Jay Leutze is a trustee for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, a land trust in North Carolina and Tennessee that has protected over 50,000 acres of land between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Highlands of Roan. In addition to his duties as trustee he advises the land trust on state and federal land acquisition, including the 10,000 acre Rocky Fork tract, one of the highest priorities for acquisition by the US Forest Service. He has testified before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations on the need for a fully funded LWCF. He crafted the legislation establishing North Carolina's Mountain Resources Commission and his work led to the creation of the Yellow Mountain State Natural Area. He is a founding trustee of Muddy Sneakers, an outdoor education program teaching the 5th grade NC science curriculum outside on public lands. He earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina.
