Catching Up with Carlee Smith
This month, we are excited to introduce Elevate team member and consultant, Carlee Smith! Carlee is known by those close to her as caring and compassionate, which is perfectly supported by her Enneagram score of 2, or Helper. She is often concerned with her fellow team members being joyful, thriving, and getting the support they need, and is frequently referred to as an encourager and curator of positivity in the workplace. Her desire to be involved in her community is what drew her to begin working in the nonprofit sector, and she constantly desires to create a space where those around her can thrive. As it relates to her work, Carlee is extremely committed to getting projects done in a way that best suits the client’s needs. She is process-oriented and skilled in seeing patterns and identifying connections between seemingly competing ideas.
It’s not surprising that relationship-building is one of Carlee’s favorite parts of her work. She enjoys connecting with such different people who are all so passionate about what they do. She considers it a privilege to be able to help community members link their organization strategies to the activities they do, and help them see patterns and connections where there may have been confusion before.
Carlee and Amy before their first client presentation after COVID began. So much joy to be in person again!
The biggest piece of advice that Carlee would offer clients regarding evaluation and data is to take the first step. It can be overwhelming to evaluate a program because you want to know everything, but you don’t have to know it all and solve it all. Starting with one question and taking it step by step can go a long way and always remember-- it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Now that the world is returning to “normal,” you can start to find Carlee anywhere outdoors- including her favorite patios (12 South Taproom is at the top of the list), hikes (Percy Warner), and outdoor music events (Bluebird on the Mountain). She’s also making up for lost time and has been traveling her heart out. She’s already crossed off a trip to Charleston, the mountains of North Carolina, her hometown of Richmond, VA, and a quick trip to Pensacola. She’ll be heading out to Glacier National Park in August and welcomes any and all recommendations or advice!
There’s still a very fond place in Carlee’s heart for Richmond.
When asked what inspires her the most about her colleague, Carlee Smith, Jessica identifies her quality of persistence as one worthy of much respect and admiration. This “get it done” attitude manifests itself in more than just work tasks, as Carlee puts her whole self into projects and is committed to seeing each one to some sort of conclusion. Not only does she do whatever it takes to complete a task, but she also does so with an extremely positive attitude, which Jessica deeply admires. As it relates to the future with Elevate, Carlee is looking forward to new opportunities to connect and engage with clients. She is excited to walk alongside organizations who are doing meaningful work in Nashville, and see how Elevate can partner and make their impact even greater.
Carlee and her friend, Kathleen, decided to train and run a half-marathon during the pandemic. You know, for “fun.”
Carlee’s best buddy, Darby.
To connect more with Carlee Smith, you can find her on LinkedIn or send her an email.
Blog by Damisi Fawole