Gerry Gripper

A native of North Carolina, Gerry Gripper is a member of Ironwood Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, a group convened by Ironwood Mayor Annette Burchell in 2020 to discuss the issues inherent in making the community a more inclusive place that welcomes and embraces diversity.

After earning an undergraduate degree in physical education/education and a Master’s degree in education administration, Gerry worked as a public school physical education teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia, for nearly a decade. He also worked there briefly as a local teachers’ union president, then spent the next 28 years as a manager and field organizer with the National Education Association in Washington, DC. He retired in 2008.

Gerry’s greatest passion is travel. He has visited all seven continents, all 50 states, and 110 countries.