Story VanNess

Story VanNess grew up in Powell, TN before moving to Texas where they attended Southwestern University. After receiving a BS in Education and a BA in French, they returned to Knoxville to care for their grandparents. She worked as a special educator in Knoxville from 2016-2022 when she left to focus on supporting and advocating for the Trans/Nonbinary community in East Tennessee through her position as Program Director of Trans/Nonbinary Support at Knox Pride. In 2022, they also received their MS in Educational Leadership. 

In addition to her advocacy work, Story is also a drag performer under the stage name The Lady Viktra. She runs Knoxville's historic Miss Valentine Pageant and is the new promoter for the Miss Tennessee Continental Pageant. They  also host a weekly amateur drag night in order to provide rising drag artists an opportunity to hone their craft and to give young LGBTQIA+ adults a queer nightlife space they can enjoy.