Blackburn Names Advisory Committee for Children's Services

Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn has formed a four-member panel to review the Tennessee Department of Children's Services and advise on its future direction.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in People

Isometric editorial illustration of a plain stone civic building with four columns on a teal base, set in flat muted landscape forms. — Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn named a four-member Advisory Committee to review the Tennessee Department of Children's Services and advise on its future direction. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn announced an Advisory Committee to review the operations of the Department of Children's Services. The four-member committee will assess the department's current state and provide recommendations on its future direction and leadership.

Why it matters

The department plays a central role in protecting some of Tennessee's most vulnerable children. The committee's findings are expected to inform the incoming administration's decisions and priorities for the agency.

The committee consists of four members, with Jim Henry serving as chairman alongside Cameron Smith, Maggie McNally Kimball, and Cleo Griffin. Stuart McWhorter serves as Transition Chairman, and no financial or operational metrics for the department were included in the announcement.

The players

Marsha Blackburn

Marsha Blackburn is the Governor-elect of Tennessee and a former U.S. senator who announced the committee ahead of taking office.

Jim Henry

Jim Henry is the chairman of the Advisory Committee reviewing the Tennessee Department of Children's Services.

The details

The Advisory Committee will gather insights, input, and data to examine the department's operations, structure, and existing challenges. Its assessment will address the department's present state and recommend a future direction and leadership approach.

Advisory Committee announced by Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn on November 10, 2026.

Market Landscape

The review places the Department of Children's Services within Tennessee's ongoing state-level scrutiny of child welfare agencies. The committee's recommendations will shape how the state's child protection system is led and run in the coming administration.

The committee's recommendations may influence how Tennessee's children's services are staffed and managed in the next administration. Residents who rely on or work with the department may see changes in leadership and operations as priorities are set.

The takeaway

Leadership reviews of child welfare agencies can set the course for how vulnerable children are protected for years. Watching how committee recommendations are adopted offers insight into a state's priorities.