Comm. Brad Turner
The Chattanooga Area Employment Consortium will host its annual 2026 National Disability Employment Awareness Month Luncheon Celebration and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 11:30 a.m. at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center.
The 2026 national theme is “Celebrating Talent and Value.” This year’s special guest is Comm. Brad Turner of the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, with entertainment provided by the Orange Grove Choir.
Comm. Turner was appointed in 2024 by Gov.
Bill Lee as the first commissioner of the Department of Disability and Aging, which combined the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. He previously served as commissioner of the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from 2019 to 2024, and was the third person to lead the agency since it became a standalone department in 2011.
As commissioner, he oversees 2,000 employees who administer and support services for more than 1.5 million older adults and Tennesseans with disabilities. These services include home- and community-based waiver programs, the Tennessee Early Intervention System, the Katie Beckett Program, the MAPs Program, Family Support, CHOICES, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), nutrition services, caregiver support, transportation assistance and public guardianship. The department helps people live the lives they envision by protecting their rights, supporting community engagement and promoting optimal health.
Under Comm. Turner’s leadership, DDA became the first state service-delivery system in the nation to receive Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership. The department also has been recognized nationally for expanding competitive, community-based employment opportunities for people with disabilities and advancing independence through Enabling Technology. Comm. Turner serves on the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services’ National Board of Directors, and is the first Tennessean to receive this honor.
As the father of a daughter with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the son of aging parents, Comm. Turner is committed to advocating alongside people with disabilities, older Tennesseans and their families for a brighter future in the Volunteer State. Before joining state government, Comm. Turner was director of client services at HealthStream Inc. and served eight years as a Rutherford County commissioner.
Comm. Turner, his wife Rebecca, and their daughter, Kinsley, call Smyrna home.
The luncheon also will honor nominees for the Scott Kramer Advocate of the Year, Jill Hindman Employer of the Year, and Employee of the Year awards, recognizing outstanding dedication to raising awareness of the contributions of citizens with disabilities and the employers who support them.
The Chattanooga Area Employment Consortium was founded in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to improve quality of life and overall well-being for people with disabilities through employment-related support. CAEC provides a strong network of services through a broad range of providers, helping people with disabilities become active, independent members of the community through employment.
Luncheon proceeds fund seminars and educational outreach for Chattanooga-area businesses and organizations. These efforts encourage the hiring of individuals with disabilities and older adults, while highlighting the benefits of partnership in improving quality of life for these valued community members.
For more information or to purchase a $75 ticket, visit caectn.org or emaileoglesbyjr@bellsouth.net.