Michaela Barnett

Michaela Barnett grew up on a family horse farm, fitting barn chores around the school day.¹ She started KnoxFill in a spare room while finishing her doctoral studies, building a Knoxville business that refills containers with soap, shampoo and household cleaners.²

She graduated from Furman University in 2015 after studying sustainability science and Spanish, then pursued doctoral studies at the University of Virginia.² She now holds a doctorate in civil engineering.³ In college she started a composting program, and she later worked at the University of Tennessee through AmeriCorps, where she says she launched three programs.¹

Barnett also served as a Congressional Science and Technology Policy Fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science.² She told WUOT that working in Congress helped prompt her candidacy, and she proposes open town halls and mobile office hours to help rural constituents navigate federal services.⁴

She proposes gradually raising the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour and expanding apprenticeships.⁵ She also wants more federal investment in scientific research, national laboratories and domestic semiconductor production to support local employment.⁵ Her health platform calls for expanded ACA premium assistance and a universal coverage option with additional private insurance available.⁶ Barnett faces Republican Tim Burchett and two independents.⁷