Katherine Merrill, J.D.
Katherine Merrill is a fifth-generation Tennessean and was raised in Nashville. After graduating from University School, she left town to earn three degrees: a B.A. in Business Communications from the University of Arizona, a Master’s in Social Work from Tulane University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Shortly after earning her J.D., Katherine returned to Nashville to serve as a judicial law clerk for the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, where she has worked for more than a decade.
In 2002, Katherine was on campus at the University of Arizona when a former student shot and killed three professors in their full classrooms. This tragedy helped shape Katherine’s belief that firearm safety legislation helps create safer communities. She remains committed to this goal through advocacy, thoughtful policy-making, and believes that meaningful change will come from building personal connections and fostering respectful relationships at the Capitol and beyond.