Agency Welcomes New Planner

Help us welcome Whitney Warner!

Whitney grew up in Indianapolis, IN and attended Purdue University for her bachelor’s degree. After graduating, she came to Knoxville as an AmeriCorps Member where she worked for Knox County’s Solid Waste Department and focused on recycling projects. From there she took a full-time job with the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC). In that position, Whitney was responsible for compliance management for Workforce Connections, a division of CAC that provided workforce development for residents and businesses.

Whitney’s time in these positions exposed her to government work, as well as local trends and priorities. During this time, she served as a bicycle ambassador for I Bike KNX, a program of the Knoxville Regional TPO, which introduced her to the organization’s projects and processes. Those years also coincided with Recode Knoxville, the process in which the city updated its zoning code. The confluence of these factors piqued her interest in government and planning, leading her to a master’s degree in urban planning. She ended up at the University of Illinois Chicago, in part because she was interested in transportation and was attracted to living in a place with public transit so that she could get around without a car.

After graduating, she worked as a transportation planner in South Carolina before coming across the opportunity to move back to Knoxville.

When she’s not in the office, you will likely find Whitney spending time outdoors riding her bike, hiking, and camping. Keep an eye out for her and help us give her a warm welcome!