Mary Darby joined ThinkTennessee as External Relations Director in May 2017.  In this role, she oversees the organization’s fundraising, communications, and operations, and supports the development and execution of the organization’s strategic plan.

Most recently, Mary worked as an Associate Program Officer with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she directed an investment portfolio centered on education policy, stakeholder engagement, messaging, and public opinion research. Prior to her time at Gates, Mary worked as a consultant for polling and public affairs firms in New York City and Washington, D.C.

A Nashville native, Mary cares deeply about serving the Tennessee community, including as an Election Day poll worker and Community Advisory Board Member with WPLN, Nashville’s local NPR affiliate.

Mary earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Smith College and a Master’s in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University, where she graduated with honors and was a Forté Women’s Fellow. Outside of the office, she and her husband can be found checking out a concert or visiting a local eatery in their eastside neighborhood.