Prior to being elected to her local and state executive boards, President Tanya T. Coats served as an educator for the Knox County School System as a Curriculum Facilitator. Tanya has over 27 years of experience working at all levels of public education. She has been a high school math teacher, middle school science and social studies teacher, and an elementary educator, having served as a kindergarten and fourth grade teacher. She has a dual degree with a B.A. in English & Math and a M.Ed. in Inclusive Early Childhood Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, followed by an Ed. S in Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University, where she is also a doctoral candidate with an emphasis on administration and supervision. Tanya is the proud mother of two adult children, Dreama and Christian. She also has custody of her nieces, Brooklyn, Feliciti and Taegon. She takes great pride in her family.

Having served as a public education advocate for more than 25 years, Tanya is increasingly aware of issues that negatively impact students and educators in Tennessee public schools. Early in her career, Tanya realized she could no longer just “go to her room and teach,” ignoring issues affecting her school, her coworkers and her students. As a result, she has built relationships with educators and community organizations across her community, state, and nation -- relationships with advocates who share a passion for preserving and improving our great public schools. A key part of this journey was becoming an active member of the TEA, an organization advocating for our students, schools and communities for more than 150 years, with the goal of eliminating poverty and inequalities our students face through racial and social injustices.