Meet Ben

Meet Ben

Ben Connor serves as the Hamilton County School Board member for District 6, where he works to strengthen public education and ensure students, teachers, and families have the resources they need to succeed.

A graduate of King University, Ben earned degrees in Communications and Business Administration before beginning his career in the restaurant and sales industries. After returning to Chattanooga, Ben and his wife, Dr. Shae Connor, built their home and community here while raising their four daughters.

Ben’s commitment to education began long before serving on the School Board. He served for more than four years as Chair of the Board of Directors at Northside Learning Center, and remains actively involved in his children’s schools. At Normal Park, Ben has volunteered as a room parent, coached youth basketball, served on the SPARK board, and helped organize the annual NormalPalooza school fair.

Beyond education, Ben is dedicated to strengthening the broader Chattanooga community. He currently serves as a board member of the Women’s Oncology Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and the Nicholas Heart Foundation, and has been involved with numerous nonprofit organizations supporting families across the region.

On the Hamilton County School Board, Ben was elected by his fellow board members to serve three consecutive terms as Legislative Chair, where he represented the district at the state and national levels and advocated for policies supporting public schools. In that role, he worked on issues including rural broadband access, school safety initiatives, and careful review of proposed voucher legislation affecting Tennessee schools. He now serves as the board’s Transportation Chair.

Locally, Ben has worked across party lines to support bipartisan school safety resolutions, hosted community town halls, and participated in system-wide listening sessions that helped develop and led to the unanimous adoption of a long-term facilities plan for Hamilton County Schools.

Ben believes strong public schools strengthen entire communities. As he often says, “We all thrive when the community supports education for all of the youth of our community.”

Having called East Tennessee home for most of his life, Ben remains focused on building on Chattanooga's strengths, supporting neighbors and families, and ensuring the next generation has every opportunity to succeed.