On”
Working in television, whether it be news, entertainment or a combination of the two, means working long hours, staying ready for anything and sacrificing personal moments along the way. Though it was tough, these women wouldn’t have had it any other way. They were drawn to that nonstop schedule for the immense opportunities it could present, but the payoff didn’t necessarily make the hard work in between any easier.
JEN: “I missed a lot of bridal showers and I missed a lot of baby showers. But I saw the first black president get elected. And I had to think, are my friends ever going to understand?” Luckily these women were able to find their tribe early on. BONNIE: “The biggest hustlers I’ve ever known are in television. It’s an industry for people who are driven to work hard, and not shut it off.” Finding like-minded friends and colleagues helped them to work even harder for success but wasn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for loved ones who may not have understood where their drive was coming from.
MELISSA: “Sometimes they have to realize that you’re doing something bigger, it’s something that’s going to really live within your history. This isn’t for everyone. It’s fast-paced and ever-changing and you have to be adaptable.”
Jen Duck photographed at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
David Dobson
JEN DUCK | THE NEWS NAVIGATOR
Jen has spent her career as a bit of a Renaissance woman, working as a producer for everyone from Anderson Cooper to Oprah Winfrey. In the last year, she won an Emmy and started teaching full-time at Belmont University, all the while earning her Ph.D. and finding time to enjoy her backyard with her husband and two young daughters.
Once in a Lifetime Experiences
Television brings plenty of moments that could never be recreated — from meeting celebrities to dealing with the unpredictable whilst on a live broadcast.
SARAH: During her time at Good Morning America, she produced celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s Breakfast In Bed segment, where he visits inspiring individuals deemed worthy of breakfast in bed. It’s a moving segment to witness in-the-moment, but live television is known to come with unexpected issues. She shared a time when the entire town of Americus, Georgia was gathered around one winner’s house when Emeril knocked on the door. Of course, the woman had no idea she would be on GMA that (windy) morning, and once the door opened her wig flew right off of her head. Even with the unexpected fiasco, they were able to create a beautiful moment for a woman who raised seven siblings on her own.
JEN: She spent a portion of her career on Katie Couric’s talk show, Katie. Katie serves as an inspiration for many women with a dream of breaking into television, but her inspiration came at least in part from the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Seeing a single woman succeed in network news at that time was groundbreaking, so when Katie had the opportunity to sit down with the stars of the show, she did everything in her power to make it happen. To see a woman she’s looked up to for so long get a bit starstruck in front of her own idols, helped her to humanize Katie even more. The experience served as a reminder that women in this industry do all they can to support and carve a path for each other.
Melissa Little Padgitt photographed at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
David Dobson
MELISSA LITTLE PADGITT | ELLEN’S EXPERT
Few women have more experience or knowledge in the field of entertainment PR than Melissa. Her work at the Ellen DeGeneres show has been so airtight in the last 16 years that she’s been able to continue excelling in her new role as Vice
On Nashville’s Growth
Despite their love for their new chosen hometown, the explosive growth in the last few years has left these women with a short wish list of changes. They came here to escape the crazymassive city lifestyle, so how has Nashville’s growth impacted their perspective on the city they’re building their lives in?
MELISSA: She lives in Brentwood, which is quickly becoming known for rapid-fire development as much as the natural beauty it’s always been associated with. She fears all the development might keep chipping away at what made her fall in love with the area. “I feel like it’s overdeveloping and they’re cutting down all these beautiful trees to build these developments,” she said. “And I understand there’s a need for it but it’s sort of taking away what’s beautiful about it.”
BETH: In Nashville itself, she worries the city can’t keep up with the influx of high-performing women with professional experience in major markets. To her, Nashville won’t be able to meet its full potential until there are more professional opportunities for women specifically. “There are so many women beyond this table that have these incredible backgrounds who come to Nashville for that better quality of life, but I don’t think Nashville meets them where they’re at — at least not yet.”
Beth Gebhard photographed at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
David Dobson
BETH GEBHARD | THE PR PRO
Consider Beth one of the driving forces behind the early days of OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. She worked as the Director of Communications of the network and played an instrumental role in the messaging, branding, and marketing of the channel since its inception. She's worked in elite entertainment and lifestyle industries in New York, L.A., and now, Nashville. Today, Beth is a passionate and sought-after marketing and brand strategist.
Shifting Priorities
As these women adjusted to life in Nashville, a slowed pace gave them all a bit more space to breathe. From having time to spend with family to having time to invest in themselves, being able to take a step back created opportunities to fully develop the other pieces of their lives.
SARAH: “Coming to Nashville has been such a time for radical discovery of myself, because now I get to sleep! After two cell phones that would go off in every news moment, I get to take a step back and use all of these skills I’ve acquired and be more thoughtful in the projects I take on.” She was the latest transplant of these women, but has already found a role at Riverside Entertainment that allows her to collaborate with other producers in an environment allowing her to broaden her creative horizons.
MELISSA: In her case, she’s still working with Ellen, just remotely from home. Even with the same level of responsibility, she’s found being able to spend time at home has given her healthier boundaries when it comes to work while still achieving impressive results. “Initially I was sending stuff out at 5 in the morning my time. Now my day begins at around 8:30 here and it doesn’t end until around 9 because I’m working on California time,” she said. “I love my job and I’m thrilled to be a part of it, but it’s not easy — production and television is 24/7, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Now, she gets the fulfillment of a successful career while still being home when her kids get out of school.
Bonnie Willoughby photographed at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
David Dobson
BONNIE WILLOUGHBY | THE TALENT-BOOKING TRAILBLAZER
Bonnie’s career path has been filled with unforgettable moments — from David Beckham hopping into her Honda Accord while she worked as Ellen DeGeneres’ Senior Talent Booker to recently opening both of her Drybar locations in Nashville. Today, she’s happily helping the women of Music City have a great hair day, every day.
Moving to Nashville
Spending years in a 24/7 industry can take a toll on physical and mental health, no matter how fulfilling the work may be. The fast-paced lifestyles found in New York or L.A. can leave people yearning for open spaces, and these women are no exception. With Nashville’s central location, it had the draw of resting in between most of these women’s family members with at least some of the entertainment industry they were used to. Leaving a successful path was no easy decision for any of them, but it ended up paying off in more ways than they could’ve expected.
BETH: She and her husband made the decision while on vacation — at a time they were supposed to be relaxed and content. “We were on a float, in a pool, and I asked my husband if he was happy, and he said no. And he asked if I was happy and I said no, so we decided we needed to move. We wanted to get closer to home and I wanted to move somewhere where there’s at least entertainment — Nashville.”
BONNIE: Beyond making the decision to move, deciding the right timing served as another challenge. For her and her husband, this decision had the potential to shape the course of their lives. “We had to really think, do we want to move to Nashville later after we kill it in L.A., or do we want to really live our life in Nashville?” A few days later, she went into the Ellen offices to tell them she was quitting since working remotely had never been arranged before in a position like hers, but they let her know she wouldn’t necessarily have to do that. “I was making a lot of money for the show at the time and they said, honestly, you could do that from anywhere.” She stayed with the show for a few years from afar, and then transitioned into entrepreneurship and has since franchised Drybar locations in both Nashville and Brentwood.
