Fresh Faces of Philanthropy 2025: Crystal Churchwell Evans

Profession: Vice president of development and alumni affairs, Fisk University

Nonprofit: Nashville Ballet

Becoming involved with the Nashville Ballet was only natural for Crystal Churchwell Evans, who’s always immersed herself in the art of dance. The fourth-generation Nashville native studied ballet from childhood through high school and attended The Nutcracker annually with her family.

“I love how Nashville Ballet allows everyone to find their place in dance,” Crystal says. “There is a stigma to ballet that it isn’t for everyone, but I think Nashville Ballet has done a great job finding ways to invite people into the space.”

Crystal first left Nashville to attend Wellesley College. When she returned 10 years ago, she found a vastly different city. While reacquainting herself with Nashville’s evolving community, Crystal earned her MBA at Vanderbilt University, worked in brand marketing at Mars Petcare and dove into development at the Frist Art Museum — her first stride into the nonprofit space.

But throughout her career, Crystal has cultivated her passion for dance. In 2010, she became a member of Friends of the Nashville Ballet. She later co-chaired Nutcracker Tea and officially joined the board in 2024.

“Throughout my journey, I’ve had a love for the arts and their place and importance in this city,” Crystal says. “When the opportunity came to serve Nashville Ballet on the board and co-chair the Nutcracker Tea, it felt like the perfect time to lend my talents and explore my interests in a pivotal organization in the city.”

Crystal’s current role as Fisk University’s vice president of development and alumni affairs helps her impactfully serve the ballet. “It is a homecoming of sorts, given my grandfather, great-aunt and great-uncle attended Fisk in the 1940s,” she says. Crystal oversees university fundraising efforts, balancing short-term needs and long-term goals. This professional experience seamlessly transfers to Crystal’s nonprofit work, where she furthers the ballet’s legacy and impact.

“Landmarks like the ballet are important for the cultural fabric of Nashville,” says Crystal. “I hope that as people move to the city and Nashville natives rediscover [it], they spend time with the ballet.”