Metro Schools Leadership Team
Director of Schools 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. Battle
Mason Bellamy
Chief of Academics and Schools
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.
Sharon Griffin
Chief of Innovation
Dr. Griffin served as the state of Tennessee’s first assistant commissioner of School Turnaround and chief of the Achievement School District for the Tennessee Department of Education. In 2012, she became the first Black female regional superintendent of the innovation schools for Shelby County Schools in Memphis. In January 2017 she was appointed to serve as the first chief of schools for Shelby County Schools. Griffin, who started serving as MNPS’s Chief of Innovation in 2019, has more than 27 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, and regional superintendent.
Christopher Barnes
Chief of Human Resources
Before joining MNPS in 2020, Dr. Barnes served as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Union County Public Schools in Monroe, N.C., a school district with more than 5,000 employees. He has 15 years of experience in public schools throughout North Carolina, including 10 years directly in schools as an assistant principal and then principal. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Western Carolina University and master’s in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Hank Clay
Chief of Staff
Hank Clay returned to MNPS in 2019 to serve as chief of staff. He previously oversaw the district's government relations. Before rejoining the district, Clay led a team across the state at Communities In Schools of Tennessee, which partners with schools to coordinate wraparound services to reduce chronic absenteeism. Clay began his career working for the Tennessee Comptroller's Office and the Tennessee Department of Education. He has master's degrees in public administration and social work from the University of Georgia.
Michelle Springer
Chief of Student Support Services
Dr. Springer has nearly 20 years of experience in education and has served MNPS in many capacities, including as a teacher, special education coach, instructional facilitator, assistant principal, principal, and principal supervisor. Before moving into this role in 2020, she served as an executive director of school support and improvement in the Cane Ridge cluster and, finally, as the interim community superintendent for the southeast quadrant.
Chris Henson
Chief Operating Officer/Chief of Finance
Chris Henson has been with MNPS for nearly 20 years and currently oversees the operations, facilities, and finance departments, including development and management of the district’s operating and capital improvement budgets. Under his leadership, MNPS was the first school district in Tennessee to be awarded the Meritorious Budget Award for Excellence by the Association of School Business Officials International. Henson is a longtime member of the State Board of Education’s Basic Education Program (BEP) Review Committee and serves as past president of the Tennessee Association of School Business Officials. He graduated with honors from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Download the District Organizational Chart