From Subcontractor to Prime Contractor: How Darci Gibbons Built a Business Ready for Bigger Opportunities with a $500K Increase For more than 15 years, Darci Gibbons worked at Nashville International Airport on someone else’s contract. Today she holds her own. Darci is the owner of Dreamscape Landscape Services and a prime contractor at the airport […]
Quentin Beverly brings a unique blend of strategic marketing and deep community dedication to his role as the Marketing and Development Growth Coordinator at the Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC).
Beyond his professional life, Quentin’s foundational drive is rooted in service and leadership, principles he actively lives out as a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Through the fraternity’s commitment to community uplift, advocacy, and service, Quentin has dedicated himself to empowering others, a passion that aligns perfectly with NBIC’s mission to foster and scale local entrepreneurial talent.
Quentin’s professional journey has been heavily anchored in the nonprofit and arts administration sectors, where he has long focused on building resources that drive social and cultural impact. During his time with arts nonprofits, he led multi-purpose advocacy campaigns, boosted individual giving, and designed targeted donor outreach initiatives using development and engagement tactics to maximize donor retention and
acquisition. He also brings experience in data-driven media buying that spans from e-commerce brands to live entertainment.
Armed with a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Indiana University Bloomington and strong roots in both nonprofit development and media analytics, Quentin looks at business growth through a community-first lens. Whether he is leveraging modern marketing frameworks to help a local startup scale, bolstering donor engagement, or working alongside his Alpha brothers on community initiatives, he is energized by seeing the Nashville ecosystem thrive.
Donnie Swift serves as the Program and Outreach Coordinator for NBIC, where he is dedicated to building meaningful partnerships, expanding community engagement, and creating opportunities that positively impact individuals and families. Throughout his career, Donnie has been passionate about education and has helped thousands of students and parents navigate academic success, personal development, and access to valuable resources.
His commitment to service has always extended beyond the classroom as he has consistently sought ways to strengthen communities through collaboration and advocacy. Donnie has guided students and their families through the college planning process, including college admissions, financial aid, and FAFSA completion. He has organized college readiness workshops and connected students with academic support programs that have helped families make informed decisions about postsecondary education. Recognizing the unique needs of multilingual communities, Donnie has also worked closely with families requiring translation and interpretation services, ensuring they could fully participate in school meetings, understand educational requirements, and access critical community resources with confidence.
In his role at NBIC, Donnie is excited to leverage his experience, relationships, and passion for serving others to expand the organization’s reach and support its mission of creating lasting, positive change within the community. He enjoys working with community partners, developing innovative outreach initiatives, and helping individuals discover opportunities that improve their quality of life.
Outside of work, Donnie enjoys spending time reading, working out, engaging with his community, and finding new ways to inspire and encourage others through service and leadership.
Sierra Henley Ashburn joined NBIC in December 2024 as a Special Projects Manager consultant. She now serves full-time as an Outreach Coordinator, focused on building community partnerships and supporting event and program execution. In this role, she works across NBIC’s Construction Consortium and the Metro Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) Emerging Contractors and Mentor Protégé programs. She also serves as the staff liaison for the NBIC Young Leaders Board.
Beyond NBIC, Sierra is the founder and lead operations strategist of Amplified Innovation, a fractional operations firm serving nonprofits and mission-driven service businesses. She partners with leaders and teams to translate impactful visions into clear, actionable systems, helping organizations thrive in their zone of genius by aligning internal infrastructure with core values.
Sierra is an active member of Nashville’s nonprofit community, a Young Leaders Council graduate, and currently serves on the board of From Your Father as Systems and Operations Lead.
She is a strong believer in NBIC’s approach of meeting entrepreneurs where they are; equipping them with the tools and support to grow, create community impact, and build a lasting legacy.
Patrick Walker-Reese, MPA is an established and celebrated speaker and educator. Patrick Walker-Reese, or Mr. Reese, as his students commonly refer to him as has dedicated his work to serve his own community. He has motivated and encouraged youth and adults alike to dare to dream and to strive for greatness every day.
Patrick Walker-Reese is the epitome of resilience. Directly translating in his teachings, his ability to make powerful connections and impacts on each individual who attends a workshop or speech he gives. He made it and is living the life of his dreams. This message is especially powerful to youth who are lacking ambition and guidance. Patrick attended Tennessee State University. Although school never came easy for Patrick, whose knack was always for speaking but not the traditional educational curriculum, he graduated from Tennessee State University with a History degree in 2010. His educational pursuits did not end there. He received his Masters from Tennessee State University in Public Administration in 2014.
In 2012 he formed ASPIRE LLC, an Educational Consulting Firm. Aspire specializes in highly interactive motivational presentations, workshops, curriculum, and literature. ASPIRE has worked with varied reputable organizations and companies such as The National Urban League, Caterpillar Financial, Metro Nashville Public Schools, YMCA, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, Clemson University, University of DC. The list of who ASPIRE has worked with has continued to grow. Now including, 100 Black Men “100 Kings” program, Oasis Center, The Educate ME HBCU College Tour, Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, Boys And Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, and a host of professional athletes.
Patrick has authored two books on self-help and socio-emotional development. Patfacts Volume 1: From One Dreamer to Another and Patfacts Volume 2: More Than a Dream. The latter of which was self-published through his newest business venture Aspire Publishing. Designed to turn dreamers into published authors.
Victor Tyler serves as a Digital Asset Specialist at NBIC, where he manages, organizes, and creates digital media resources that support the organization’s storytelling. In this role, he ensures that NBIC’s growing online presence remains cohesive, engaging, and aligned with its brand identity.
Before joining NBIC, Victor built a career in art direction and content production, leading campaigns that combined strategic storytelling with result-driven creative. His experience spans brand development, media production, and digital marketing.
Victor is passionate about using creativity to bridge artistry with strategy to help ideas come to life. Outside of work, he enjoys drawing, running, and exploring new places to eat, often finding inspiration for his work in the world around him.
Dr. Contrecia “Dr. T” Tharpe joined NBIC in November 2025 as Marketing and Communications Manager, bringing more than 15 years of experience in brand strategy, marketing, and communications leadership. A visionary strategist known for her creativity and results-driven approach, she leads NBIC’s brand, storytelling, and communications efforts with a focus on amplifying the voices of entrepreneurs and positioning NBIC as a leader in inclusive business growth.
Before joining NBIC, Dr. T built an impressive career spanning entrepreneurship, consulting, and organizational leadership. As Founder and Chief Brand Strategy Architect of FayeVaughn Creative, a full-service agency serving startups through Fortune 500 companies, she has helped organizations across industries craft powerful narratives, elevate visibility, and drive measurable results.
Her expertise bridges creativity and strategy, combining data-driven marketing with authentic storytelling to strengthen brand trust and engagement.
Beyond her role at NBIC, Dr. T serves as President of Nashville Cable, the region’s premier network for women in leadership. A sought-after advisor and speaker, she is passionate about helping others build brands that mean business, strengthen communities, and reflect the power of purpose.
Dynamic, forward-thinking, and unapologetically authentic, Dr. T embodies NBIC’s mission to inspire innovation and empower entrepreneurs to grow, scale, and thrive.
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Octavia Wilson-Simmons brings more than 20 years of diverse industry experience to her role at NBIC, where she drives operational excellence, grant compliance, and technological innovation. She began her career in the oil and gas sector in 2000 as a Contract Analyst, where she developed expertise in contract negotiation, trading operations, and stakeholder management.
Over the course of her career, Octavia expanded her skills across account management, operational optimization, and project coordination, gaining cross-industry experience that includes consulting and healthcare. Her transition into consulting in 2021 further honed her ability to streamline logistics and operations for business growth, while her work in healthcare deepened her customer-first approach and adaptability.
Since joining NBIC in 2022, Octavia has been a driving force behind key operational improvements, data-driven decision-making, and program support initiatives that empower small businesses to scale. She leverages platforms such as Zendesk, Looker, and Salesforce to optimize workflows, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and enhance service delivery for entrepreneurs.
Passionate about creating efficient systems and sustainable impact, Octavia’s expertise in operations management, compliance, technology integration, and strategic support ensures NBIC’s entrepreneurs have the foundation needed for long-term success.
