Meet PJ Cowan | Senior Program Manager, Musician, Non-profit Board Chair

We had the good fortune of connecting with PJ Cowan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi PJ, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I’m inspired by the countless artists, musicians and volunteers in our community.

One of my favorite elements of this work, and non-profit work in general, is the process of building relationships with some of the most humble, dedicated and joyful people who give away their time and talents purely for the benefit of others.

Through Musicians On Call, I’ve been able to learn stories of incredible life journeys and see how those situations have molded these volunteers to be so generous and dedicated to helping. It motivates my work but also my decisions as a person, how to treat others and how one moment of kindness can actually ripple into a significant shift or improvement in someone else’s approach to life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been working in the non-profit space since 2011, when I started my first job at a major regional food bank, on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, fighting food insecurity in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

I’m most proud of the unconventional road that led me to where I am. The experiences that led me into that first job did not fit into an easy predictable road map for starting a career. What I had was a passion for helping others, communication and relationship building skills, and most of all the courage to jump into the unknown.

As I was graduating college with a degree in Public Administration I decided to try to working for the Peace Corps, but didn’t have the experience needed. That led me to working on construction sites in sweltering Mississippi, to patrolling the Gulf Coast for oil leaks after the BP oil spill, to finally saving money to travel to South Africa and help manage a humanitarian project on the Western Cape.

Each of these uncharted experiences steadily rewarded my courage to jump into new and uncomfortable situations. They also showed me I had the capacity to learn on the job and to build relationships to effectively lead teams of diverse people.

After my time abroad I landed back in the US with loads of enthusiasm and inspiration for taking on the next unpredictable turn in my journey. That turned out to be a decision to join the AmeriCorps VISTA program, a sister program to the Peace Corps, to serve at the food bank that would eventually hire me on full time for my first non-profit job in the US.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For our breakfast lovers, I’d send them to a variety of places including the Richland Park Farmers Market, Flora and Fauna, Frothy Monkey and Hearts.

I’m a big hiker, so, daytime activities would include the multitude of amazing Middle Tennessee parks, depending on how far they wanted to travel each day. Staying local, I’d send them to Radnor Lake and Beaman Park. For those up for a mini road trip, I’d highly recommend South Cumberland State Park, Buggy Top Trailhead near Sewanee, and Rock Island State Park.

For one of their non-hiking daytime itineraries, I’d send them to spend an afternoon at the National Museum of African American Music. My favorite museum in the city.

During lunch time, I’d recommend they check out the Korea House, Vien Pho, Mitchell’s Deli and Peg Leg Porker. If it’s football season, I’m sending them to Spicy Boys in east Nashville for great New Orleans eats and a salty atmosphere of fandom.

For exciting evening activities I’d highly recommend they check out a Nashville SC game, dancing at Funky Good Times or Third Man’s Blue Room, and show at the Ryman Auditorium.

Finally, for dinner and drinks I’d send them over to Cafe Roze, Butcher and Bee, Hawkers, and Schulman’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Rondal Richardson has been a close friend, mentor and incredibly impactful champion for Musicians On Call, since it’s early days in 2007. Without his time, unlimited compassion, advocacy and expertise, MOC would not have evolved to the scale and depth of impact it has today, or over our decades of work.

And that’s just one example of the countless groups and individuals he’s champoined. He’s been critical to channeling the passion of renowned musicians and artists into direct support of local non-profits in this city.

Rondal is bascially the Ted Lasso of non-profit and community work in Nashville.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pj-cowan-6b5a576a/