Michelle Young Wins PEP Award

Michelle Young, safety coordinator for the City of Cookeville, was selected as the Middle Tennessee Excellence in Risk Management Award winner. Michelle began her employment with Cookeville in July 2005, was promoted to a position within the Human Resources Department in April 2008, and took on additional responsibilities within the department in 2011. 

Although Michelle had already become acquainted during these years with the tasks associated with risk management and loss control, she continued to learn and find new ways to implement risk management practices for the city’s employees. She became a key participant in the development of the City of Cookeville’s accident review board and also served as the city’s liaison with PEP’s workers’ compensation representative. 

In 2020, Michelle was promoted to the position of safety coordinator for the City of Cookeville. As a result, her participation in PRIMA and TnPRIMA increased significantly. In her current role, Michelle is tasked with chairing the city’s accident review board, managing all grant opportunities provided by PEP and other entities, ensuring that the city operates within TOSHA regulations, and arranging for annual/required safety-related training for all city employees.

Michelle recently volunteered for a significant new task — becoming a certified driving instructor through the National Safety Council. After seeing the need for remedial driver training for current employees, as well as training for newly hired employees tasked with driving city-owned vehicles, she applied for a PEP grant to fund her course. Michelle was awarded the grant, subsequently completed the course and was awarded her certification. She has been providing driver training on a quarterly basis to Cookeville employees. The APD Loss Ratio in 20/21 was 147% and was reduced to just 15% in 21/22. 

Michelle’s completion of the drivers’ instructor course is just one example of her forward-thinking ideas to minimize risks for the city and its employees. She also serves as the executive secretary for TnPRIMA. In addition, she has earned the trust and admiration of the 483 full-time and 90 part-time city employees she tirelessly serves, and strives to minimize their risk of accidents and injuries.