LATANYA CHANNEL

Director of Economic Development | Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County

LaTanya Channel was born and raised in Washington, DC, but her extended family were farmers for six generations in Southern Maryland, 45 minutes from the US Capitol. She is a natural teacher and leader, passionate about public service, having served more than 30 years in the federal government. Since October 2022, LaTanya has been director of economic development for Nashville and, 20 years prior, was in senior management at the US Small Business Administration (SBA)— both in DC and as director of the SBA Tennessee Office.

A graduate of Claremont McKenna College and Rutgers-Newark Law School, she served as managing editor of the Law Review. LaTanya is the proud daughter of Theresa, Floyd, and Reggie and is a graduate of Nashville Emerging Leaders and Leadership Tennessee. She serves on the board of her Nashville church, launched “The H.O.W. Project” in 2020, and lives in Old Hickory with her husband, Leon, and their dog, Teddy, is the highlight of nine years in Nashville, now proudly called “home.”