Steven serves as Assistant Director of Government Relations for Tennesseans for Student Success. Prior to his role with TSS, Steven served for six years in the United States Army. After leaving the military, Steven pursued a bachelor’s degree in political science at Middle Tennessee State University. While at MTSU, he actively sought professional experience, completing internships with the Tennessee General Assembly, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, campaign consulting, and government relations. A Pittsburgh native, Steven enjoys reading, playing several musical instruments, and spending time with friends and family.
JJ Fennell serves as the Manager of Partnerships & Development for Tennesseans for Student Success. Prior to TSS, she worked as an Athletic Director and English teacher, with experience in both public and private K-12 school settings. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from American College of Education. A Florida native, JJ enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her family, and attending athletic events.
Sky Arnold serves as the communications director for Tennesseans for Student Success. Prior to his role at TSS, Arnold served vulnerable families in Tennessee as the Press Secretary for the Tennessee Department of Human Services. He is also known in Middle Tennessee for his years of covering state and local government at Nashville’s Fox 17 News. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and the son of a public school teacher.
Brooke is a Nashville native and graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. She spent her early years of her career working in event planning before making the move to administrative work. For the last six years, she has worked for Tennesseans for Student Success, overseeing the organization’s operational excellence. In her current role as Chief of Staff, she provides strategic support and organizational development as a member of the leadership team. She currently lives in Spring Hill, TN with her husband and two daughters.
Meredith joined Tennesseans for Student Success after five years of working at schools within the NativityMiguel Coalition. She began her career as a teaching fellow at Nativity Boston, before serving as director of student support at Nativity Prep in Rochester, New York. A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Meredith attended Boston College where she studied economics and political science and spent two summers interning for Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. She went on to earn her master’s degree in developmental and educational psychology at the Boston College’s School of Education.
Jack Minor serves as vice president of strategy and advocacy for Tennesseans for Student Success. He has experience working in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well as congressional and presidential campaigns and a national think tank and advocacy organization. He previously served as chief of staff and lead communications adviser to former House Republican Conference Vice Chairman, U.S. Representative Mark Walker, and as digital content manager for Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign. As a communications, advocacy and policy professional, Jack has helped raise millions in online donations, managed seven-figure campaign spends, booked clients on premier national news outlets and assisted candidates from local school boards to Congress and the presidency. He is a graduate of Elon University, a North Carolina native and a former student of Tennessee public schools.
Lana Skelo has served as the President and CEO for Tennesseans for Student Success since May 2024, when she expanded her role to lead the organization after serving as general counsel and vice president of government relations. Prior to TSS, Lana served as senior director of state legislative affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where she oversaw lobbying compliance for the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) and the Workforce Freedom Initiative. In that capacity, Lana was responsible for developing and managing state-level policy advocacy program in the tort reform space through an aggressive grassroots and public education plan. Lana also has experience as an attorney at Waller Law firm in Nashville where she focused on state business regulation and represented clients in strategic planning matters involving the executive and legislative branches of government as well as commissions, authorities and other entities. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and earned her J.D. from the University of Memphis-Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.
Kat Gerasimenko serves as Communications Coordinator for Tennesseans for Student Success. Her background spans multiple sectors, including digital media work at WZTV in Nashville and corporate communications experience at HCA Healthcare. Kat’s passion for education policy began in high school, and she’s grateful for the opportunity to advance educational excellence across Tennessee through her work.
She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University, a small liberal arts college in South Florida. Though she now calls Tennessee home, Kat was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.
