Olivia Hill Becomes Nashville Metro Council’s First Transgender President Pro Tempore

Nashville’s Metro Council voted to elevate Council Member at-Large Olivia Hill to the role of president pro tempore, the official who steps in for the vice mayor when needed. The vote took place on a Tuesday following Hill’s three-year tenure on the council. This marks the first time an openly transgender individual has held the position in Nashville’s municipal government.

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Hill was first elected to the Metro Council in September 2023, becoming the inaugural openly transgender officeholder in Tennessee. Prior to her political career, she served a decade in the engineering division of the U.S. Navy and was raised in Nashville. Her election to the at-large seat gave her a platform to focus on community outreach and infrastructure issues.

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Hill also highlighted the broader symbolic impact of her role for Tennessee’s LGBTQ + community.

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• “I’m still trying to take it all in,” — Oliva Hill

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• “I am proud of this moment. I’m proud of the history it represents as Tennessee’s first openly transgender elected official. But more than anything, I am humbled that the people I have served alongside for the last three years believed in me enough to entrust me with this responsibility,” — Oliva Hill

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Hill’s elevation to president pro tempore underscores a milestone for representation in a state where openly transgender elected officials have been rare. Observers note that her presence in a leadership position may influence public perception of transgender individuals in government and could encourage greater civic participation among under-represented groups. The council’s decision reflects a growing willingness among Nashville’s elected officials to embrace diversity within municipal leadership.

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