Speaker Bio: Emma Shouse Garton

Emma Shouse Garton is the Public Information Specialist for the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities and has worked for the Council since 2011. She helps coordinate the Council’s communications efforts (including its social media, website, publications, and community outreach events) to inform Tennesseans with disabilities and families about the issues that impact their lives. Emma also has 24 year old younger twin brothers, Evan and Brendan; Evan has autism and lives in a supported living apartment with the help of a provider agency.

 

Emma leads the Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) statewide sibling support network for brothers and sisters of individuals with disabilities, launched by the TN Council and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities over a decade ago. She also serves as co-chair of the Chapter Development Committee of the national Sibling Leadership Network (SLN). TABS is TN’s chapter of the SLN. Emma graduated from Belmont University with degrees in social work and sociology and lives in Nashville, TN with her husband T.J., about half an hour from Evan and the rest of her family. She is passionate about helping people with disabilities and their family members – especially siblings – find the support they need to live the lives they want.

 

Contact Information: [email protected]; 615-253-5368

 

Transcripts: English, Spanish

 

MHDD Center Website

 

Tennessee Council on Developmental Disability Article 

 Psychology Today article

 

 

*Music Credit: Music for our podcast is licensed from Marmoset Music. Artist: Johnny Clay; Song "Looking Down the Road"