Meet the Staff
Andy Holt, Commissioner
(615) 837-5103 | andy.h.holt@tn.gov
Andy Holt was appointed by Governor Bill Lee and sworn in as Tennessee's 39th Commissioner of Agriculture in October 2025. Prior to becoming Commissioner, he served as Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner for the Business Development Division. Holt was a member of the Tennessee General Assembly for 10 years representing House District 76, which included all of Weakley and portions of Carroll and Obion Counties. Read more
Ryan King, Deputy Commissioner
(615) 837-5105 | ryan.king@tn.gov
Ryan King serves as the Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, a role he assumed in October 2025. In this capacity, he serves as Chief of Staff and helps advance the Department’s mission to support farmers, foresters, and rural communities across the state. His work focuses on strengthening Tennessee’s agricultural economy, promoting innovation, and ensuring that agriculture remains a cornerstone of the state’s prosperity. Read more
Chris Eaton, Assistant Commissioner for Administration and Grants
(615) 837-5191 l chris.c.eaton@tn.gov
Chris Eaton serves as the chief financial officer for the department and is responsible for budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing, preparing, and reconciling financial statements. He works closely with members of Tennessee’s legislature and manages the department’s budget hearings. Before joining TDA, Eaton was Chief Financial Officer at the Tennessee Public Utility Commission and he previously served on the Fiscal Review Committee of the Tennessee General Assembly. Eaton and his wife, Meredith, live in Hermitage, Tenn. with two sons and five family pets. Read more
Logan Hess, Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Legislation
(615) 218-0124 l logan.m.hess@tn.gov
Logan Hess serves as the Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Legislation at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), where he plays a vital role in shaping the policies that impact Tennessee’s farmers, foresters, and rural communities. In this position, Hess acts as the department’s primary liaison to the Tennessee General Assembly, working with lawmakers, industry leaders, and agricultural organizations to develop and advance legislation that supports the state’s leading industry. Read more
Heather Slayton, State Forester and Assistant Commissioner for Forestry
(615) 837-5432 | heather.slayton@tn.gov
Heather Slayton serves as Tennessee State Forester and Assistant Commissioner for the Forestry Division. She is responsible for directing the activities of the division in state forest management, wildland fire prevention and suppression, reforestation, landowner assistance programs, forest health initiatives, urban forestry programs, and forest inventory. Slayton calls Rutherford County home and enjoys time spent working on her small farm. Read more
Dr. Samantha Beaty, State Veterinarian and Assistant Commissioner for Animal Health
(615) 837-5120| samantha.beaty@tn.gov
Dr. Samantha Beaty is responsible for monitoring and protecting animal health in Tennessee. She works with private veterinarians, animal pathologists, and a network of animal disease diagnostic laboratories to identify diseases and make a definitive diagnosis in cases of animal deaths. Dr. Beaty comes to the role with 18 years of veterinary medicine experience, joining TDA in 2016 as a staff veterinarian. Read more
Dr. Adam Travis, Assistant Commissioner for Consumer and Industry Services
(615) 313-4986 | adam.travis@tn.gov
Dr. Adam Travis manages the Consumer and Industry Services Division. He supervises the regulation of a wide range of products and services to ensure quality, consumer protection, public safety, and a fair marketplace. CIS administers programs and licensing for food and dairy, weights and measures, fuel quality, agricultural inputs, grain dealers and warehouses, pesticides, plant health, and prevention of youth access to tobacco. A native Tennessean, Dr. Travis has been with the department since 2017, initially entering state service as a chemist. Read more
Matthew Wade, Assistant Commissioner for Business Development
(615) 961-9970 | matthew.d.wade@tn.gov
As Assistant Commissioner for Business Development, Matthew Wade oversees advancement activities, including opportunities, incentives, and promotions for Tennessee farmers, forest land owners, and agribusinesses to boost rural economies and increase operation income. He and his staff are charged with engaging new industries and growing existing agricultural and forestry businesses. Wade joined the Tennessee Department of Agriculture in February of 2024 after retiring from Middle Tennessee State University. Read more
Liz Sneed, Human Resources Business Partner
(615) 837-5115 | liz.sneed@tn.gov
Liz Sneed has served as the department's Human Resources Business Partner with oversight of all human resources functions since 2006. This includes benefits, classification and compensation, employee relations, payroll, and HR transactions. Sneed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Western Kentucky University. She has completed one year of graduate coursework at Middle Tennessee State University in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Read more