Tennessee / Public Defenders Conference

Agency file

Public Defenders Conference

Source file: Tennessee — State Employee Salaries / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Public Defenders Conference handles legal functions of government — prosecution, legal advice, and representing the state in court.

In 2026, this agency had 514 employees with median total compensation of $106,596; the highest distinct record was $217,056.

Year: 2026
Total payroll: $60.2M
Employees: 514
Median total: $106,596
Highest record: $217,056

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$981$217,056+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2026 total compensation is spread across the 514 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($106,596) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $117,156 (100%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $0 (0%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$73,476

$77,508

$106,596

$153,864

$185,724

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $185,724 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $73,476. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Assistant Public Defender

288 · $133,236

Pub Def Legal Secretary

77 · $74,784

Pub Def Investigator

38 · $84,828

Pub Def Office Manager

32 · $85,356

Public Defender

30 · $217,056

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Compare

Similar departments

Departments elsewhere with the most similar mix of roles — a proxy for the same kind of agency, matched by workforce composition rather than name. Pay is not cost-of-living adjusted.

Public Defender Cook County, Illinois91% match
Pdf General Sessions Team Metro Nashville90% match
Public Defender Rhode Island49% match

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Karen Denny

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-08-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 102353

Karen Denny holds the role of Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-08-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $179,628.

Mark Fulks

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-01-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 112872

Mark Fulks works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-01-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Mark earned $179,628 in 2026.

Christina Gifford

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-12-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Milene

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 358511

Christina Gifford works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-12-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Christina earned $179,628 in 2026.

Martin Howie

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-29-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 517661

Martin Howie works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-29-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Martin earned $179,628 in 2026.

Christopher Rogers

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-11-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 126811

Christopher Rogers is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-11-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $179,628.

Sean Williams

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-16-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: G

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 125283

Sean Williams is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-16-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $179,628.

Lisa Zavogiannis

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-12-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 111061

At Public Defenders Conference, Lisa Zavogiannis serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-12-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $179,628.

Jeanne Wiggins

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$179,628

Sub-department: JD-10-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $179,628
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,628
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,969
Employee ID: 140041

Jeanne Wiggins works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-10-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Jeanne earned $179,628 in 2026.

Kirk Yoquelet

Pub Def Res Dir/Staff Attorney/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$174,420

Sub-department: Executive Director
Base pay: $174,420
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $174,420
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,535
Employee ID: 369644

Kirk Yoquelet works as a Pub Def Res Dir/Staff Attorney for Public Defenders Conference within Executive Director. Their status is full-time. Kirk earned $174,420 in 2026.

Harold Balcom

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-09-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 438896

At Public Defenders Conference, Harold Balcom serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-09-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $173,472.

Damon Campbell

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-27-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Earl

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 448146

Damon Campbell holds the role of Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-27-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $173,472.

Adam Major

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-11-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Scott

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 441287

Adam Major is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-11-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $173,472.

Susan Marttala

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-31-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: N

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 438498

At Public Defenders Conference, Susan Marttala serves as a Assistant Public Defender within Jd-31-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $173,472.

Mike Little

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-11-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Allan

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 439512

Mike Little is a Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-11-Dist Pub Defender. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $173,472.

Janis Mize

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-13-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: O

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 119881

Janis Mize works as a Assistant Public Defender for Public Defenders Conference within Jd-13-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. Janis earned $173,472 in 2026.

Mildred Worley

Assistant Public Defender/Public Defenders Conference

2026 total comp

$173,472

Sub-department: JD-22-Dist Pub Defender
Base pay: $173,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $173,472
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $14,456
Employee ID: 274144

Mildred Worley holds the role of Assistant Public Defender at Public Defenders Conference within Jd-22-Dist Pub Defender. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $173,472.