Sheyla Paz Hicks

With a growing and increasingly influential Hispanic community in Middle Tennessee, it’s essential to have someone who can facilitate communication in both Spanish and English. Sheyla Paz Hicks has been filling that role and helping others achieve their goals in the film industry as a volunteer board member for Women in Film and Television, Nashville, Inc. (WIFTNa). She spends at least 50 percent of her time volunteering as the organization’s Communications Director. She spends the other 50 percent of her time operating her video production company, Paz Communications.

“I don’t look at my activities with WIFTNa as volunteerism,” Sheyla says, “but rather I see them as a way to help others achieve their goals. Volunteering is also a way to be involved in the things that matter in our community so we have a better society.” While working with others who share the same goals Sheyla has learned new ways of doing things that help other people, and she has made great friends along the way. She believes her efforts in helping others will pay back in the form of additional business for herself in the future.

As Communications Director for WIFTNa Sheyla uses all of her skills to get the organization’s messages out to the filmmaking and television community. She recently completed a video that helped attract seven attendees to a three-day filmmaking academy. Her next project is to prepare the social media and organize the media relations for the WIFTNa’s First Annual drive-in film screening and fundraiser. “I use almost all of my skills as a communicator to spread the word about WIFT, including event planning, fundraising, photography, social media and press releases to attract new members, volunteers and sponsors,” she says.

Sheyla is a native of Cuba who came to the Nashville 14 years ago because her husband (a Kentucky native), brought her here. In addition to her work with the Women in Film and Television, Sheyla has volunteered with the American Cancer Society, Go Red for Women, Metro Nashville Public Schools and the Nashville Film Festival. She says that the WiFT and American Cancer Society are her favorites, particularly since her mother is a breast cancer survivor. She is passionate about her culture, her work, health and education. She makes the time to support all her interests while using her expertise to benefit others.

Doing Good is proud to recognize Sheyla Paz Hicks as Nashville’s Volunteer of the Month for July 2014.

Join the Conversation:  What talents do you use to help others? What organizations do you help? Where’s your passion for volunteering?

Blog Written by:  Karen E. Williams. She is a volunteer with Doing Good, an organization dedicated to promoting volunteerism.  The website is www.DoingGood.tv.  Nashville’s Volunteer of the Month is a free program celebrating those who make a difference and inspiring others to volunteer by sharing stories of local volunteers through media partners.