The Executive Committee is currently comprised of the President, Vice President, Officers, and Committee Chairs. Please email gss1@utk.edu if you are interested in serving as an executive officer or committee chair.

• President – Iyanuoluwa Oyetunji – gss1@utk.edu

Iyanuoluwa Oyetunji, from Nigeria, is a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Nutrition, and the president of the Graduate Student Senate. His research is focused on the relationships between dietary patterns/diet quality and risks of chronic diseases including obesity and colorectal cancer, and he currently works on projects funded by the National Institutes of Health.  

Previously, Iyanuoluwa served as a member of the Steering Committee to establish the Nigerian Student Association in UTK and later served as a member of the maiden Executive Committee of the association. Iyanuoluwa loves relationship building and he hopes to leverage the GSS’ relationship with university administrators to advocate for graduate student needs as he leads the senate this academic year. 

Outside of Knoxville, Iyanuoluwa is a fellow of the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) Student Think Tank (2024/25 cohort). This Think Tank consists of 6 students across the US working with the AJPH. At leisure, Iyanuoluwa likes to hike, travel, play board games, listen to and play music on his acoustic guitar, and hang out with family and friends. 

• Vice President – Shokoufeh Soleimani – gss2@utk.edu

Shokoufeh Soleimani is a second year PhD student studying Biomedical Engineering, from Iran. She is excited to serve as the GSS Vice President and enrich the campus community by connecting with others and fostering a spirit of collaboration. She is dedicated to creating a campus environment where every student feels valued, heard, and empowered to achieve their full potential, tackle the challenges ahead, and build a more inclusive, vibrant, and socially conscious community. 

Officers

• Senate Chair – Katrina Stack – gsschair@utk.edu

Katrina Stack is a fourth year PhD candidate in Geography. Her research focuses on the intersections of memory, historic preservation, and Black geographies, with a particular emphasis on the Civil Rights Movement and historic house museums. Katrina is the graduate research fellow for the Beauford Delaney Papers collection through UT Libraries.

This is Katrina’s second year with GSS. She has also served in leadership positions for her department’s graduate student organization, GeogGrads. She is excited to contribute to the positive impact of GSS this year as Senate Chair.

• Secretary – Rizwan Majeed – gss3@utk.edu 

Hello Graduate Students! My name is Rizwan Majeed and I am a second-year Ph. D. student in the Department of Nutrition. My concentration is Implementation Science in Community Nutrition, and I am pursuing an ESM certificate (Evaluation, Statistics, and Methodology) and Certified Lactation Counselor training. Previously, I worked in Qatar as a Dietitian and I was part of the FIFA World Cup 2022. It was always been a multicultural place to work. Keeping my work experience, and my concentration in mind, I am always open to actively participating in discussions, and strongly believe in cultural sensitivity, diffusion, and inclusivity. I am excited to work with GSS as a Secretary and I am much humbled to serve in this position. Go Vols!

• Treasurer – Abdulrasheed Sado – gsstreasurer@utk.edu

Rasheed is a third-year PhD student in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research focuses on advanced radiation instrumentation and detector development. Notably, he has contributed to the fabrication of a diamond-based microfluidic alpha spectrometer, designed for material control and accountancy in liquid-fueled molten salt reactors. Currently, he is engaged in a high-energy X-ray radiography project for railroad tracks inspection, sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration.

• Technology Director – Ark Ifeanyi

Ark is an engineer passionate about applying artificial intelligence (AI) to solve complex problems in the energy sector. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Benin, Nigeria, where he contributed to research projects on renewable energy and power systems and supported the IEEE student body. He then pursued a Master’s degree in Renewable Energy Systems Technology from Loughborough University, UK, focusing on the development and implementation of sustainable energy systems. At Loughborough, he held leadership roles in student organizations like Engineers without Borders (EwB) and served as a Chevening Scholarship Ambassador.

Currently, he is enrolled at the University of Tennessee’s Bredesen Center, pursuing a PhD in Energy Science and Engineering with a minor in statistics. His research focuses on applying AI to the Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) of nuclear plants, specifically by developing machine learning algorithms to enhance the safety, reliability, and efficiency of nuclear energy production.

Ark is also interested in engineering management and entrepreneurship. Outside work, he enjoys wall climbing, playing soccer, and watching Vol Hoops.

• Communications Director – Tia Nickens – gsspress@utk.edu

Tia Nickens is a current law student at the University of Tennessee, working to further expand opportunities for those who hold the same identities as her. She grew up in Illinois in a very rural town. Before law school, she received her Master’s of Counselor Education from Penn State University, where she served as a Graduate Assistant for Penn State World Campus and the Restorative Justice Initiative. Tia received her undergraduate degree from the University of South Alabama, where she served as Student Body President. Over time her work in education, combined with her own commitment to restorative justice, led to a desire to change policies that harm marginalized identities. In her free time, she likes to bake, watch sports, and eat ice cream!

Committee Chairs

• Legislative Steering – Burke Codemo

Burke Codemo is a first-year Master’s candidate in the College of Communication and Information. Working to become a librarian, Burke graduated magna cum laude and with University Honors from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. There, they earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Digital, Public and Professional Writing. Since this academic year is both their first year on the executive committee and as part of GSS, Burke hopes to bring a fresh mindset and new ideas to the Senate while helping to set a standard to ensure the needs of UTK’s graduate student population are met. When they are not on campus, Burke likes to read, write, craft, discover local coffee shops, and spend time with their cat, Bug.

• Access and Engagement – Dimetri Brandon, Chair

• Travel Awards – Co-Chairs – Hannah Thompson, Kelsey O’Neill, Maddie Ross –  gsstravel@utk.edu
  • Christian Kemefa – joining Spring 2025

Christian Kemefa is a second-year PhD student studying Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Energy Science and Engineering at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research focuses on the development of cleaner fuels for oceangoing deep-sea vessels using low-cost biomass. His flair for research was ignited after leading a team of student researchers in developing a new product for his company, as an early chemical and process engineer. He holds a Diploma in Petroleum and Gas Processing Engineering Technology, a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, and a master’s degree in petroleum engineering and project development from The Petroleum Training Institute, The University of Benin, and The Institute of Petroleum Studies – University of Port Harcourt, respectively. He enjoys teaching, helping people succeed, and giving back to his community through servant leadership and volunteering. He previously served as a member of the student wellness committee at the CBE Graduate Student Association and in many other capacities while in Nigeria. He is excited to serve in the GSS and looks forward to making meaningful contributions and engagements. Outside of professional work, he is deeply committed to his Christian faith and family. Christian aims to become an authority in renewable energy science and engineering.

• Programming Events – Alexis Lamb – gssevents@utk.edu

Alexis Lamb is a first year Information Sciences Masters student based in Knoxville, TN. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in English, she moved back to Knoxville to pursue her career as a librarian. In addition to serving as Chair of the Programming and Events Committee for GSS, Alexis is a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the School of Information Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, reading, and planning her next adventure.

• Institutional Advocacy and Advisory – Ed Chacon

Eduardo (Ed) Chacon is a second-year Master’s candidate in the Department of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology and a minor in Statistics through the Haslam College of Business. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Microbiology and a minor in Public Health. His interests in pursuing a career in medicine enabled him to work as a Clinical Assistant with the Tennessee Memory Disorders Foundation (TMDF) since 2022. He is also seeking to pursue an MD-PhD with a specialty in Neuroimmunology and Virology.

Previously, Ed served as a Primary Justice on the Judiciary Committee in the 2023-2024 session and is a returning Senator for the Department of Public Health this year. Outside of GSS, he serves as a sitting member on the Student Conduct Board in the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and a voting member in the Academic Program Committee in his department. In his spare time, his hobbies include art, soccer, and linguistics.

• International Student Support – David Achodo

Born on September 2nd, 1997 in Nigeria, David Achodo is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant of French Language and Literature; the French Graduate Student Representative; a Peer-Reviewer of Vernacular: New Connections in Language, Literature & Culture; a Graduate Student Senator; and the International Student Support Committee Chair, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.

He was previously a Graduate Research Assistant (2020-2023) at the University of Ibadan, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in French and German. A multilinguist (speaker of 5 languages: English, French, German, Fon, Yoruba), Achodo’s research has embraced Translation, Second Language Acquisition, and Comparative Linguistics (African/European languages).

Achodo also had a Doctorate in Christian Leadership at Powerlife Seminary – AAMOM (2022). He was the National Delegate of Nigeria Christian Corpers Fellowship (2021-2022), and the President of Campus Religious Organization (2019-2020). Achodo’s long-term goals include Politics, Pastoring, and Teaching French at the University. His hobbies are Meditation, Music, Preaching, Traveling, and Writing Poetry.

• Judiciary – Matthew Cooper

Matthew Cooper is a PhD student in his 4th year in the Political Science Department. His research focuses on public law, the death penalty, and separation of powers. His dissertation focuses on the complex interactions between federal agencies and the Office of the Solicitor General when it comes to government appeals to the Supreme Court.

Matthew has experience teaching, both as a teaching assistant and as a primary instructor for Introduction to American Government (POLS 101) and as a primary instructor for Judicial Process and Policymaking (POLS 341).

Matthew has been the Graduate Student Senate representative for the Political Science Graduate Student Organization since 2023.

Matthew completed his undergraduate studies, with honors, at the University of Tennessee in 2021.

Accomplishments from Previous Executive Committees