About Mavis.

Mavis is a self described “death and dirt” attorney and conservation professional with nearly two decades of experience in real estate, conflict resolution, estate planning, and probate.

An heirs property owner herself, Mavis’ mission is to empower families to maintain and optimize ownership of real estate for intergenerational wealth resiliency and growth. Drawing from her personal and legal experience, she founded the Gragg Law Firm, PLLC in which she assisted her clients in estate planning, estate administration, and heirs property matters. This experience led her to explore innovative strategies and tools that aid problem solving and growth opportunities for family real estate ownership. In her role at the American Forest Foundation, she serves as the Director of the Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Project— a program that supports African American Family Forest owners throughout the southeastern United States. She also founded HeirShares, which is building groundbreaking technology to facilitate affordable solutions for family real estate ownership.

Mavis was honored to be appointed to the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority in 2019 and later as Chair by Governor Roy Cooper. The Authority is the state board charged with allocating funds for state parks capital projects, repairs, and renovations of facilities, and land acquisition and to local governments for parks, public beach access, and improvements in state parks. She is also past board chair of Triangle Land Conservancy.

Mavis is passionate about education and art. She and her sister founded Black Women Drone and the Gragg Family Fund, which supports minority students in attending college and traveling abroad. She also serves on the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation Board and is co-founder of Pop Box Gallery.

A native of Black Mountain, North Carolina, Mavis is an alumna of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., Industrial Relations) and Pepperdine University School of Law (Juris Doctor and Master of Dispute Resolution).

CEO and Co-Founder, HeirShares

Director, Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Project

Host and Founder, Legal Sips

Chairperson, North Carolina State Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Authority

Member, Triangle Land Conservancy Good Ground Initiative Advisory Board and Former Board Chair

Member, Land Trust Alliance Conservation Defense Advisory Council

Co-Founder, Conservationists of Color

Co-Founder, Black Women Drone

Co-Founder, Pop Box Gallery

Host and Founder, Meet the Artist

Member, North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation Board

Member, Nasher Museum Friends’ Advisory Board

Co-Founder, Black Girl Basel

Co-Founder, The Gragg Family Fund

Co-Founder, Black Women Drone