Nick Darnell
A native of Greeneville, TN, Nick Darnell attended Tusculum College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, and holds a master’s degree and an Educational Specialist degree from East Tennessee State University. In 2018, Former Governor Bill Haslam appointed Mr. Darnell to the Tennessee State Board of Education to serve Tennessee’s First Congressional District.
A teacher of twelve years, Mr. Darnell was chosen as the East Ridge Middle, Hamblen County, and the First TN Core Region middle school teacher of the year in 2015. In the same year, he was one of 18 teachers named to the Governor of Tennessee’s first Teacher Cabinet where he advised the governor and Education Commissioner for three years. He also served as a learning leader for Hamblen County by providing facilitation for Professional Learning Communities, leading professional development, and mentoring fellow teachers.
Currently, Mr. Darnell is the principal at East Ridge Middle School. He, his wife Emily, and their daughters Madeline and Charlotte reside in Morristown, TN.