Dr. Steve Barnett

Steve Barnett serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Niswonger Foundation in Greeneville, Tennessee.  The former Superintendent of Johnson City Schools, Dr. Barnett completed his thirty-two-year career as an educator in Tennessee, retiring at the end of January 2025.  After serving in the Navy, he graduated from East Tennessee State University with a degree in Special Education.  He was a teacher in Knox County, Roane County, and Oak Ridge City Schools while continuing his education at The University of Tennessee and Tennessee Technical University. Dr. Barnett was employed twenty years with Johnson City Schools with eight years as superintendent and twelve as principal of Towne Acres Elementary School. He was awarded his doctorate degree from East Tennessee State University in 2012 and was selected as the 2014 National Distinguished Principal from Tennessee.  Before joining Johnson City Schools in 2005, Dr. Barnett served as vice-principal and principal of Jefferson Middle School, in Oak Ridge, and Emmett and Valley Pike Elementary Schools in Sullivan County.

During his tenure as superintendent, Dr. Barnett collaborated with school and city leaders to transition fifth grade students from one system wide intermediate school back to the elementary schools and developed two-middle school with comparable programs and facilities for all students in grades 6-8.  The two-middle school plan included additional services, academic opportunities, and extracurriculars for students with additional space for growth, including the addition of twenty classrooms at three elementary schools and building a new Towne Acres Elementary School.

Dr. Barnett’s leadership ensured that students’ best interests were first and foremost during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent learning recovery. As of 2024, Johnson City Schools is one of 100 school systems nationally and only four in Tennessee where student math and reading achievement has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Steve enjoys spending time with his wife of over 32 years, Kristin, and their two adult sons, Cade and Jacob. He serves on the Washington County Economic Development Council, the East Tennessee State University Foundation Board of Directors, and is a former member of the Second Harvest Food Bank Board of Directors.