Anthony Haynes

Vice President for Government Relations and Advocacy

Anthony Haynes was named vice president for government relations and advocacy in July 2012. He joined the University of Tennessee in 2005 as director of state relations and associate vice president. Prior to working for UT, he served as executive director of the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board. During his tenure, the board was voted “Best State or Regional Program” by the E-911 Institute in Washington, D.C., and led Tennessee to be one of the first states in the nation to complete wireless E-911 coverage statewide.

Haynes also served in a number of positions in Washington, D.C. He served as the director of government relations for the National Association of Conservation Districts; as a congressional liaison for two Secretaries of Agriculture; as deputy administrator of the USDA Rural Utilities Service, formerly the Rural Electrification Administration; and as deputy governor of the Rural Telephone Bank. During his time at USDA, he received the department’s highest award – “The Silver Plow Award” – for his work as a member of the Secretary’s Civil Rights Task Force.

Haynes, a native of Trenton, Tennessee, earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture at UT Martin and a master’s degree in public administration at Memphis State University. He also attended the Institute of Executive Management (IEM) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.