Metro Schools Leadership Team

Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle works closely with a leadership team overseeing the divisions that serve and support MNPS's schools, students, and staff.

The backbone of any good organization is talented people who are willing to be servant leaders and fight every day to improve the lives of those we serve. Dr. Adrienne Battle Superintendent

Mason Bellamy

Chief of Special Projects

A veteran educator and administrator who joined MNPS in 2020, Dr. Bellamy began his career in elementary education in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System as a teacher, assistant principal, and then principal. Dr. Bellamy joined that district’s leadership in 2014 as Director of Services for Exceptional Students, managing and evaluating special education programs throughout the district, while also serving as the principal of Kenwood Middle School. He later went on to serve as Director of Elementary Schools, helping 19 of 23 eligible schools earn Reward status from the state of Tennessee, before starting a new position as Director of High Schools.

Sean Braisted

Chief of Communications and Technology

Sean Braisted joined MNPS in November 2019 as Executive Officer of Communications and Community Engagement. He serves as spokesperson for the district and managed communications throughout the pandemic, and in that role he became a key partner in transitioning MNPS to a 1:1 technology district. As Chief of Communications and Technology, Braisted leads MNPS's work to build on the successes the technology team has achieved and continue to improve upon the services, tools, and infrastructure that will support MNPS teachers and staff in delivering an engaging, rigorous, and personalized learning experience for all students. Prior to joining MNPS, Braisted had four years of Metro Government experience, serving as communications director for Mayor Megan Barry followed by a role as public information officer for the Metro Codes Department and media advisor to the Planning Department. The son of a public school teacher and product of public schools in Gahanna, Ohio, Braisted has lived in Nashville since 2001 and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Urban Studies from Tennessee State University in 2013.

Sarah Robinson Chin

Chief Strategy Officer

Sarah Robinson Chin oversees strategic investments, initiatives, and federal programs. Before joining Metro Schools in 2022, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Indianapolis Public Schools, where she oversaw the development of federal ESSER plans and launched a tutoring initiative to support learning recovery. She earned her Master of Science from the University of Oxford, a Master of Education from Christian Brothers University, and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University. Additionally, she has more than a decade of experience in education as a teacher, district administrator, and advisor.

Elisa Norris

Chief of Student Support Services

Dr. Elisa Norris, Chief of Student Support Services, previously served as MNPS’s Executive Officer of Strategy and Performance. Prior to joining MNPS, she worked in Hamilton County Schools, Shelby County Schools, Sharon Public Schools, and Cambridge Public Schools as an organizational consultant and has more than 20 years in public education. In MNPS, she has led districtwide initiatives that have resulted in greater collaboration between the Support Hub and schools. Dr. Norris’s expertise in building these strategic systems across departments and schools has resulted in improved academic and SEL outcomes for students. She coaches executive leaders in how to lead people, manage operations, and monitor processes to achieve sustained results and promote collective efficacy. Dr. Norris has a doctorate in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University.

Renita Perry

Chief of Academics and Schools

Renita Forbes Perry brings more than 20 years of school leadership and teaching experience, including in Morocco, Texas, and Tennessee, to the role of Chief of Academics and Schools. Previously serving as Chief of Innovation, overseeing priority schools and the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP), and also as Interim Executive Officer for Innovation, Perry's educational experiences primarily have been working with English language learners, including opening the only dual-language immersion school in Tennessee. Perry holds a bachelor’s in teaching English as a second language and an educational specialist degree in curriculum and instruction from Union University as well as a master’s in leadership and policy studies from the University of Memphis.

Jorge Robles

Chief Financial Officer

Jorge Robles previously served as the Chief Finance and Operations Officer for Tulsa Public Schools, and when he worked for the Denver Public Schools he oversaw the English acquisition department. Robles holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from The Broad Center, an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BS in Agriculture Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His career also spans 15 years in the private sector, where he gained valuable experience in financial services, marketing, business development, and client relations.

Lisa Spencer

Chief of Human Resources

Lisa Spencer joined the MNPS Human Resources department in 2017, where she has served in leadership roles focused on HR operations and services. Her career has spanned more than 30 years of enhancing the way public- and private-sector organizations achieve results through the design, implementation, and enhancement of a wide array of business and human resources systems and programs. Lisa is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, an alumna of LEAD Tennessee and the Tennessee Government Executive Institute, and holds a Master of Professional Studies in Human Resources Leadership from Tennessee Technological University.

Maura Black Sullivan

Chief Operating Officer

Maura Sullivan joined MNPS after serving for more than five years in the COO position for the City of Chattanooga for former Mayor Andy Berke. Sullivan brings more than a decade of experience in Memphis and Shelby County as the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Memphis, as well as the Assistant Superintendent of Planning and Student Services for Shelby County Schools from 2000-2008. She oversees MNPS's transportation, security, and facilities and maintenance divisions and provides key strategic insight to district leadership on how to improve and streamline operations for enhanced customer service.

Dr. Robert Wallace

Chief of Staff

Dr. Robert Wallace serves as the Chief of Staff for MNPS, leveraging over a decade of experience in education, leadership, and organizational strategy. Since joining MNPS in 2013 as a teacher, Robert has held numerous roles, including Executive Officer of Resource Strategy, where he led district-wide efforts to optimize resources and support academic outcomes. Before his tenure at MNPS, Dr. Wallace was the Chief Operating Officer for PENCIL for Schools and a Senior Advisor for Education with the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. He earned a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and holds a Master of Education from Lipscomb University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Belmont University.