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.
“This is a great honor for Darren,” said Dr. Scott McPhee, Associate Dean in the Belmont University School of Occupational Therapy. “Darren has had long involvement with our School – both as a client and member of our advisory board. Occupational Therapy has long been involved with the community reintegration of clients such as Darren. Becoming advocates for those who have special needs is central to what we teach our students as well as experience in our daily practices. Darren provides deep insights to what this means and serves as a role model for many.”
Jernigan has degrees in political science and public relations and studied International Health Care reform abroad in London, England. He began his career in Washington D.C. as a security specialist with the US Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security. In 1996, he relocated to Capitol Hill to work in the House of Representatives and later in public relations at the Veterans Administration. Jernigan has been in a wheelchair for over 20 years after sustaining a spinal cord injury in an automobile accident.
Jernigan’s honor is accompanied by a feature story in the January issue of New Mobility.