A look at who's running for Williamson County School board this year

Newly partisan Williamson County Schools board of education elections have drawn a whopping 20 candidates ahead of the May 3 primary election.

As of Thursday at noon, even district candidates filed petition with at least 25 signatures from around the county, qualifying them to run in the 2022 county elections.

10 Republicans, two Democrats and eight independent candidates are in the running so far. Here's what we know about each candidate as the race kicks off.

More: Williamson County leaders hope new education funding formula will help address growth

District 2

Dan Cash (R)

Cash has served on the Williamson County Board of Education since 2014. He's running for a third term.

Cash was a pipe fitter for General Motors for over 30 years. Eight grandchildren have attended WCS.

As a board member, he previously said he's focused on growth and addressing concerns around curriculum.

"I think we need to get back to paying attention to parents," he told the Tennessean in January. "They are major stakeholders, they are taxpayers, yet it seems like their voices have been lost the last couple of years."

Tiffany Eccles (I)

Originally from Illinois, Eccles, 37, moved to Williamson County two years ago after a short sting in San Francisco, California, in order to be closer to family. The Eccles currently live in College Grove.

Eccles currently works in supply chain and procurement at Mars Petcare in Franklin. She has more than 18 years of experience in the industry — after working at Caterpillar and Tesla. Eccles holds a bachelor's degree in marketing; in May, she will complete a master's in business administration from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Eccles has three sons: ages 3, 7 and 12. Her older children attend Page Middle School and College Grove Elementary.

Her run for the WCBOE will be her first time running for an elected position. In the newly partisan school board election, Eccles said she chose to run as an independent because of her belief that school boards shouldn't be political.

"Decisions should be made on the basis of what is best for our schools, kids, staff and parents, choices that move our community forward," she said in an email.

Learn more about Eccles here: https://tiffanyeccles.com/

District 4

Robert "Bob" Britton (D)

Britton, 71, has lived in Williamson county for 20 years. Now retired, he was formally a corporate executive and owned a small business. Now, he hopes to represent District 4.

Having grown up in Venezuela and Argentina, Britton is fluent in Spanish. His career also took him to more than 60 countries, making him "more compassionate, empathetic and less afraid of differences," he said in an email.

Outside of his profession, Britton has been on the board of the Salvation Army of Middle Tennessee for 15 years as board chair and treasurer.

Britton's has grandchildren attending Williamson County Schools. He said watching them inspired him to run for the board seat.

"I have been impressed with their teachers and the staff at the Williamson County Public Schools," Britton said. "I am passionate about serving them and all the children in our community to protect and improve the high-quality education of our public school system."

Josh Brown (R)

Brown has been serving as an interim board member, appointed by the Williamson County commission, since October 2021 — following board member Brad Fiscus' resignation and out-of-state move.

Since his start, the life long Williamson County resident and vice president of state government relations at Pfizer has been outspoken on policy-specific matters at board meetings.

Brown attended Lipscomb University and received a bachelor's degree in history and political science. He has been involved in various community organizations, including churches, FrankTown Open Hearts and sports teams through the Williamson County Recreation Leagues and the YMCA.

Brown and his wife have three children attending WCS schools. He attended Trinity Elementary School, Page Middle School and Page High School.

"I’m running for school board to continue providing conservative, common-sense leadership for the 4th district," he said. "In a short time (on the board), I’ve gained valuable experience and cultivated important relationships with key stakeholders. I’m ready to build upon the good work we have started. "

Elliott Franklin (R)

Following an application for appointment to school board in the fall of 2021, Franklin, 47, is making a second attempt at joining the WCBOE.

Franklin and his family moved to the City of Franklin in 2018 from Bulverde, Texas, (outside of San Antonio) where he formerly served on the city council and the Planning and Zoning Boards in Bulverde and neighboring Cibolo.

The father of six currently works as a director of information technology and security at ServiceMaster Brands. He also serves on his homeowner's association and various IT associations.

Franklin's children currently attend Columbia State Community College and Page High School, while his youngest are home schooled.

"The reason we selected to live in Williamson County when we moved here was due to the overwhelming positive reviews of the schools," he said. "Serving on the school board is an opportunity to donate my time back to the community while maintaining these high standards.

Del Wright (I)

Independent candidate Del Wright is running to represent District 4 where he has resided since 2011.

He holds a master's degree in Christian ministry, as well as a bachelor's in business administration, and served as the vice president of field ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the Southwest Central region and Central Africa. He also owns Wright Way Leadership, a leadership and consulting business.

He has served as a volunteer middle school basketball coach and later an official high school basketball coach at Williamson County schools.

Wright and his wife have four daughters who graduated from or currently attend public high schools in Williamson County.

This will be Wright's first time running for an elected position.

District 6

Kristi Bidinger (I)

This upcoming election to represent East Brentwood's District 6 will be Bidinger's first time running for an elected position.

Originally from Minnesota, Bidinger, 47, has lived in Williamson County since 2004; first in Franklin and now in Brentwood. The Middle Tennessee State University graduate has worked as an executive assistant for 15 years.

She has also served on the Davis House Child Advocacy event committee for seven years organizing the Button Ball and teaches Sunday school. She and her husband have one daughter who attended Edmondson Elementary School since Kindergarten and will soon move on to Brentwood Middle School.

Bidinger is passionate about running as an Independent candidate.

"I am running as an independent because I firmly believe that school board positions should be non-partisan," she said in an email. "Why invite political division into a work whose sole purpose is to focus on our children’s education, budgets, growth and policy.

"School boards are a great place to show our children that the government can and does good work for the community."

Jay Galbreath (R)

Galbreath, a lifelong Williamson County resident, is running for his re-election for what will be his third term.

As a child, he attended Scales Elementary, Brentwood Middle School and Brentwood High School before attending Samford University. His wife, Candi, also attended the same high school and university.

Galbreath, a certified public accountant, is co-founder of Franklin-based healthcare technology and analytics company, Kythera Labs.

Galbreath and his wife have five children: two graduates of Ravenwood High School, as well as a high school senior and sophomore, and a 7th grader.

"I have enjoyed representing the Brentwood Community, the parents and students of WCS, and all of Williamson County for the last 7+ years," he said via email. "I look forward to continuing to serve for my third term."

Other Candidates

Independent candidate Deborah Pace could not be reached for comment.

District 8

Kenneth Chilton (I)

Chilton, 56, is a 9-year Williamson County resident and an associate professor of public administration at Tennessee State University.

He was formerly the CEO at the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies and Research Manager at the Kentucky Office of Education Accountability. Chilton holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Centre College, and both a master's degree in public administration and a PhD in urban and public affairs from the University of Louisville.

“WCS is not broken. Quite the contrary, it’s a magnet for economic growth and produces outstanding graduates," he said in a release. "If elected I will focus on student performance and ensuring our teachers and staff members get the resources and community support they need to be successful.”

Chilton's child attended Grassland Elementary School, will attend Grassland Middle and will eventually enroll at Franklin High School.

Shauna Graham (R)

Originally hailing from Chattanooga, Graham, 45, has lived in Williamson County for five years.

While she is a certified oncology pharmacist, today she is a senior director of knowledge management at HCA Healthcare. Graham also holds a faculty appointment as an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee's Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science.

After accepting her current position in Nashville 2008, she and her family made the move to Williamson County in 2017 so her children could attend WCS, where their cousins also attend. Graham's husband attended Brentwood High School.

Graham's two daughters attend Grassland Elementary School.

"I’m running for District 8 school board because I believe the purpose of a local school board is to ensure the district reflects the values, beliefs and priorities of the community," Graham said in an email. "I believe in parents’ rights, and I want to strengthen the partnership between parents and school administrators...I will be an advocate for WCS parents and students, as well as all District 8 voters and taxpayers."

Donna Clements (R)

Clements, a 20-year Williamson County resident and mother of four, said she has children with a "varied educational background" with a "cumulative 17 years at Williamson County Schools." She was an educator in the Nashville area.

" As a School Board member, Clements’s goal is to heal this divide through revitalizing the trusted parent-school partnership while ensuring excellence in learning materials for all students," a press release said.

According to the release, Clements was an organizer and leader of Keep Williamson County Livable, a local group focused on "ensuring responsible growth and fiscal integrity for the county" that worked with county leaders ahead of the release of Williamson County 2040 Comprehensive "Town and Country" Land Use plan.

Other candidates

Current district 8 board member Candy Emerson did not pull or file a petition by the deadline.

District 10

Jennifer Haile (D)

Haile , 44, has lived in Tennessee for nearly 20 years and has spent the last seven residing in Williamson County. She has one child attending a WCS high school.

She works as a consultant with Guidehouse, as well as a adjunct instructor of American Government at a local technical college. During her previous 12 years residing in Memphis, she taught political theory at the University of Memphis.

Haile is also on the boards of Moves and Grooves and her local Spelman College alumnae chapter, and is also a member of the Williamson County chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc and a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

This school board election will be the first experience running for an elected position.

"I am excited to bring a fresh perspective, and listening ear, to the parents of the Williamson County School District," she said. "As a Williamson County parent, I will ensure that all voices are heard and supported in our schools."

William "Doc" Holladay (I)

Holladay — an optometrist, musician, songwriter and father of three — relocated from Nashville to Franklin in 2016, "drawn by the stellar reputation of the school system," he said in a press release.

However, Holladay is running for a spot on the school board because he believes the district has changed.

"I, along with thousands of other concerned parents, have seen things take a turn in regards to curriculum and policies which don’t necessarily align with our pro-freedom and pro-American values," he said.

His campaign focuses are restoring "patriotic education" through curriculum, supporting "personal health freedom" and creating a "transparent, responsive and parent-driven educational system" by repairing the relationship between the board, parents and teachers.

Outside of optometry, Holladay shares his sobriety journey with related initiatives, treatment centers and conventions, like at Williamson County's 21st District Recovery Court in 2019.

"Everything I’ve been through has prepared me for this, leaving me with an incredibly clear focus on what really matters: integrity, trustworthiness, faith, family, and freedom," he said.

Eric Welch (R)

Welch, 49, was first elected to the WCBOE in 2010 and served until 2014. He ran for re-election, but lost to then-candidate Beth Burgos. He was then appointed to fill her seat in 2017 when she resigned, and was later re-elected in 2018.

During his 10-plus years board, he has served on its Teacher Leave Bank Committee and Policy Committee, as well as the WCS Entrepreneurship and Innovation Board, Pre-K Community Advisory Board and as a session moderator at the annual conference of the Tennessee School Boards Association. He has also been an active volunteer at both WCS and Franklin Special School District schools, and served on several school parent, athletic and booster groups.

Welch is director of business development for a consumer market research firm and a fourth-generation veteran of both the U.S. Army and National Guard. His children attended both WCS and FSSD schools and graduated from Centennial High School.

"Our students deserve an education that helps them become creative thinkers, problem solvers, and provides the skills for college and career readiness," he said in an email, adding that during his tenure on the board, members have helped fund new athletic fields, fine arts centers, while the district's academic achievement, graduation rates, and teacher pay have risen consistently.

Other candidates

Republican candidate Ali Wallace Adair and Independent candidate Tangie Lane did not immediately return requests for comment.

District 12

Drason Beasley (R)

The 2022 county election will be Drason Beasley's first run for an elected position.

Beasley, 42, has lived in Williamson County since 2004 and has worked at Williamson County Juvenile Court since then. Today, he serves a director of the Williamson County Juvenile Detention Center.

Beasley is also the president and co-founder of Banebow, Inc. a nonprofit offering counseling services to those who have lost a child. He has coached Williamson County flag football, tackle football and basketball teams, while serving on the executive committee of the Tennessee Juvenile Court Services Association.

He and his wife, Sonya, live in Franklin with their three children; all attend Williamson County Schools.

As a parent in the district, Beasley hopes to ensure WCS remains "the best in the state" and to "represent the parents and families in our district and community at large so that all voices are heard and all of our student’s needs are being addressed."

Nancy Nelson Garrett (I)

Garrett, the District 12 incumbent and current board chair, is running for her second full term. She is also a senior knowledge leader at Deloitte, her employer for 16 years, and has lived in Williamson County since 1970.

Garrett was originally appointed by the county commission to fill a vacant District 12 position in 2016 and then ran for election in 2018. She served as vice chair of the board from 2017 to 2019 and has served as board chair since 2020.

"Like many families, my parents moved here for the great schools and better opportunities for their children," she said in an email.

Garrett attended Grassland Elementary, Brentwood Middle School and Franklin High School before attending Belmont University. Her father was a WCS teacher, while her mother was an active district volunteer, and she is the mother of one district graduate.

Outside of her day-job, she regularly volunteers at WCS schools across District 12 and has served on the Centennial High School PTO in various leadership roles. She has also volunteered with FSSD PTO activities and founded the Friends of FSSD Schoolchildren Summer Reading Program, to name a few efforts.

According to Garrett, she is running as an independent candidate in this coming election to hold herself to the same standard as teachers with non-partisan services, to put the "unique needs of (the) excellent and growing district first," and to "focus on the entire school community and refuse to represent special interests or partisan politics" as the WCBOE code of conduct requires.

Other candidates

Republican candidate Jamie Lima could not provide comment at this time.

Anika Exum is a reporter covering Williamson County for The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach her at aexum@tennessean.com, 615-347-7313, or on Twitter @aniexum.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Williamson County School board elections: 2022 candidates