Officers, Board Members, and Committees

The Tennessee Council for the Social Studies is an association devoted to providing information, resources, and support for all those involved in social studies education. This includes K-12 teachers, supervisors of instruction, and college professors, in the various disciplines interested in and involved in the social studies.

President: Ms. Jenny Shorten
Vice President (President-Elect): Dr. Joshua Kenna
Executive Director: Dr. Mark Finchum
Secretary: Ms. Sherri Collie
Treasurer: Ms. Linda Taylor
Website Editor: Mr. Michael Robinson


TCSS Board of Directors

East Tennessee
Ms. Patsy Brooks
​Mr. Kurt Butefish
Dr. Mark Finchum 
Ms. Kristine Frailing
Mr. Dusty Helton
Dr. Joshua Kenna
Ms. Janis Adams Kyser
Ms. Alicia Laffoon
Ms. Hailey Reynolds
Mr. Gordon Sisk III
Ms. Noelle Smith

Middle Tennessee
Dr. James Akenson
Ms. Emily Barnes
Mr. Bill Carey
Ms. Sherri Collie
Ms. Melissa Fowler
Mr. David Huebner
Mr. Nicholas Knowles
Dr. Katie Paterson
Mr. Jeff Sellers
Ms. Laura Simmons
Ms. Linda Taylor
Mr. Todd Wigginton

West Tennessee
Ms. Brandi M. Love 
Mr. Michael Robinson
Ms. Jenny Shorten
Dr. Eddie Thompson
Ms. Chunmeka Wayne

Committees

Advocacy – Janis Kyser (chair)
Patsy Brooks, David Heubner, Kurt Butefish, and Todd Wigginton

Awards – Kristine Frailing (chair)
Patsy Brooks, Mark Finchum, Jeff Sellers, Alicia Laffoon, Chunmeka Wayne, and Melissa Fowler

Fall Retreat – Linda Taylor (chair)
Nicholas Knowles, Gordon Sisk, Noelle Smith, Emily Barnes, Mark Finchum

Fundraising-David Heubner (chair)
Janis Kyser, Jenny Shorten, Melissa Fowler

Membership – Linda Taylor (chair), Kristine Frailing. and Emily Barnes

Program – Joshua Kenna (chair), Kurt Butefish, and Katie Paterson

Publicity - Emily Barnes (chair), Brandi Love, and James Akenson

Resources – Jenny Shorten (chair)
Sherri Collie, Michael Robinson

Spring Conference – Jenny Shorten (chair)
Kurt Butefish, David Heubner, Mark Finchum, Joshua Kenna, Sherri Collie, Dusty Helton, and Eddie Thompson
​
Website – Michael Robinson (chair), Kurt Butefish


Past TCSS Presidents: 
​
Tom Bibler
Patsy Brooks
Mark Finchum
David Heubner
Karon LeCompte
Gloria McElroy
Gordon Sisk
Jeanette Stepanske

What TCSS Means to Me...

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Dr. James Akenson
Former Executive Director of TCSS
Since coming to Tennessee Tech University in 1973 TCSS has been an important part of my professional life. TCSS is also part of my personal and emotional life as there are so many people and experiences connected to TCSS. 


  • From M.L. Pinkston and Leslie White of the State Department of Education to founder Charles B. Myers...... I've been enriched.
  • From Memphis Teachers  Lois Clayborn and Sophia Atkins and Memphis administrators Catherine Pickle, Cora Francis Rowe, and Sandy Lipman to Davidson County's Bonnie Hyde, Ronny Williams, Mary Graham and Mark Shannon.....I've been blessed. 
  • From East Tennessee's George Finchum, Mark Finchum, and Jane Fisher to Patsy Brooks Dick Doughty, and Gordon Sisk......I've been privileged. 
The list could go on and on and on. I have emotional as well as professional connections. I've grown in my knowledge of social studies teaching, the broad parameters of social studies education, and how organizations function. I've seen Tennessee from Memphis to Johnson City and Chattanooga to Nashville, Shiloh, and James White's Fort....and points in between. All have enriched my life. Country artist Charley Pride sang a song that applies to TCSS and all the wonderful people and experiences I've been provided. The lyric states " I couldn't be me without you."  Indeed, I couldn't be me without TCSS.  Thank you TCSS for 'the best years of my life."

TCSS Board of Directors Photos