Russ believes strongly in giving back and serving the communities he represents. That commitment to service is what led him to run for office and still drives everything he does.
Russ was born in Sunflower County Mississippi in 1985, he attended both public and private schools, finally graduating from Tupelo High School in 2003. He then attended Itawamba Community College and later transferred to Mississippi State University where he graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science.
Shortly after graduating, he moved to Nashville with little to no money but lots of determination for a position with Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s animal care program. In 2013 Russ started working in call centers focused on healthcare and insurance benefits where he eventually landed at his current employer, a DC based healthcare technology development firm that focuses on Federal, state and veterans’ healthcare. He started as a data entry clerk and progressed his way between projects as a quality assurance specialist. He now works on his company’s Military and Veterans Health program as a quality assurance and quality control manager.
Russ and his partner, Matt, have lived in the Percy Priest Lake area of Donelson with their rescue animals, a cat Denny and two dogs Nova and Jack since 2016. They have enjoyed all that the Donelson area has had to offer and love being a part of the community.
Russ has grown up in a family that has had a long history of service. His family’s legacy of service goes as far back as the fight for our Nation’s independence through the Civil War, WWI and WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. His mother was a school secretary, his paternal grandmother was an army nurse, and his aunt is also a nurse. Russ’ cousin, Sara Fortney, served on the Polk County School Board in Polk County, Florida from 2018-2022. His strong belief in giving service back to the community and giving back is what led him to become very active in his alumni association here in Nashville where he’s held the positions of community service chair, secretary, vice president, and president. Russ’ commitment to service is what led him to run for office and still drives everything he does.
Russ was elected in September 2019 to serve the people and communities of District 13. He is assigned to the Metro Council’s Planning, & Zoning Committee, and the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and is the Vice Chair of the Public Facilities, Arts, & Culture Committee. Russ is a founding member of the Metro Council’s LGBTQ Caucus and serves as their secretary. Additionally, he was appointed to two special committees - Voter Engagement & Turn Out and Council Benefits Reform.
Russ continues to work hard to improve the lives of not just his constituents, but ALL of Nashville
district 13
