Steve Cox, Executive Director/CEO of Dawn of Hope, Johnson City, has been elected to serve as Board President of Tennessee Community Organizations for terms 2021 - 2022. Tennessee Community Organizations (TNCO) is a statewide trade association for service provider organizations that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Tennessee.

Steve Cox has been employed with Dawn of Hope for 25 years, the first 22 as Director of Personnel & Support Services before being promoted to Executive Director/CEO in December 2018. Cox is a 1990 graduate of East Tennessee State University and resides in Limestone with his wife Pam.

Steve shared, "It's a tremendous honor to be elected as TNCO President by my peers and colleagues, particularly during these trying times. As TNCO members continue to face the challenges of a critical staffing shortage, an ongoing pandemic, and major shifts that include systems and waiver integration, we must utilize our membership's experience and collective wisdom as never before as we attempt to navigate with our state and community partners through unprecedented changes to business and service delivery models."

Founded in 1977, TNCO serves 61 Tennessee member organizations through public policy advocacy, technical support for industry specific needs, networking opportunities for sharing and exchanging information between provider agencies, education and training to further maximize the skill set of provider agencies directors and personnel, and public relations and awareness of the needs and concerns of individuals with disabilities and service provider agencies.

TNCO member organizations provide a full array of services such as residential, day and supported employment to approximately 12,000 Tennesseans with disabilities. TNCO member organizations employ nearly 20,000 professionals across the state. These include frontline direct support staff, managers, nurses, and other qualified professionals. TNCO members provide services to 85% of the people receiving waiver services from the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and TennCare.

"I am thrilled that Steve is heading up the association during a time when not only is our system of services in flux but we are in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Steve's experience in and insight into providing services to Tennesseans with disabilities as well as the workforce that supports them is invaluable to the association and our members," said Robin Atwood, TNCO Executive Director.

The TNCO Board of Directors and TNCO Committees provide services and project oversight for statewide membership needs. More information about TNCO can be found at www.tnco.org