July 16, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
Governor Bill Lee has appointed DeKalb County resident Sarah Cripps to a three-year term on the Council on Developmental Disabilities, representing the Upper Cumberland Development District.
The Council on Developmental Disabilities is a state government agency that works to bring positive change to the disability services system in Tennessee.
“I am so excited to be a part of the work the Council is doing,” Sarah Cripps said. “People with disabilities are contributing members of our community, and I want to see us opening the door to more opportunities right here in DeKalb County. I am really looking forward to helping the Council bring services, information, and education to the Upper Cumberland area.”
Cripps maintains a solo law practice in Smithville, practicing in the areas of probate, real property, domestic relations, tort and personal injury, child welfare, elder, contract, landlord-tenant, and criminal defense law. She holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and Tennessee Tech. She recently served as a commencement speaker for Tennessee Tech. Cripps has been blind since birth.
Cripps will meet with the full Council on Development Disabilities quarterly in Nashville and will serve as a representative in the local community. Her role will connect the Council’s statewide work to the needs in DeKalb and surrounding counties. The Council on Developmental Disabilities’ work includes improving disability policies and practices, educating policymakers and the public, and partnering with public and private organizations to drive progress for people with disabilities.
“Our agency is unique in state government, because we’re here specifically to change the system, and because we are directly connected to the needs of local disability communities through our Council members,” said Executive Director Wanda Willis. “Sarah Cripps is a recognized community leader, both personally and professionally, and her perspective on how we can continue to improve the lives of people with disabilities will be invaluable.”
The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities is a state agency established to improve disability policies and practice, educate policymakers and the public, and build collaboration to create lasting, positive change for Tennesseans with disabilities and their families. The Council is the only state agency tasked with looking at how all the pieces of our disability system work together, identifying areas of need, and bringing different parts of government and outside groups together to tackle challenges and improve state services. For more information, visit www.tn.gov/cdd or follow us on Twitter (@TNCouncilDD) or Facebook.