Labor Relations and Government Affairs

Tennille B. Jeffries-Simmons

With more than 20 years of experience in K-12 education, human resources, and state education department leadership, Tennille has served as Chief of Staff at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Chief Human Resources Officer for Spokane Public Schools. At Stevens Clay, she leads the firm's labor relations and government affairs strategy, providing consultation and training to districts on talent acquisition, labor relations, employee and leadership development, and government affairs.

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tjeffries-simmons@stevensclay.org

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  • Tennille Jeffries-Simmons brings a rare combination of state-level education policy experience and hands-on human resources leadership to her work with school districts. She most recently served as Chief of Staff for the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), a role she held beginning in November 2020. In that capacity, she provided leadership, vision, and strategic direction across all agency operations, programs, advocacy, and messaging—driving major cross-agency initiatives and maintaining critical partnerships with external stakeholders on behalf of the Superintendent.

    Prior to serving as Chief of Staff, Tennille was OSPI’s Assistant Superintendent for System and School Improvement, supporting Washington public schools identified for additional assistance under state and federal accountability systems. Before joining OSPI, she served for six years as Chief Human Resources Officer for Spokane Public Schools, where she led talent acquisition, employee development and retention, collective bargaining, and labor relations.

    Since joining Stevens Clay, Tennille has applied her deep expertise in state policy, labor relations, HR systems, and district operations to help school leaders navigate complex compliance challenges, build strong HR practices, and develop their teams. She is a proud graduate of Gonzaga University.

    • Labor Relations, Human Resources, Employee and Leadership Development

    • Organizational Management and Strategic Communication

    • Government Relations

    • B.A., Gonzaga University, Political Science and Religious Studies, 2000

    • M.A., Gonzaga University, Religious Studies, 2005

    • Labor Relations and Government Affairs Strategy, Stevens Clay, P.S., 2026–Present

    • Chief of Staff, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), 2020–2026

    • Assistant Superintendent for System and School Improvement (OSPI), 2016-2020

    • Chief Human Resources Officer, Spokane Public Schools, 2010–2016

    • Human Resources Executive Director, Spokane Public Schools, 2009-2010

    • Recruitment Manager, Spokane Public Schools, 2006–2007

    • Director of Employment and Equity Services, Spokane Public Schools, 2007–2009

  • Tennille and her husband, Jay have two children and are also dog parents. She enjoys spending time with her family, and watching her children participate in athletics and band. She loves to cook, watch great movies, and travel.