Mississippi girl turned Tennessee civic leader? 

That’s the story of Cookeville’s second female mayor, Laurin Wheaton. 

A nurse practitioner by trade, she never thought her unique blend of focus and service would lead to a position at the head of Cookeville’s city council. 

She stated, “Being a nurse, I’ve always had a servant-minded approach. As I got older and my jobs in the field evolved, I started seeing patients in the home and this opened my eyes. I saw how many didn’t have transportation or the means to buy essentials and I wanted to help. A friend of mine saw that I was passionate about creating change within the community and suggested that I run for city council. 

Laurin continued, “‘There’s no way I can do this,’ I laughed. I called my husband expecting him to laugh too but the phone was silent. When he spoke, ‘I think you should do it. You would be great,’ is what I heard” 

During Laurin’s first run at council, she was the only female on the ticket. Now, as mayor, awarded after she was the leading vote getter among all council candidates in her second campaign, Laurin hopes her journey inspires young female leaders and those with big dreams to never give up. 

“I’m humbled at the fact that a girl from Mississippi who moved to Cookeville and who’s only been here since 2013 has been given the honor of being the mayor, and the second female mayor of Cookeville at that.” 

She continued, “I hope that because of what I’ve done, that my kids and other kids can see that anything is possible. A nurse practitioner from Jackson, MS can become the mayor of Cookeville, TN. Anything is possible. For ‘What you want to be when you grow up day’ at school, my daughter dressed as a mayor. This gave me hope that, in part because of my story, little girls around the area see this position as something they too could achieve.” 

As a proactive leader, Laurin has made noticeable positive contributions in her short time as mayor. When asked what she’s most proud of, she gushed about helping the workers who keep Cookeville running. 

“The thing that I’m most proud of is that we have been able to raise our city employee salaries,” she stated. “We (city council) want our employees to know they are valued. We’re looking to not only recruit, but retain the incredibly valuable employees we already have. And, this is not a one-time decision, we’ve committed to keep that salary raise moving forward within budget. I’m really proud of this.” 

To conclude our interview, I asked Laurin what she would most like to say to the people of Cookeville. She didn’t hesitate in relaying her continued commitment to doing her best for the city she is proud to call home.

“I am a community servant. I am here to serve the needs of the citizens and city of Cookeville.”

“I’m doing this because I want Cookeville to continue to be a place where I’m proud to raise my kids. 

“I want to see them call this home like I have. I want any Cookeville family or those moving here or starting a business to feel welcome.” Laurin continued, “I want to help preserve that small-town, family-friendly atmosphere while still creating opportunities. I want to keep us on the path of planning strategic growth while taking care of our local economy and local businesses. I love Cookeville more every day. I am human, I’ll mess up at times, but always know that any decision I’m making is with the best interest of Cookeville in mind.”

– by Andrew Buckner, photos by Cris Stroud