10/22/2026
🌟 THRIVING THURSDAY: JAN BROOKS 🌟
This Thursday, we’re highlighting a woman whose commitment to Newport and Cocke County can be seen in so many different corners of our community, Jan Brooks. ❤️
Some people leave their mark on a community through one calling. Others spend a lifetime finding new ways to serve. Jan Brooks has spent decades doing just that, dedicating her time, knowledge, and heart to the health, safety, education, and well-being of the people of Newport and Cocke County.
This Thursday, we’re celebrating Jan and the many ways she continues to invest in the people and future of our community.
A CAREER BUILT AROUND CARING FOR OTHERS
With more than 28 years of experience in home health and hospice, Jan has devoted much of her professional life to compassionate care, supporting individuals and families through some of life's most challenging moments. Through her work with Smoky Mountain Home Health & Hospice, she has helped support the well-being of people throughout our region.
Her commitment to community care extends beyond healthcare. As Chair of the She Rises Foundation and an active member of the Cocke County Health Council, Jan has also contributed to efforts focused on uplifting others, strengthening families, and connecting people with resources and support.
FOUR GENERATIONS. TWENTY-FOUR YEARS.
Jan's connection to Newport Grammar School is about much more than a seat at the board table. Four generations of her family have attended NGS, making the school a deeply personal part of her family's story.
Since 2002, Jan has served on the Newport Grammar School Board, where she currently serves as Board Chair. For 24 years, she has worked alongside fellow board members, educators, families, and community partners to support students and help shape the future of education in Newport.
Her priorities include student achievement, supporting teachers and staff, student well-being, strengthening the Family Resource Center, school safety, and building partnerships that help children and families succeed.
Jan has also earned Level IV Boardsmanship Certification through the Tennessee School Boards Association, reflecting her commitment to continued learning and responsible school board service.
For Jan, education is not simply a responsibility. It is a family legacy and an investment in the next generation.
PREPARING TODAY. PROTECTING TOMORROW.
Jan's dedication to public safety is another important part of her story. She serves as Medical Liaison for the Cocke County Emergency Management Agency and Assistant Chief of River Safety.
These roles involve preparation, coordination, teamwork, and a commitment to protecting lives. Her experience across healthcare, emergency preparedness, and community leadership brings together different perspectives on what it takes to keep people safe and support a resilient community.
❤️ WHEN COCKE COUNTY NEEDED ITS PEOPLE MOST
Hurricane Helene brought extraordinary challenges to Newport and Cocke County. In the aftermath, healthcare needs, emergency response, and the well-being of local families became deeply connected.
Jan's experience in healthcare, emergency preparedness, and community leadership reflects the importance of collaboration when a community faces difficult circumstances.
Recovery is about more than rebuilding what was damaged. It is also about caring for people, restoring connections, and helping families and neighbors find their footing again. It takes people willing to share their knowledge, work alongside others, and help meet the needs in front of them.
BUILDING CONNECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP
Jan is also a 2024 graduate of Leadership Cocke County and a member of the Cocke County Leadership Board. Through these experiences and her involvement in community organizations, she has continued to build relationships and strengthen connections among people who care about the future of our area.
Across healthcare, education, emergency preparedness, and community service, a common thread runs through her work: recognizing needs, bringing people together, and finding ways to help.
Strong communities are built through these connections, one relationship and one shared effort at a time.
❤️ AT THE HEART OF IT ALL, FAMILY
Beyond her many professional responsibilities and community commitments, Jan is a proud mother to her daughter, Sydney, and a loving “Gigi” to three beautiful grandchildren.
Her role as a mother and grandmother adds another meaningful dimension to her lifelong commitment to community. The children we raise, the families we support, and the opportunities we create for future generations are all part of what makes a community worth investing in.
With four generations of her family connected to Newport Grammar School, Jan's story is woven into the fabric of Newport in a particularly personal way. Her dedication reflects not only a commitment to the community she serves today, but also to the generations who will call it home tomorrow.
A LEGACY OF SERVICE. A LOVE FOR COMMUNITY.
Jan's story is a reminder that a community is shaped by the people who give their time, share their knowledge, and show up for others. Through decades of service in education, healthcare, public safety, and community leadership, she has remained connected to the people and families who make Newport and Cocke County home.
Her commitment reaches beyond any one role or organization. It is reflected in the children she advocates for, the families she helps support, the relationships she builds, and the future she hopes to help create for the next generation.
Jan, thank you for the many ways you have served Newport and Cocke County, for the experience and perspective you continue to share, and for your commitment to the people who make this community home.
That's what makes people like Jan Brooks such an important part of what makes Newport and Cocke County thrive.
Jan, thank you for choosing to serve again and again, in so many different ways. Our community is stronger because of people like you.
✨ That’s what Thriving Thursday is all about, celebrating the people who don't just live here, but help make our community better. ✨
