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Meet Karyn Adams
Karyn with her husband Bruce and sons, Auden and Crispin.
Karyn is running for City Council to put her extensive experience in planning, transportation, housing, and neighborhood advocacy to work for the people of South Knoxville and Fort Sanders.
A native Tennessean, Karyn attended Agnes Scott College before moving to Knoxville in 1992 to complete her studies at the University of Tennessee.
She met her husband, Bruce Cole, at the Tomato Head when she worked there and they both lived in Fort Sanders. Through the years, Karyn and Bruce have both contributed to downtown’s reactivation by sharing their vision of an alive and vibrant downtown. After getting married, they moved south of the river to Lindbergh Forest where they raised their two sons. They soak up every chance to bike, walk, and enjoy the recreational activities Knoxville has to offer. Karyn is a small business owner, specializing in marketing and communications. Pursuing her passion for public service over the past two decades, Karyn has tackled some of Knoxville’s biggest challenges while also being a steward of our city’s growth and transformation.
As a 22-year South Knoxville resident, Karyn cherishes our community’s history, spirit, and diversity. She knows South Knoxville isn’t special just by accident. Karyn will be a progressive voice for consensus and smart growth, steering our community through transition with compassion and thoughtful planning.
As a neighborhood organizer and nonprofit leader, Karyn has come to love the active and unique neighborhoods in the 1st District. She’s never stood on the sidelines in the fight for positive change in our community: Karyn is a former president of the Ijams Nature Center Board and serves as the Lindbergh Forest neighborhood representative on the South Knoxville Neighborhood & Business Coalition (SKNBC). South Knoxville has some of the most engaged neighborhoods in the city, and Karyn will be a leader who listens and responds diligently to each of their specific needs.
Serving as a Planning Commissioner, Karyn has been a voice for affordability, strong neighborhoods, community input, and better bike/walk connectivity options. She also guided the inaugural Missing Middle Plan (ensuring milestones for ongoing review and improvements) to diversify our housing stock while preserving the unique character of each neighborhood. On City Council, Karyn will fight to make housing more affordable, create safer streets for all commuters, and balance our city’s growth with the needs of Knoxville’s current residents.
Karyn is running to contribute to Knoxville’s progress – to preserve its unique spirit while guiding its growth toward a more vibrant and sustainable future for all of us.
“Smart development means understanding a community – what its residents value, want, and need – and what a city can do to meet those goals. I'll be an on-the-ground leader working to preserve Knoxville's unique spirit while guiding its growth.”
- Karyn Adams
About the 1st District:
The district emcompasses all of South Knoxville, plus parts of University of Tennessee campus and Fort Sanders.
District 1 includes some of the region’s most prized parks and natural beauty, including the Urban Wilderness, Ijams Nature Center, and 23 city parks. The district includes over 10 miles of Tennessee River waterfront, 60 miles of trails and greenways, and over 1,000 acres of public parks.
Elementary Schools in District 1 include Dogwood, Mooreland Heights, and South Knoxville Elementary. District 1 families are zoned for South-Doyle Middle and High schools.
