After a two-month search, we have hired Susan Mee as our new advertising manager. She will be replacing Allen Haley as he pursues work in the music education field.

Mee comes to the editorial board from a law background where she formerly served as director of Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Division of Evaluation and Monitoring. There she assessed the child welfare system, observed contracted services and best practice standards, and managed units comprised of up to 30 positions across the state.

In October 2011, she was replaced because of the administration change at the state level. Since then, she has been a consultant, mediator and lawyer. Mee said she applied for this position because of her interest in equal rights. “I think that Out and About serves an important function in the community,” she said.
“Working for the newspaper is consistent with my interest and experience in working toward social justice.”

From 1988 to 2002, Mee worked as a human rights representative for the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. There she was responsible for resolving, investigating and enforcing state and federal anti-discrimination and civil rights laws related to employment and housing. “Based on my work in civil rights and anti-discrimination, I have a relatively good sense of the barriers faced by the GLBT community,” Mee said. “And I understand that people of all sexual orientations have the same basic interests, needs and wants.”

Although her background is not in advertising, she has a connection to the GLBT community. “I have represented gays and lesbians in legal actions (including adoptions and harassment claims) and have investigated claims involving individuals facing discrimination of all types (including cases of transgender individuals),” she said.

Two of Mee’s best friends are trying to have children via egg donation surrogacy and she will be a godparent to one of the children. She also has advocated for anti-discrimination policies at the university level and supported other related causes.

Mee is a fan of old classic movies like “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Casablanca.” She is part of the Colbertnation and also watches “The Daily Show.” Mee is also an avid reader and loves to go thrift-store shopping and antiquing. We are happy to have her on board.