Bay State Leader Taneshia Nash Laird Named 2025 Women Worth Watching® in STEAM Honoree for Advancing Equity in Arts Leadership

BOSTON, MA — Taneshia Nash Laird, a national voice in cultural policy, inclusive economic development, and arts leadership, has been named a 2025 Women Worth Watching® in STEAM honoree by Profiles in Leadership Journal. This prestigious recognition highlights visionary women who are driving innovation across Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) while breaking down systemic barriers and mentoring the next generation.

Featured in the Q2 2025 issue of Profiles in Leadership Journal, Nash Laird was recognized for her cross-sector leadership at the intersection of arts, economic equity, and civic policy. As Executive Director of Project REAP—the nation’s leading nonprofit advancing diversity in commercial real estate—and Associate Professor in Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music, she brings a rare combination of executive experience and academic insight to the work of expanding access and opportunity in STEAM-related fields.

She also leads Thrive Tide Partners, her advisory practice guiding government agencies, cultural institutions, and nonprofits in designing equitable strategies to grow creative economies—particularly those centering Black excellence, infrastructure, and long-term civic impact.

Centering Arts Leadership in STEAM Equity

In her profile feature, Nash Laird was asked what barriers exist to closing the gender gap in STEAM. She pointed to the steep drop-off in leadership opportunities for women and women of color, particularly in the arts sector:

“Despite its progressive reputation, the arts sector struggles with systemic barriers that prevent diverse leadership,” Nash Laird shared. “Until we address structural barriers to advancement and create pathways for women to occupy executive roles and civic appointments in cultural policy, equity in arts leadership will remain elusive.”

A Voice in Massachusetts Policy and Beyond

Currently based in Massachusetts, Nash Laird is a gubernatorial appointee to the state’s Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council, where she contributes to shaping creative economy strategy across the Commonwealth. She also serves on the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s advisory committee for Greater Boston’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), bringing a cultural lens to regional development planning.

Her consulting clients include nationally respected institutions such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra and WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, where she helps align fundraising, leadership development, and board strategy with long-term cultural sustainability goals.

A Track Record of Transformational Leadership

Prior to her current roles, Nash Laird served as President & CEO of Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey, where she led a multi-million-dollar turnaround and launched a capital redevelopment strategy focused on community wealth building. Her legacy also includes launching a major cultural center in Harlem and co-authoring Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans.

Her recognition as a Women Worth Watching® in STEAM honoree underscores her continued commitment to creating systems where diverse talent is not only welcomed—but empowered to lead.