Gwen McKenzie - 6th District
3513 Riverview Dr
Knoxville, TN  37914
Phone: 865-438-4551
[email protected]
Term ends: December 2025

Gwen McKenzie was elected as City Councilwoman for the 6th District on November 7, 2017 and was sworn in on December 16, 2017. She was reelected in 2021 for another four year term and sworn in on December 18, 2021.

Gwen was selected as the First African-American Woman to serve as Vice Mayor in December 2019 and she served through December 2021.

Gwen McKenzie is a lifelong resident of the 6th District and has been active in the community for many years. 

Gwen’s passion for service and equality was instilled in her by her parents the late Woodrow Z. Wilson (first Executive Director of the Knoxville Area Urban League and Civil Rights Activist) and the late Dora C. Wilson (retired school teacher and community volunteer).  Gwen and her husband Sam have a total of 6 children and 1 dog (Lucky) she lives in East Knoxville and attends Foster Chapel Baptist Church. 

Gwen has volunteered with various organizations to include:

• Second Harvest Food Bank
• Habitat For Humanity
• Mission Of Hope
• The Love Kitchen
• Crutcher Youth Enrichment Center
• Knoxville Area Urban League
• National Achiever’s Society
• Shoes for School 
• Read and Rise
• Project Ready Program

Gwen is a member of the Knoxville Links, Incorporated and Town Hall East. She currently serves on the Knoxville Area Urban League Board and Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners.  She is a former board member of Knoxville Botanical Gardens, Girl Talk, Inc., and Tanasi Girl Scout Council. 

Awards and Recognition: Home Federal Bank Hometown Hero and CVS National Paragon Award