How did the App State MPA Program prepare you for your current position?
Economic development and community building have been at the center of my career since graduating from the MPA Program at App State, both as a county employee, as the leader of economic development organizations and programs and now as the CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. In each of these roles, the public service foundation I obtained at App State not only prepared me for the roles I held immediately after graduate school, but also for the work I do today with public sector, non-profit, education and private sector partners to promote economic development, job creation and investment in Raleigh, Wake County and the Research Triangle Region.
What do you enjoy most about your field of work?
I love that no day is the same and that I get to work across a wide array of organizations - public, private and non-profit - to move important initiatives forward in the communities where I have worked. The opportunity to collaborate and to contribute to the economic success of the region and state, helping to position us for success now and in the future and solving the challenges we see on the horizon is a privilege and keeps me energized.
What is the best piece of advice you can offer to current or prospective MPA students?
Be open to opportunity. You may not know exactly what role you’ll be in after graduate school, but be open. I started my career in a small, rural county in eastern North Carolina and it was one of the best decisions I could have made. I learned a lot and gained great experience and I still use those skills today. I took the foundation built at the MPA program at App State and built on that with other professionals in the county where I was working and in the region. Many of those people are still friends and mentors today.