Barbara Wagner serves as Chair of the TNSTEP Board of Directors and is a respected leader in Tennessee’s disability advocacy community, with particular expertise in government affairs. Her dedication to TNSTEP is shaped by both personal and professional experience navigating special education as the parent of two children with learning disabilities.
Barbara helped organize some of the earliest TNSTEP workshops in Tennessee, witnessing the empowerment families gained through access to information and support — an experience that continues to fuel her longstanding service to the organization. Professionally, she previously worked with Tennessee Protection & Advocacy and alongside mental health providers, helping individuals connect with social services, community resources, and educational supports. Her background in finance, accounting, and business management is complemented by extensive advocacy training, strong policy and government relations experience, and more than 25 years of service on disability-related boards.
Barbara lives just outside Sevierville, near the Great Smoky Mountains, and remains deeply committed to amplifying family voices and advancing opportunities for children and youth with disabilities.
