Biography

Danielle W. Barnes is the CEO/President of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. She has a lifelong passion for building strong communities and building leaders, especially women, girls, and the disadvantaged. Prior to joining Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, she led the U.S. Human Services practice for Ernst & Young, counseling state and local governments across the country and creating innovative and practical solutions and programs for families and vulnerable individuals.

Mrs. Barnes also served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services. Under two different Governors, she led the operations and strategic direction of the state’s second largest agency responsible for aiding over 2 million vulnerable Tennesseans. Operating a budget of over $2.1 billion, providing leadership to more than 4,000 employees, and managing 113 facilities. Prior to her appointment at DHS, Mrs. Barnes served as Deputy Commissioner & General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Human Resources. There she co-authored and implemented the Tennessee Excellence and Accountability (T.E.A.M.) Act which overhauled the state’s civil service practices, created the state’s mediation program, revamped the State’s performance management processes, and enacted pay for performance for state employees. Before her 16-year tenure in public service, she practiced with a private law firm.

Mrs. Barnes earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College and her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. She is active in a variety of organizations, including, Jack and Jill of America Foundation, Think TN, Tennessee State Museum, Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, the Tennessee Adoption Project, and MLB Music City (Nashville Stars). She and her husband live with their 2 children in Brentwood, TN.