Gov. Bill Lee Names Christopher Hansen Interim TDOC Commissioner

Davidson County residents will see a new face at the top of the Tennessee Department of Correction as Gov. Bill Lee appointed Christopher Hansen as interim commissioner on Thursday.

Hansen steps into the role while retaining his existing position as assistant commissioner of community supervision. In that capacity, he leads a staff of approximately 1,100 employees who manage statewide probation and parole operations. He has served in the department since 2023.

The appointment follows the resignation of former Commissioner Frank Strada. Strada stepped down amid scrutiny of the department's execution procedures after Christa Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital during a Sept. 30 execution attempt.

Gov. Lee has halted executions while an independent review examines what went wrong during Pike's procedure. The governor stated that Hansen's background in corrections and public safety qualifies him to lead the agency during this transition period.

Before joining TDOC, Hansen served as the chief probation officer and director of the Solano County Probation Department in California. He also held the position of chief U.S. probation officer for the District of Nevada.

Hansen now oversees the prison system as the state continues its investigation into the failed execution.