Andy Berke Information

Andy was born on March 31, 1968 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Marvin and Kandy Berke. Andy's grandfather, Harry, founded a local law practice in Chattanooga aimed at representing and helping Tennesseans. From assisting someone who was discriminated against for his military service to talking to someone who just needed some advice, the Berke family law practice worked to make someone's life better. Growing up in a family devoted to solving problems for individuals, Andy learned the value of helping others while giving back to and improving one's community. After graduating with honors from Stanford University in 1990, Andy worked as a legislative assistant in the office of Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon. Seeing Congressman Gordon's attentiveness to his constituents' needs, Andy decided public service was where he could best serve his community. Andy graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 1994. Following law school, he worked as a law clerk for Judge Deanell Tacha of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Judicial Circuit in Denver, Colorado. During this time he also taught at Kansas University Law School as an adjunct professor. Elected to the State Senate in 2007 and re-elected to a second term in 2008, Andy became the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. He served on the Senate Education and Transportation Committees. In 2008, he was appointed by Governor Phil Bredesen to the State Workforce Development Board. In addition, the State Legislative Leaders Foundation nominated him to attend its Emerging Leaders Program at the Darden School at the University of Virginia Business School. He attended the 31st American-German Young Leaders Conference in Germany. Recently, he was honored by the Tennessee PTA as the 2012 Legislator of the Year and the Tennessee Education Association's 2012 Friend of Education Award for his commitment to improving public education across Tennessee. Previously, the County Officials Association of Tennessee had named him its legislator of ...