About me
Dana Schmidt is a seasoned legal professional with over two decades of experience in child welfare, family law, and mediation services. A 2002 graduate of Regent University School of Law, she began her career in 2003 as a litigation attorney with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS), where she represented the agency in judicial and administrative hearings statewide. By 2011, she had advanced to supervising attorney, leading teams and managing complex cases.
From 2011 to 2013, Dana served as IV-D attorney and project manager for the 20th Judicial District of Tennessee, overseeing case management for approximately 45,000 child support cases. In 2015, she was recruited by Judge Sheila Calloway to manage the Metro-Davidson County Juvenile Court Parentage Division. During her tenure, she expanded the division’s parental assistance program, now known as the Parental Assistance Court (PAC), which provides mediation and support services for unmarried and non-custodial parents navigating child support, visitation, and custody matters.
In 2022, Dana was appointed Program Manager for Mediation and Grants by the Tennessee Supreme Court. In this role, she oversees the Court’s Rule 31 Listed Mediator Program and administers multiple grants that fund mediation services across the state, advancing access to alternative dispute resolution for Tennessee families.
Outside of her professional work, Dana enjoys traveling, listening to true crime podcasts, and cheering on the University of Kentucky Wildcats. She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Joseph, their three sons, and a beloved mini-schnauzer, Charlie.
