City of Knoxville, TN
05/19/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/19/2026 16:51
ADA Coordinator Cook Lauded as Pioneer
Stephanie Brewer Cook is retiring as the City of Knoxville's ADA Coordinator after 29 years of advocacy.
"Stephanie is a passionate champion for accessibility for all," Mayor Indya Kincannon said. "For three decades, she's been the City's leading advocate as we've worked communitywide, collaboratively, to remove physical barriers and change perceptions.
"Because of Stephanie, Knoxville is a more welcoming, inviting, and accessible city."
Cook, who retires June 30, agrees that Knoxville has come a long way since she started with the City in the late 1990s.
"Back then, common-sense accommodations were often an after-thought, and many City parks and buildings were not accessible to people with disabilities," Cook said. "Now, we have facilities in every corner of the city that are welcoming and inclusive of all ages and abilities.
"There is still a lot more work to do, but I'm beyond proud of the changed mindset of the City and our public, nonprofit and private sector partners.
"There's a better realization now that roughly half of all Knoxville residents either have or will have a disability or mobility issue later in life. So planning and building proactively with that in mind is happening far more now than it did three decades ago - and I know that it will continue to increase with time."
Cook was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Jordan R. Hiles Outstanding Achievement in Advocacy Award, presented by the disAbility Resource Center.
Among the accomplishments that highlight her career:
• In 2018, the City of Knoxville was designated by the World Health Organization as an Age-Friendly Network City, in partnership with AARP.
• A Mayor-appointed disability advisory body has evolved in name and mission. Once known as the Knoxville Advisory Council for the Handicapped, or KACH, that council since 2003 has been the Mayor's Council on Disability Issues, or CODI.
• A multi-organizational, inter-governmental team - called the SAFE (Securing Accessibility for Emergencies) Team - was formed to focus on accessible and inclusive emergency planning and response. It's a model that's being emulated throughout the Southeastern United States.
Cook was initially a solitary pioneer, but now, a whole team of City employees - supported by the Law, Human Resources, Development Services and other departments - is carrying on her work.
The City currently has more than 30 employees with specialized ADA accessibility training and certifications as part of their job requirements. HR Director Betsy Cunningham will coordinate the City's employment-related ADA work following Cook's retirement.
A reception honoring Cook's legacy is planned for 4-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, at the Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Ave. City Council will honor Cook with a resolution at its 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 meeting.
Cook asks that attendees wear blue - internationally recognized as the color supportive of accessibility awareness - to the reception or Council meeting if possible.
"Stephanie is a passionate champion for accessibility for all," Mayor Indya Kincannon said. "For three decades, she's been the City's leading advocate as we've worked communitywide, collaboratively, to remove physical barriers and change perceptions.
"Because of Stephanie, Knoxville is a more welcoming, inviting, and accessible city."
Cook, who retires June 30, agrees that Knoxville has come a long way since she started with the City in the late 1990s.
"Back then, common-sense accommodations were often an after-thought, and many City parks and buildings were not accessible to people with disabilities," Cook said. "Now, we have facilities in every corner of the city that are welcoming and inclusive of all ages and abilities.
"There is still a lot more work to do, but I'm beyond proud of the changed mindset of the City and our public, nonprofit and private sector partners.
"There's a better realization now that roughly half of all Knoxville residents either have or will have a disability or mobility issue later in life. So planning and building proactively with that in mind is happening far more now than it did three decades ago - and I know that it will continue to increase with time."
Cook was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Jordan R. Hiles Outstanding Achievement in Advocacy Award, presented by the disAbility Resource Center.
Among the accomplishments that highlight her career:
• In 2018, the City of Knoxville was designated by the World Health Organization as an Age-Friendly Network City, in partnership with AARP.
• A Mayor-appointed disability advisory body has evolved in name and mission. Once known as the Knoxville Advisory Council for the Handicapped, or KACH, that council since 2003 has been the Mayor's Council on Disability Issues, or CODI.
• A multi-organizational, inter-governmental team - called the SAFE (Securing Accessibility for Emergencies) Team - was formed to focus on accessible and inclusive emergency planning and response. It's a model that's being emulated throughout the Southeastern United States.
Cook was initially a solitary pioneer, but now, a whole team of City employees - supported by the Law, Human Resources, Development Services and other departments - is carrying on her work.
The City currently has more than 30 employees with specialized ADA accessibility training and certifications as part of their job requirements. HR Director Betsy Cunningham will coordinate the City's employment-related ADA work following Cook's retirement.
A reception honoring Cook's legacy is planned for 4-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, at the Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Ave. City Council will honor Cook with a resolution at its 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 meeting.
Cook asks that attendees wear blue - internationally recognized as the color supportive of accessibility awareness - to the reception or Council meeting if possible.
close carousel
City of Knoxville, TN published this content on May 19, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 19, 2026 at 22:51 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]