Gray Jernigan

Gray is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with degrees in Psychology and Environmental Studies. He went on to earn a Juris Doctor and Master’s of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. Upon returning home to North Carolina, he practiced law with a small private firm before serving as Staff Attorney & Communications Coordinator for Waterkeeper Alliance in Raleigh. Gray joined MountainTrue in 2016 as Southern Regional Director based in our Hendersonville office. A year later, he founded the Green Riverkeeper program and assumed that title in addition to his regional director duties. In 2022, Gray moved into a new role as Central Regional Director based in our Asheville office, and in 2023 assumed the role of Deputy Director & General Counsel, where he oversees regional and programmatic goals of the organization across its entire service area. He also leads MountainTrue’s Legislative Advocacy and Clean Water programs.