Shan Foster

Shan Foster is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fostering Healthy Solutions, LLC where he cultivates healthy solutions to diversity issues through education, training, and execution. His experience includes work with several sectors, including entertainment, financial services, technology, media, environmental services, and law enforcement. Foster is passionate about diversity and is seen as a visionary amongst leaders. As a strong anti-racist, he has contributed to local and national news, corporate and higher education EDI efforts, as well as local and national non-profits. Foster is the author of “What Hurt Didn’t Hinder.” A story of perseverance, showing that it’s possible to reconstruct what it means to be a man, embrace, diversity, and raise everyone up in the process. He also serves as Executive Director of AMEND Together at YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee. AMEND Together is an initiative that engages men and boys to end violence against women and girls. He recruits, educates, and equips men and boys to serve as advocates for violence prevention and cultural change. Under his leadership, AMEND Together has grown to a nationally recognized program with expansion to Texas, Virginia, California, Washington, Ohio, Alabama, and New York. Described as an enthusiastic leader, gifted public speaker, and skilled facilitator, Foster explores the intersections of race, gender, and identity. He is a frequent speaker before national and international corporations, regional and national conferences, local and state government entities, and collegiate and national sports programs, including the National Football League and Major League Soccer.

Foster graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science in Human and Organizational Development in 2008. During his time at Vanderbilt, Foster was named SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, All-SEC four years in a row, NCAA Division I All-America, and played for the USA Team in the 2007 Pan American games held in Rio De Janairo, Brasil. He was the Lowes Senior CLASS award winner, an award given to the nations senior leader in community, classroom, character, and competition. Foster finished his collegiate basketball career as the all-time leading scorer in school history and was drafted into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks in 2008. He was inducted to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and was honored as an SEC Legend during the 2016 SEC Basketball Tournament. Foster’s basketball jersey is retired at both Bonnabel High School and Vanderbilt University.

Foster served as a founding member for the Intrepid College Preparatory Charter School in Nashville where he now is a contributing board member. He is a graduate of the 2018 Leadership Nashville class, where he now serves on the board of trust. Foster also serves on the board for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Nashville Sports Council, and The Memorial Magic Collective. Foster is an advisor for Nurture the Next (formerly Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee), 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, the Nashville Predators and Vanderbilt University. He most recently was selected to Nashville’s 2019 40 Under 40, 2019 Nashville Emerging Leader Award Winner, Nashville’s 2020 Power 100 Disruptor and Vistage Worldwide’s 2021 Speaker of the Year. Foster is a graduate of Leadership Middle Tennessee, Leadership Nashville, and Leadership Music.