Tanya Jones serves as the Superintendent at Tahlequah Public Schools. She is a dedicated servant leader who has worked with students, teachers and their families for over 28 years. 18 of those years have been in the Tahlequah Public School district as a principal or district level administrator.

Tanya has lived in Cherokee County for over 40 years and graduated from Tahlequah High School. She attended Northeastern State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Education degree in School Administration. She is a member of and serves as a leader in many civic and non-profit organizations in this area and has a passion to make the lives of others better.

She has been married to her husband Duane for over 27 years. Duane is also a lifetime educator. She is the proud mother of Brodie, a fulltime firefighter and member of the Oklahoma National Guard, and Jaxon a NSU student and basketball player who is finishing a degree in physical education.

Tanya looks forward to many years as the leader of TPS!

2019-2023

Seat #3

Dr. Dana Eversole is a professor of media studies and chair of the department of communication and media studies at Northeastern State University where she begins her 35th year this fall. Eversole worked as news editor for the Daily Press for two years before taking the job at NSU. She has been a stringer throughout the years for the Press. During her tenure at the Press she won many awards, including a Sweepstakes award for investigative reporting from the Oklahoma Associated Press. She was recently named Oklahoma Outstanding Journalism Educator by the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists. Eversole is serving her second term on the Tahlequah School Board. 

2021-2025

Seat #5

Shawn grew up in Owasso, OK, graduating from Owasso High School. She then moved to Tahlequah to pursue her college degree. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Gerontology and Psychology and a Master of Science in student personnel services and college teaching from Northeastern State University. She graduated with honors and was cited in Who’s Who Among College Students. She completed Doctorial course work at Oklahoma State University. 

Shawn worked in the New Student Advisement Center, at NSU, where she advised students. She also taught a College Strategies and Intro to Psychology class. Shawn began working for Great Expectations in 1997. She holds the position of Program Coordinator, in charge of scheduling events, coordinating training components, and integrating a variety of activities simultaneously. 

Shawn is active in the Tahlequah community. Currently, she volunteers to mentor young girls who have been sexually abused. She loves to volunteer for the Tahlequah PTO and helping whenever needed. 

Shawn spends her spare time decorating sugar cookies (Nawnie’s Treats), going to the movies, being a travel advisor (Navigating with Nawnie), spending time with friends, and watching all sports Oklahoma. Most of all Shawn loves spending time and spoiling her “kids”. Her favorite title of all is Nawnie. 

2022-2027

Seat #2

Stephanie Crawford is a second-year member of the Tahlequah Public Schools Board of Education.  Stephanie retired after 28 years of teaching secondary English at TPS. During her tenure, Stephanie taught, coached, advised National Honor Society, ran the THS Boy’s and Girl’s Club among numerous other commitments. 

 Stephanie graduated from Northeastern State with a B.A. in Journalism and Sociology and a minor in Accounting.  She returned to NSU to receive her English Education degree.  She became a National Board Certified teacher then completed her Master’s in Teaching English as a Second or Other Language. 

 Stephanie and her husband of 45 years, Gary, raised two sons, Garrett and Michael, in the TPS system.  She is a member of First Baptist Church where she has funneled her teaching into Sunday School.  Stephanie loves vegetable gardening, running and walking with her dogs, and staying shape.

2019-2024

Seat #4

Chrissi Ross Nimmo has served on the Tahlequah Public Schools Board of Education since 2019 and has served as President since 2022. Chrissi is the Vice President, Associate General Counsel for Cherokee Nation Businesses, and previously served as the Deputy Attorney General of Cherokee Nation for 15 years.

Chrissi graduated from Northeastern State University with a B.A. in Development Psychology and an M.B.A. She graduated with J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2008. Chrissi also serves as the Chair of the Northeastern State University Foundation Board of Trustees.

Chrissi and her husband, Jim Ed, a Captain with the Tulsa Fire Department, have three children that attend Tahlequah Public Schools: Twins Mattie and James and their youngest, Emmy. When not working or shuttling kids to activities, Chrissi enjoys reading, being at Lake Tenkiller with her family, and live music.