Kim Karesh, CEO

 Kim Karesh is a seasoned professional with an unrelenting optimism for humanity.

Originally from Indiana, Ms. Karesh moved to Nashville, Tennessee more than 20 years ago. She has served the community in the fields of education, environment, and healthcare. She has worked for the media, government, corporations, and now non-profit. She currently leads the Nashville Adult Literacy Council (NALC), a nonprofit agency that helps adult learners improve their reading, writing, and English-speaking skills.

Ms. Karesh earned her BA in Broadcasting at Western Kentucky University, with a double-minor in Marketing and Philosophy. She began her career as a reporter for WLAC-AM in Nashville. There, she mastered her abilities to translate complex information into a simplified message for general audiences. This skillset led to years of government service as a communications director. Ms. Karesh was then introduced to the healthcare industry, working on employee communications in HR at Healthways. As she learned more about the evolving field, she became keenly interested in its potential for leadership and growth, which motivated her return to Western Kentucky University to round out her abilities with an MBA. She spent the next ten years building her operations and revenue development skills in healthcare, growing into executive leadership positions.

Ms. Karesh joined NALC in 2016. Within the first few weeks, she realized that her previous 20 years had been preparing her for this job. Leading a small non-profit with limited resources, she is required to fill many different types of roles. As a result of her vast professional experiences, she has demonstrated expertise in the areas of communications, public relations, marketing, policy, operations, data management, and revenue development. In this position, she needs everything she has ever learned.

Ms. Karesh is now in a unique position to pursue her true passions. Motivated to provide education and career mentoring for under-served communities, her personal purpose aligns perfectly with NALC’s mission. Ms. Karesh exemplifies a sincere dedication to inspire and empower each person she encounters.