Lillian Hartgrove
Mrs. Lillian Hartgrove is currently serving as Chairman Emeritus of the TN State Board of Education after completing five years as Chairman. Mrs. Hartgrove was first appointed to represent the 6th Congressional District in 2014 by Governor Haslam and was asked to serve a second term in 2019 by Governor Lee.
Prior to joining the board, Mrs. Hartgrove served as Highlands Economic Development VP and Workforce Development and Education VP for a multi-county economic development organization. Her work led to partnerships with K-12 school districts, higher education, employers, and non-profit organizations to address college and career readiness of students in the region. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a BA in Sociology. Mrs. Hartgrove held various senior management positions during her 33-year banking career with SunTrust Banks (now Truist) in Florida and Tennessee.
Outside of her state board duties, Mrs. Hartgrove served as president of the Board of Trustees for WCTE-Upper Cumberland PBS TV Station; president of UC Habitat for Humanity board; board treasurer for the Bryan Symphony Orchestra; and treasurer for the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee. She was also the recipient of the Greater Miami Women in Business and Industry award; PBS Makers Award for women in leadership; and the Friends of TOSS award. She is a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and lives in Cookeville with her husband, Ken. They have one daughter and two grandchildren.
In the News:
- Tennessee Board of Education members re-elect Lillian Hartgrove as chairwoman
- Fewer people are studying to be teachers. Tennessee needs to reverse this.
- What is the punishment if a Tennessee superintendent fails to report educator misconduct?
- Cookevillian to lead State Board of Education
- Tennessee’s long journey to new social studies standards nears its finish line
- Tennessee Board of Education to formalize teacher discipline policy