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Clifton Harris
CEO at URBAN LEAGUE OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Clifton Harris is the President and CEO of the Urban League of Middle Tennessee (ULMT), a position he has held since November 2016.1 In this role, he is responsible for charting and evaluating the vision and mission of ULMT, working with key staff members, the Board Chairman, and the Board of Directors.1 Harris represents ULMT in the community through media, participation in strategic initiatives, and collaborative partnerships.1
As a leader, Harris has:
- Overseen ULMT's governance, policies, and procedures
- Ensured accountability and minimized risks
- Created a funds development process that increased revenue by 50% in the second year
- Presented ULMT's legislative priorities at the Tennessee General Assembly2
Prior to his current role, Harris has held several leadership positions:
- Executive Director at Sophia's Heart - Nashville (2013-2016)
- Vice President of Marketing and Sales at CitiValet, Inc. (2012-2013)
- Executive Director of Nashville's Homelessness Commission (2005-2012)
Harris holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration, Management and Operations from St. Augustine's University.1 He is passionate about economic empowerment, equality, and social justice, advocating for underserved communities.34
Under his leadership, ULMT has made significant impacts in various areas, including economic empowerment, housing and community development, youth and education, health and quality of life, and social justice and civic engagement.4
Highlights
Recently, our team had the privilege to present remarks during the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors listening session. Tempest Utley, MBA, our Chief Operating Officer, passionately spoke about the profound impact of TVA’s partnership with ULMT. She highlighted their unwavering support for our Next Level program and the remarkable contributions of our Board member, Justin Maierhofer, who represents TVA. Thank you, TVA, for your continued commitment to our community!
“My opinion is there’s no such thing as affordable housing. Affordable housing is about profitability for property owners and income for the consumer. Does the consumer have enough income to afford housing? In Nashville, for example, it takes $85,000 to live comfortably, so that’s not a $15 per hour job. So not only do we need to create housing people can afford. We have to get people in high-end jobs and not stuck in low-end jobs.”
