Employee Spotlight: Meet Lorrie Jarnagin

Lorrie Jarnigan, Information & Assistance Program Manager

For more than two decades, Lorrie Jarnigan has been a familiar and caring presence at First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging & Disability. Since joining FTAAAD in 2003, she has dedicated her career to helping older adults and individuals with disabilities access the resources and support they need to live healthier, more independent lives.

As Information & Assistance Program Manager, Lorrie says the most rewarding part of her work is knowing the agency makes a real difference for people throughout the region. She believes many of the services provided by FTAAAD help people with everyday tasks that are often taken for granted, and she takes pride in being part of an organization that supports seniors and individuals with disabilities in meaningful ways.

Lorrie first came to FTAAAD after hearing about a job opening from a friend who worked at the agency. What started as a career opportunity quickly became much more.

One accomplishment she is especially proud of came during her time serving as SHIP (State Health Insurance Program) Coordinator. Through a partnership with ETSU Quillen College of Pharmacy, Lorrie helped develop a Medicare training program for third-year pharmacy students. The program provided students with valuable Medicare education while also giving them hands-on experience assisting beneficiaries during Medicare Open Enrollment events.

The pharmacy students volunteered at enrollment events wearing their white coats and helping Medicare beneficiaries compare drug plans, review medication costs, and explore more affordable alternatives when needed. The initiative became so successful that representatives from CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) visited one of the events to observe the program in action and recognized it as a best practice.

Lorrie says one of the things she appreciates most about FTAAAD is the teamwork among employees. She describes the staff as supportive, caring, and always willing to step in and help each other when needed.

“The people here are a second family,” she said. “I’ve never worked at a place before where the people care about each other and try to help one another if they can.”

Outside of work, Lorrie enjoys exploring small towns and taking scenic rides on back country roads with her Jeep top off and “naked,” as she jokingly clarified — referring to the Jeep, not herself.

Lorrie has a 28-year-old son and her husband, Lee Gay, who also works at FTAAAD. According to Lorrie, three friends introduced the two of them, and she figured if all three vouched for him, he had to be a good one — and she says they were right. She’s also proud dog mom to Lucy, who apparently believes she runs the household. You also might notice from her photo that Lorrie is a bit of a fan of Morgan Wallen, who hails from Hancock County — part of FTDD’s service area.

Thank you, Lorrie, for your years of dedication, compassion, and service to the people of Northeast Tennessee. FTAAAD is fortunate to have you as part of the team!