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Meet the Team

Meet the Team

EdTrust-Tennessee Staff

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Alexza Barajas Clark, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Alexza serves as the Executive Director of EdTrust-Tennessee, where she leads efforts to increase educational opportunity and achievement for historically...
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Breana Staten
Assistant Director, Communications
Breana is the Assistant Director of Communications, where she transforms education research and data into compelling narratives, develops and implements...
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Jazmin Ramirez
Advocacy and Partnerships Manager
Jazmin is the Advocacy and Partnership Manager at EdTrust-Tennessee. In this role, she supports our coalition-building and alliance-management through maintaining,...
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Jeff Strand
Assistant Director of Government Relations
Jeff is primarily responsible for developing and implementing a legislative strategy around EdTrust-TN policy priorities. He is the senior expert...
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Jenny Mills McFerron
Assistant Director, P-16 Policy and Research
Jenny Mills McFerron is the Assistant Director for P-16 Policy and Research. She leads the development and conceptualization of policy...
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Juliana Hoover Potash, MPP
Senior Manager of Advocacy and Engagement
Juliana Hoover Potash is the Senior Manager of Advocacy and Engagement for Ed Trust’s Southerners for Fair School Funding initiative....
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Meili Powell, MPP
Assistant Director, Advocacy and Engagement
Meili Powell is the Assistant Director of Advocacy and Engagement for EdTrust-Tennessee, where she leads a team who builds strategic...
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Melissa Harkreader
Manager of People & Operations
Melissa is the Manager of People & Operations for EdTrust-Tennessee, where she manages the day-to-day operations of the Tennessee office...
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Meet the Team

EdTrust-Tennessee Interns & Fellows

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Emily R. Bengyak
Higher Education Policy Fellow
Emily Bengyak is a Higher Education Policy Fellow at EdTrust-Tennessee. In this role, Emily utilizes data analysis and research to...
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Kylie Allen
P-12 Policy Fellow
Kylie Allen is the Government Affairs Intern for EdTrust-Tennessee. In this role, she assists the team by summarizing bill and...
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