Rutherford County Youth Services Bids Happy Retirement to Director Teena Bigbee

Rutherford County Youth Services Director Teena Bigbee retired this month after giving 30 years of service to the Rutherford County community. 

Bigbee reflected over her career and the clients she served.    

“Looking back on 30 years with Rutherford County Youth Services I am honestly grateful,” Bigbee said. “Grateful for colleagues who became like family and carried me through the difficult days. Grateful for every young person who let us be a part of their story-they taught me far more than I ever taught them. This work has been the honor of my life”.

Todd Savage has been promoted to the Director for the department.  

Savage is a lifelong Rutherford County resident.  He graduated from Oakland high school and received a Bachelor of Social Work from MTSU.  He’s been with the department for 28 years, starting his career as a Youth Services Officer in 1997.  Savage was promoted to Assistant Director in 2004.  Savage lives in Rockvale with his wife Melinda. 

 “I am deeply thankful for this new opportunity and look forward to leading the department in serving the families and children who come within the jurisdiction of Juvenile Court,” Savage said.  “ I am also deeply thankful to have an incredible staff already in place. It makes the transition to Director so much easier. Our former director Teena Bigbee will be greatly missed. Her 21 years of dedicated leadership as our director have set a remarkable standard of excellence, and it is my goal to lead this department with the same level of integrity and dedication that she demonstrated throughout her tenure.”

Mayor Joe Carr is thankful for Bigbee’s service. 

“Teena has been the heart of the department as at risk youth are guided into better life choices,” Carr said. “Rutherford County will miss her.  I wish her and her family well in this new chapter in life.  I’m confident Todd will continue to provide exemplary service to the community.”

The mission of Youth Services is to carry out orders and directives handed down by the Juvenile Court Judge and Magistrates. The department supervises youth placed on probation, coordinates public service work, implements crisis intervention, and makes referrals to various community agencies to provide services needed for unruly and delinquent youth.

More information about the department can be found at https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/youth-services.