After serving as president of Public Education Forward (PEF) for more than a quarter of a century, Dr. Dan Challener will retire on July 31, 2026.
Dr. Edna Varner, a longtime member of PEF’s senior leadership team and a revered teacher, principal, and community leader, will serve as interim president while PEF’s board of directors conducts a search for a new president.
Challener’s tenure is marked by many notable achievements for PEF in partnership with Hamilton County Schools, leading area employers, and local foundations. These include a range of multi-year initiatives that:
Improved Chattanooga’s lowest-performing elementary schools;
Provided a college advisor to every high school in the district;
Created a leadership pipeline that prepared a generation of Hamilton County’s most effective principals;
Established a teacher residency program that recruited and trained more than 200 college graduates who became full-time teachers in hard-to-staff schools;
Built digital fabrication labs, known as VW eLabs, in 60 of the district’s 78 schools.
Challener reflected on his time at PEF and the organization’s future.
“When Melinda and I and our three children came to Chattanooga in 1999, I never imagined that I would stay at PEF for 27 years,” Challener said. “But I quickly discovered that Hamilton County’s history of public-private partnerships allowed PEF to make a significant difference for students, teachers, and principals. It has been a wonderful chapter in my life, and PEF is in a strong position. I am very happy that Edna will lead PEF while the board selects the next leader to build on our important work.”
The PEF board will conduct an extensive search for a new president over the next several months as Varner provides guidance for a seasoned team of professionals who lead the organization’s many programs to advance public education in the region.
John Germ, chair of the PEF board, said Challener’s leadership has shaped the organization for nearly three decades.
“I first met Dan when I was chair of the search committee for a new president/CEO for PEF in 1998. PEF was looking for an innovative individual to lead in our mission to support the ‘creation of outstanding schools by applying resources to bold ideas,’” Germ said. “PEF could not be prouder of Dan and his unselfish leadership for the last 27 years. He has led us through changing times in education with passion, determination, and integrity. We cherish the time he has been at PEF, the friendships that have been strengthened, and the opportunity to witness firsthand the incredible difference PEF makes every single day. We wish Dan and Melinda the very best in the next phase of their lives.”
In 2023, PEF moved into a new space at 1651 South Holtzclaw Avenue designed to support educational innovation and leader development. Almost every day, PEF hosts groups of teachers and principals who are increasing their knowledge and planning improvements in their schools. Many community organizations have also used PEF’s offices for retreats and professional development.
Varner said Challener’s legacy can be seen across the educators, leaders, and initiatives that continue to shape public education in Chattanooga and beyond.
“Read the résumés of outstanding local leaders who have dedicated themselves to ensuring students are on track for a future without limits, and you will find PEF woven throughout their stories. Some of our school district’s most impactful initiatives to develop irreplaceable educators were born through partnership with PEF, and our current innovation work routinely earns national and international attention,” said Varner, PEF senior advisor and incoming interim president.
[Dr. Edna Varner featured with PEF Board Member Roy Vaughn.]
“Tennessee’s landmark educational achievements, including Race to the Top and repeated invitations to testify before the U.S. Senate Education Committee on improving outcomes for all students, also bear Dan Challener’s influence. After 27 years of visionary leadership, Dan leaves a legacy reflected in the educators, leaders, and communities he has inspired. Those who have worked alongside him are ready to ensure that impact continues to shape the future of education for years to come.”
