Chelsea Crawford is Chief of Staff at the Tennessee Department of Education. As chief of staff, Chelsea leads the communications, engagement, policy and legislative affairs, and program and financial performance and evaluation teams to support student achievement in Tennessee’s K-12 schools. Before joining the department in January 2020 as assistant commissioner for communications and engagement, Chelsea previously worked in the private sector, including serving as Vice President for a public affairs firm that supported corporate, government, political, and non-profit clients, and earlier in career serving federal defense contractors.  A proud native Tennessean, she holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and serves on various boards for organizations that support communities across her home state.