Meet State Representative Darren Jernigan

Darren Jernigan was born on Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1969 while his father served during the conflict in Vietnam. The family moved back home to Tennessee six months later and has been in the Hermitage/Old Hickory area since 1979.

Darren grew up all over District 60 and has been a resident here for over 40 years. He attended Dodson Elementary in Hermitage before transferring to DuPont Elementary in Old Hickory in 1981. Darren continued through the public school system attending DuPont Hadley and DuPont High School until it closed, and graduating the 2nd class from Hunters Lane High School in 1988. Darren's higher education continued at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN.

During his sophomore year at Austin Peay, Darren was injured in an automobile accident while riding in the backseat leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. After two years of rehabilitation he returned to Austin Peay and finished his education receiving a Bachelor of Science degree double majoring in Political Science and Public Relations. In December of 1994 Darren was accepted to the Center for Cooperative Studies in Britain where he studied International Health Care Reform in London, England.

Upon graduation from Austin Peay, Darren moved to Washington D.C. to learn the mechanics of government working at the US Department of State and Congress. In 1997, Darren returned home to begin work on his Masters' Degree at Middle Tennessee State University. While attending school he worked at the Veterans Administration in the Office of Public Affairs. Darren received his Masters' Degree in Criminal Justice in May of 2000.

In 2001, Darren was appointed Commissioner of the Old Hickory Utility District where he served for six years. In 2002, Darren was elected as the Metro Davidson County Democratic Committeeman for District 11.

In 2007, he was elected to the Metro Nashville Davidson County Council representing the Hermitage and Old Hickory area for District 11. He was re-elected to the Council in 2011.

In 2012, the State House District lines were re-drawn and Darren ran for a seat to serve in the Tennessee State House of Representatives for District 60 to represent the Donelson, Hermitage and Old Hickory areas. He has served for four consecutive terms and is currently serving as chairman of the property and casualty insurance committee and is a member of the Health, Insurance, Fiscal Review committees and the Mental Health and Substance Abuse sub-committee.

Darren is married to Michelle Morse Jernigan with four children, Harris, Elise, Amanda Lee and Claire, ranging in ages from 17 to 23. All four children either graduated or are proud students within the Nashville public school system. Three of their children graduated McGavock High School and one is a rising Senior at McGavock now. Two have graduated from the UT system in Knoxville and Chattanooga. One is currently a sophomore at UT Knoxville. The family are members of the Hermitage Church of the Nazarene.

Darren does not consider himself a "politician". He is proud to serve his community and considers himself a public servant. He focuses on constituent services and works to improve the community, state services and lives of the residents of District 60.