Who We Are

Susan relocated to Nashville and joined TSS in 2019 after completing her third term as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. She served as Chair of multiple committees including Finance, Commerce, Economic Development Oversight, and the House Study Committee on Education Innovation. Susan served on the board of Wilson Education Partnership, a collaboration with the local school system, and Chamber of Commerce promoting excellence in education. Susan was a key partner in the creation of the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an innovative early college high school designed specifically to reduce the skills gap for local manufacturing employers. Earlier, Susan spent 12 years as a sales representative for IBM in Richmond, VA. Susan earned an MBA and BSBA from the University of Richmond. She is married to Dr. Lew Martin, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery affiliated with the VA and Vanderbilt. They are the proud parent of two daughters attending college in middle Tennessee.

Susan relocated to Nashville and joined TSS in 2019 after completing her third term as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. She served as Chair of multiple committees including Finance, Commerce, Economic Development Oversight, and the House Study Committee on Education Innovation. Susan served on the board of Wilson Education Partnership, a collaboration with the local school system, and Chamber of Commerce promoting excellence in education. Susan was a key partner in the creation of the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an innovative early college high school designed specifically to reduce the skills gap for local manufacturing employers. Earlier, Susan spent 12 years as a sales representative for IBM in Richmond, VA. Susan earned an MBA and BSBA from the University of Richmond. She is married to Dr. Lew Martin, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery affiliated with the VA and Vanderbilt. They are the proud parent of two daughters attending college in middle Tennessee.

Susan relocated to Nashville and joined TSS in 2019 after completing her third term as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. She served as Chair of multiple committees including Finance, Commerce, Economic Development Oversight, and the House Study Committee on Education Innovation. Susan served on the board of Wilson Education Partnership, a collaboration with the local school system, and Chamber of Commerce promoting excellence in education. Susan was a key partner in the creation of the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an innovative early college high school designed specifically to reduce the skills gap for local manufacturing employers. Earlier, Susan spent 12 years as a sales representative for IBM in Richmond, VA. Susan earned an MBA and BSBA from the University of Richmond. She is married to Dr. Lew Martin, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery affiliated with the VA and Vanderbilt. They are the proud parent of two daughters attending college in middle Tennessee.

Alice joins us as the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO for Tennesseans for Student Success after spending 10 years with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Savannah, GA. While at the DOJ, she worked in many facets within the Criminal, Civil, and Administrative divisions. Prior to ending her time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she was the Executive Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia for almost 2 years and looks forward to bringing the same level of organization to this role. While working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she obtained her bachelor’s in law and society, master’s in leadership, and her J.D. Although Alice is not from Tennessee, she is looking forward to making this her home.

Susan relocated to Nashville and joined TSS in 2019 after completing her third term as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. She served as Chair of multiple committees including Finance, Commerce, Economic Development Oversight, and the House Study Committee on Education Innovation. Susan served on the board of Wilson Education Partnership, a collaboration with the local school system, and Chamber of Commerce promoting excellence in education. Susan was a key partner in the creation of the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an innovative early college high school designed specifically to reduce the skills gap for local manufacturing employers. Earlier, Susan spent 12 years as a sales representative for IBM in Richmond, VA. Susan earned an MBA and BSBA from the University of Richmond. She is married to Dr. Lew Martin, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery affiliated with the VA and Vanderbilt. They are the proud parent of two daughters attending college in middle Tennessee.

Susan relocated to Nashville and joined TSS in 2019 after completing her third term as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. She served as Chair of multiple committees including Finance, Commerce, Economic Development Oversight, and the House Study Committee on Education Innovation. Susan served on the board of Wilson Education Partnership, a collaboration with the local school system, and Chamber of Commerce promoting excellence in education. Susan was a key partner in the creation of the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an innovative early college high school designed specifically to reduce the skills gap for local manufacturing employers. Earlier, Susan spent 12 years as a sales representative for IBM in Richmond, VA. Susan earned an MBA and BSBA from the University of Richmond. She is married to Dr. Lew Martin, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery affiliated with the VA and Vanderbilt. They are the proud parent of two daughters attending college in middle Tennessee.

Kurt Faires is a corporate attorney in Chattanooga. Prior to law, he had a career in the business sector including stints as a manufacturing company owner, investment banking for privately-held companies, and turnaround consulting. He is a product of public K-12 education in Indiana and is motivated to help provide a more level educational playing field for Tennessee students, particularly in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Kurt is married to Judge Christie Sell Faires. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with their four children, politics, exercise, the outdoors, and being near the water.

Austin McMullen is a practicing attorney and partner at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. His work is primarily in the area of commercial finance and he is certified as a specialist in creditors’ rights law. Austin graduated from the Vanderbilt University School of Law, and earned his undergraduate education at Millsaps College. He is married and have two school-aged children. Austin enjoys working with children, so he teaches the 6^th grade confirmation class at First Presbyterian Church, is a TSSAA football official, and coaches girls basketball.