Election Commission Members

Will “Butch” Burns is an attorney with degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and the Nashville School of Law. Mr. Burns spent almost 30 years in state government positions largely dedicated to public policy development and implementation and representing his agencies before the General Assembly. His work was mostly in public higher education, as well as five years as the State Coordinator of Elections.

As elections coordinator, Mr. Burns worked with county election officials to seek passage of legislation to create and then implement Early Voting and agency-based voter registration in Tennessee. He also held several leadership positions in the National Association of State Election Directors.

Mr. Burns is a Colson Fellow of the Colson Center of Christian Worldview and has served on various nonprofit boards, currently including Williamson College, The Tennessee Center for Bioethics and Culture, and Graffiti Ministries Learning Center in Brooklyn, NY.

He and his wife Maribeth have been married for over 40 years, have two daughters and five grandchildren, and are active at The Village Chapel. Mr. Burns enjoys running, live music events, and spending time with his family.

Kenny Byrd, a Nashville native, is a dedicated attorney, neighborhood leader, proud parent and an active participant in civic issues. Kenny earned his undergraduate degree from Samford University and received his law degree from Boston College Law School.

Mr. Byrd is a trial attorney representing clients in mass tort cases, defective product cases and consumer fraud litigation at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, a plaintiff-side national law firm that engages in complex litigation nationwide. Mr. Byrd also represents whistleblowers in litigation to stop fraud and the misuse of taxpayer funds.

In recent years, Mr. Byrd has been a leading attorney among firms working in concert on national opioid litigation – helping reclaim millions in taxpayer funds for the city of Nashville and other Tennessee governments for localized response to the national opioids crisis; as well as recovery of funds from a massive retirement embezzlement scheme defrauding thousands of pastors in Tennessee and across the nation.

Mr. Byrd received the Tennessee Association for Justice’s 2015 Paladin Award for his successful litigation against cigarette manufacturers R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Philip Morris USA Inc., and Lorillard Tobacco Company in Florida federal courts. The Paladin Award is TAJ’s highest honor and is given to the state’s top trial lawyer each year. Mr. Byrd’s successful work on these cases included several multi-million dollar jury verdicts that were upheld on appeal.

Mr. Byrd is an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University School of Law and a member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association’s Board of Governors. Mr. Byrd has been cited in various media outlets regarding his expertise in successful jury trials against Big Tobacco and he speaks regularly at conferences nationwide about complex litigation. Mr. Byrd, a product of Nashville public schools himself, was active in Historic Edgefield Neighborhood Association for many years and has given his time to local organizations that support strong and equitable public schools.

Commissioner Dan Davis has been a teacher for 28 years in both Metro Nashville Public Schools and private schools. He graduated Tennessee State University with a degree in History and teacher certification. Over the course of his career, he has taught multiple subjects including AP U.S. History, American Government, African American History, World History, Economics, and Criminal Justice. He is also the Head Football Coach at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy and a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Mr. Davis is an active community member, volunteering at a variety of events from food drives and after-school programs to poll worker recruitment and voter registration drives. He attends First Baptist Church Mt. Juliet.

Jenean F. Davis is a seasoned nonprofit leader, community advocate, and civic trailblazer whose career has been defined by service, strategy, and impact. A proud native of Nashville, Jenean has dedicated more than two decades to strengthening organizations that advance equity, education, empowerment, and justice across Middle Tennessee. She currently serves as Director of Sales and Development at the historic Scarritt Bennett Center, where she leads revenue growth, fund development, and community engagement efforts for one of Nashville’s most respected faith-based nonprofit institutions.

Prior to her current role, Commissioner Davis founded and led JDavis Management, a strategic development and events consulting firm that partnered with nonprofit, corporate, and civic organizations to strengthen fundraising, marketing, and community impact. She also served as Development Director at the Franklin Family YMCA, becoming the first African American to serve in that position. Her earlier experience includes leadership and development roles with Nashville CARES, Tennessee State University, American Baptist College, and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jenean’s influence extends deep into civic and community leadership. She has served on the boards of Nashville CABLE, Open Table, Inc., and the Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute Board of Trustees, an appointment by Governor Bill Lee.

Commissioner Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Fisk University, a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Tennessee State University, and a Master of Arts in Civic Leadership from Lipscomb University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Incorporated, The Links, Incorporated, and the Fisk University Alumni Association.

Betty Lynn Duley is a long-time resident of Middle Tennessee. She works part-time at the Center for Experiential Learning and Assessment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, holding a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Berry College and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary.

For over a decade she worked in environmental health with a local agency of the Environmental Protection Agency. She was also the director of an innovative program for people with early to mid-stage dementia. Ms. Duley remains an avid student of development and research in medicine.

Having served as a Poll Official in Davidson County since 2008, Ms. Duley continues her family’s tradition of being civically engaged and committed to the betterment of their local community. The spirit of involvement modeled by her parents and grandparents is woven into the fabric of her life.

Betty Lynn serves as an officer of the Board of Directors of her homeowners’ association and faithfully attends World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro.