Carolan Trbovich
Carolan Trbovich is an accomplished executive, strategist, and community builder whose career spans the corporate, nonprofit, education, and entertainment sectors. Recognized for her relationship-centered leadership and purpose-driven approach, she combines business acumen with creative vision to build partnerships, strengthen organizations, and foster meaningful community engagement.
Carolan began her career in Nashville’s Christian media industry, serving in senior leadership roles with Word Entertainment (Warner Bros. Records) and Sparrow Records (EMI Music Group), where she gained extensive experience in operations, marketing, artist relations, and organizational leadership.
Transitioning into higher education, she served as Director of Admissions for The Art Institute of Tennessee in Nashville, earning national recognition for achieving top enrollment conversion results. She later became Institutional Director of the Dark Horse Recording Institute in Franklin, Tennessee, where she established campus operations, admissions processes, compliance systems, and taught music business courses.
Combining her passion for the arts with a talent for storytelling, Carolan currently serves as Nashville Editor and lead theater critic for BroadwayWorld New York. In this role, she conducts celebrity interviews and covers the thriving arts and entertainment community throughout Middle Tennessee. She is also the founder of Absinthe: A Broadway Cabaret, Tennessee’s first venue of its kind, bringing acclaimed Broadway talent to Nashville audiences.
While living in Florida, Carolan expanded her nonprofit leadership experience as Donor and Community Relations Manager for JFCS of the Suncoast in Sarasota, securing resources and support for veterans, seniors, families in crisis, and mental health programs. Upon returning to Tennessee, she served as Partnership Development Manager for BrightStone in Franklin, cultivating strategic partnerships that advanced opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Today, Carolan leads a business development and nonprofit consulting practice, helping mission-driven organizations strengthen donor engagement, community outreach, and strategic growth. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Nashville-based nonprofit Doing Good, which inspires and mobilizes community volunteerism and elevates nonprofit success.
Grounded in her Christian faith and a servant-leadership philosophy, Carolan is committed to advancing initiatives that create lasting impact while leading with integrity, compassion, and purpose.