Linda Schacht

Linda Peek Schacht has advised government, business and nonprofit leaders on communication and strategy for over forty years.  A veteran of the Carter White House press office, she held the top communication positions for USA Today, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, and a national presidential campaign.  Linda is former board-elected vice president for global communications and public affairs strategy for The Coca-Cola Company, where she worked with the Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum and the World Economic Forum in launching the modern social responsibility movement. After twelve years at Coca-Cola, she focused on leadership and communication as a senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and led the organizational and political communication department at Emerson College. From 2010-2015 Linda founded and led the Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership at Lipscomb University, creating academic and community programs reflecting her lifelong focus on leaders collaborating for the common good. As a board member of the International Women’s Media Foundation and Athena International, Linda has worked to advance women’s leadership around the globe. She is a founder of the high school leadership academy Music City Girls Lead and of Leadership Tennessee, bringing business, government and nonprofit leaders together for the public good.  She serves as co-advisor to Nashville’s cohorts to Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program and is executive coach and speaker in the State of Tennessee’s award-winning leadership development initiatives. Linda is a frequent commentator and writer on politics and government and co-author of Steve Turner’s Little Book of the Common Good. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, and recipient of the NBJ Women of Influence Trailblazer award, the ATHENA Award, and the YWCA’s Academy of Women of Achievement.  The widow of baseball artist and writer Mike Schacht, Linda splits her time between Nashville and Atlanta, where she manages his art legacy.