As the Catawba Riverkeeper since 2018, Brandon Jones strives to protect the Catawba-Wateree River basin. He focuses on threats to clean water, including monitoring and addressing coal ash issues and permitted pollution discharges, stormwater runoff, concentrated animal feeding operations, and preventing waterborne diseases. He’s the foundation’s chief scientist and advocate, responsible for coordinating testing, sampling, research, and legislative initiatives. He holds a BA in economics from UNC-Chapel Hill and received his M.S. in Earth Science from UNC Charlotte; his studies focused on hydrology, specifically water chemistry. A Gaston County native, Brandon spends his free time as an avid whitewater paddler, river guide, disc golfer.