About
Salonniere Norene Sheehan
Born in Cork, Ireland, Norene moved to the U.S. in the year 2000 carving out a properous career in the Marketing & PR realm of Financial Services and Publishing firms. Norene's formative years were imbued with the art of storytelling, the charm of wit, and the joy of convivial conversations. These influences, deeply ingrained in her DNA, ignited the spark of inspiration to establish the Salons, a social gathering space where like-minded individuals can share their knowledge, insights, and passions.
The Salon SERIES
At our new Nashville Salons' Series, guests will enjoy a convivial atmosphere starting with our reception featuring award-winning wines and hors d'oeuvre selections prior to the main speaking event. The events feel remarkably like naturally occurring cocktail parties – notwithstanding the fact that many of the guests in attendance wouldn’t, in their daily lives, have occasion to indulge in a natter with the scions of Nashville and middle Tennessee. The events will be filled with a formidable roster of contacts belonging not only to the Salonniere, Norene Sheehan, in addition to those in the local well-connected community.
In the shaded area of the Venn diagram where cultural curiosity, the inclination for self-improvement, the desire for exceptional access, and (let us be frank) a measure of good old-fashioned social aspiration meet, there is a sweet spot that we thought would work well. There’s really something to be said for that fireside-chat feeling, reviving that classic Parisian Salon kind of social engagement where people have conversations that matter, expand their horizons, and make invaluable connections.
Our vision is to connect like-minded people in a highly social, interactive environment; to revive the art of conversation, spirited debate, and exchange of ideas. We will present a myriad of topics with today’s thought leaders from Life Sciences, Technology, the Arts & Literature, and more. In the same spirit as the 18th Century French Salons education, enlightenment and merriment are our focus, akin to a lively dinner party or Ted Talk in our modern world.
Our team is very excited to host our conversational salon series here in Nashville and to personally welcome you!
Norene Sheehan
Principal
The Salons' Series, Nashville
Blue Stockings Salon Series
From our patrons
MICHAEL H
“The evening was filled with intellectual stimulation and joy. Norene is a fantastic host, very personable and energetic and immediately made me feel at ease – I felt at home and knew I was joining a fantastic group of like-minded yet diverse people. The discussion was very candid and guests easily shared very deep-seated insights and emotions, which is unusual for meetups and extremely refreshing. For example, the guests were very open about their perceptions on the issue of gender leadership differences and it created a shared feeling of trust and comfort to participate without fearing social judgment. The speaker was equally brilliant and gauged the audience quite well. Every guest I met was immediately very friendly, welcoming, and of very high caliber. The food and drink choices were equally excellent. Simply put, I had a most spectacular evening!”
PETER D
“Just as the deepest contemplation of new ideas occurs in a relaxed environment, fully engaged living and friendships are best cultivated in the same way. The Conversational Salons provides the perfect opportunity for conviviality and enlightenment in one venue.”
Yumi P
“Norene has modernized the French Salon concept of rich conversation and meaningful connections. She attracts consistently top-notch speakers and incredibly warm and welcoming salon members; this combination makes for a refreshingly earnest and open dialogue on a plethora of topics. Unlike other speaking events where speakers are kept at arm’s’ length from the audience, the speakers and the salon members intermingle with one another, which makes for much more meaningful connections.”
Gary G
Thank you for getting us involved in the Salons. It has been a most rewarding experience expanding our horizons with interesting speakers and meeting new people who share common interests. The wine and hors d’oeuvres are always excellent making it a very complete evening. I would heartily recommend the salon series to any inquisitive person.