Photo by Rutherford Photography
New Mobility magazine, a national publication that encourages the integration of active-lifestyle wheelchair users into mainstream society, has named newly-elected Tennessee State Representative Darren Jernigan as its Person of the Year. Jernigan serves on the Advisory Board for the Belmont University School of Occupational Therapy.
In November, Jernigan defeated incumbent state representative Jim Gotto for a seat in the Tennessee state legislature. Since 2007 he has been a Nashville city councilman, winning re-election in 2011 with 77 percent of the vote. Jernigan is employed as director of government affairs at Permobil, Inc., an international company with its USA Corporate Offices in Lebanon, Tennessee. Permobil develops and manufactures powered wheelchairs and transport and communication systems for people with functional disabilities.