As executive director and riverkeeper of Coosa River Basin Initiative, Jesse Demonbreun-Chapman advocates for the protection of and access to local waterways, putting his Berry biology degree to work in ways that ripple throughout Northwest Georgia and beyond.
Since 2016, his work has focused on preserving public access to the river system, one of the most biologically diverse in North America, while educating and engaging the public in its protection. Utilizing diverse funding sources, he has won financial support for varied projects across the region that expand recreational opportunities and protect threatened and endangered species. Other efforts have expanded monitoring of E. coli and forever chemicals in local waterways.
Jesse also spearheaded a six-year campaign that led to a statewide constitutional amendment ensuring that funds from landfill tipping fees and new tire fees support environmental cleanup across Georgia. His partnership with the Southern Environmental Law Center led to a lawsuit against the City of Calhoun over PFAS pollution. The resulting settlement called for changes to the city's wastewater treatment program, drinking-water system upgrades and remedies for qualifying residents whose wells were contaminated.
Berry environmental studies faculty member Dr. Brian Campbell lauded Jesse's impact: "He has dedicated his life to being a servant leader, a vocation that definitely emerged through his time as a student at Berry College."
A Bonner Scholar at Berry who volunteered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia, Jesse has continued that commitment to service through his professional work and his connection with students. After graduation, he worked with World Relief and the Boys and Girls Clubs before moving into riverkeeper work. He has mentored at least one protégé a year since 2019 and regularly lectures at Berry on emerging pollutant threats and environmental policy. The internships he leads provide Berry students with hands-on professional experience in the environmental sector.
