Meet Jerri
Jerri knows Tennessee values—because she’s lived them.
She’s a mom, a lawyer, a public servant, and a proud Democrat who gets things done–and she’s running to be your next Governor of Tennessee. She’s fought her entire career for working people and families helping guarantee wages families can actually live on, creating programs to reduce violent crime and gun theft, and increasing healthcare access through pioneering an at-home HIV test program and funding for Black midwives.
She knows from firsthand experience how hard it is for working families to get by. That’s why she’ll fight to make government serve everyone, not just the powerful and ultra wealthy. She’s fighting for change you can feel at your kitchen table.
Early Life & Education
Born and raised in Memphis, Jerri is a proud alumna of White Station High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center and returned home to begin her career as a juvenile public defender in Nashville.
Legal & Advocacy Career
Jerri is an attorney whose experience spans public defense, human rights work, and legal education.
Jerri’s dedicated herself to public service and served as Executive Director of the Community Legal Center, where she helped provide legal services to people in Memphis who otherwise couldn’t have afforded it. She also served Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris as Senior Policy Advisor and now as Deputy Chief of Staff where she helps advance issues like public safety, women’s health, and living wages.
Jerri now serves District 2 on the Memphis City Council. In her role as a public servant, Jerri has increased funding for first responders, pushed legislation to crack down on neglectful landlords, put more kids in pre-K and youth programming, and reduced violent crime by getting guns off our streets.
Proven Leadership That Delivers
In her time in public service, Jerri has:
Public Safety and Crime Reduction:
- Helped create expanded benefits for homeland security personnel and police officers, including recognizing PTSD as a qualification for OJI
- Increased funding for first responders, including police officers and firefighters
- Started programs to make jobs more accessible to ex-offenders to help reduce crime
- Launched Tennessee’s first free gun lock-by-mail program, decreasing guns stolen from cars by more than 20% and leading to reductions in violent crime
- Fought to keep gun referendums on the local ballot to give citizens a voice
- Worked with law enforcement on new training to better support individuals with disabilities like autism
Healthcare and Public Health:
- Improved health outcomes by helping to start first free HIV testing kit by mail program
- Helped start first IVF program for Shelby County Government employees
- Improved maternal health care by funding Black midwife fellows
- Increased funding to feed seniors at city centers
- Sponsored resolution to fund youth mental health supports
Support for Living Wages:
- Fought to make sure city retirees received cost of living bonuses in budget
- Voted in support of unions across the board
- Raised wages for Shelby County employees to a real living wage
Government Efficiency and Fiscal Responsibility:
- Eliminated wasteful spending in city budgets
- Voted against increased taxes
- Sponsored new Blight Ordinance to better attack out of town and neglectful landlords and get them to pay for city services
- Created ticket amnesty program to recoup fines for unpaid tickets
- Passed resolutions requiring detailed budget reports from local utility and transportation spending
Education and Youth:
- Advocated and won financial support to increase pre-K classes in Memphis
- Sponsored resolution to fund youth mental health supports
- Funded youth arts programming, mentoring, and summer camps through council grants
Social Justice and Support for Marginalized Groups:
- Championed a resolution to support more quality affordable housing for the LGBTQ community
- Worked to support Afghan refugee families settling in Shelby County after serving our country in wartime
- Addressed hundreds of constituent calls for assistance
- Assisted in securing funds for homeless shelters and wrap-around services
Disability and Accessibility:
- Helped with funding ramps for houses of disabled persons
- Worked with law enforcement on new training to better support individuals with disabilities like autism
- Designed first nursing room for public use in city hall so mothers can participate in government more easily
Personal Life and Community Involvement
Beyond her professional endeavors, Jerri is deeply involved in her community. She served as President of the Democratic Women of Shelby County and held board positions with Habitat for Humanity of Memphis, Girls Inc. of Memphis, the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County, and the Overton Shell. She was also the statewide election lead for the Tennessee Moms Demand Action Chapter. Green is married to Patrick, and together they have three children: Beau, Vivienne, and Wilder.
Why She’s Running
Tennessee families are being left behind by extremist, out-of-touch leadership. Jerri’s stepping up to:
- Support working families
- Fully fund public schools
- Expand access to healthcare
- Protect fundamental freedoms
Tennessee deserves: Empathy in leadership. Accountability in government. Backbone to fight for what’s right.
She’s not here to play politics—she’s here to build something better for all Tennesseans.
