I was born and raised in Charlotte and have watched it grow from a small southern city into a large city rich with diversity. I grew up on Central Avenue in what is now Charlotte City Council District One. In fact, I have lived most of my life either in District One or directly across the street from it.
I have three children and three grandchildren and it goes without saying they are all the lights of my life. I am a member of Myers Park Baptist Church and sing in the choir, however I worship at different churches in the district throughout the year.
I graduated from Central High School here in Charlotte and currently work in client relations for LaBella, an engineering and architectural firm.
In the early 1990s I was elected and served as an at-large member of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners for two terms, however, I have been serving this community in many capacities for more than forty years.
I was first elected to the city council in 2003. I currently chair the Council's Environment Committee and am a member of other committees that are important to District One as listed below. I also serve as the City Council Representative to the Discovery Place board and I serve as chair of the Centralina Council of Governments. I continue to serve as a member of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway Action Committee.
In July 2013, I was honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve as Mayor of Charlotte when then-Mayor Anthony Foxx was tapped by President Obama to serve in his cabinet as Secretary of Transportation. As mayor, I stood firm to keep the control of Charlotte's airport in Charlotte.
Current City Council Committees
- Chair, Environment Committee
- Vice Chair, Transportation and Planning Committee
- Member, Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee
- Member, Budget Committee
- Member, Governance and Accountability Committee
Previous City Council Committees
- Chair, Housing and neighborhood Development Committee
- Chair, Government Affairs Committee
- Vice Chair, Community Relations Committee
- Member, Economic Development and Planning
- Member, Restructuring Government
Employment
- Client Relations, LaBella (Previously Pease Associates), currently
- Director of Community Relations, Director of Business Development, Pease Associates, from 1995
- Interim General Manager, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, 1982-1982
- Customer Service Representative, NCNB - now Bank of America, 1964-1969
Community Leadership Positions
- Chair, Board of Trustees, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library
- Chair, Mental Health Association
- President, YWCA Central Carolina
- Chair, Public Safety Committee, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
- Chair, Pacesetters Division, 1996 United Way Campaign
- President, Charlotte Symphony Women's Association
- President, Mecklenburg Historical Association
- Chair, Heart Sunday, American Heart Association
- Chair, Mint Museum Antiques Show
- Chair, Youth Symphony of the Carolinas
- Chair, Criminal Justice Partnership advisory Board
- Secretary, North Carolina Chapter March of Dimes
- Co-Chair, CPCC Foundation, Central High Legacy Campaign
- Co-Chair, Criminal Justice Solutions Task Force
- Chair, International Committee, YMCA of Greater Charlotte
- Chair, Board of Administration, Myers Park Baptist Church
- Vice Chair, Board of Managers, Harris Branch YMCA
- Treasurer, Alexander Graham Junior High PTA
- Founder, Citizens for Preservation, Inc.
- Deacon, Myers Park Baptist Church
Civic Board Memberships
- Discovery Place
- Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
- Board of Advisors, Charlotte Chamber
- Levine Museum of the New South
- March of Dimes, Greater Piedmont Chapter
- United Family Services
- Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
- Myers Park Elementary School PTA
- Charlotte City Ballet
- Friends of Music at Queens College
- Berryhill Preservation, Inc.
- Arts & Science Council
- Charlotte Center City Partners
Political Activities
- President, Women in Municipal Government, National League of Cities, 2016 - present
- President-Elect, Women in Municipal Government, National League of Cities, 2015 - 2016
- Chair, Transportation and Infrastructure Services Steering Committee, National League of Cities, 2013-2014
- Secretary, National Democratic Municipal Officials, 2014 - present
- Board Member, North Carolina League of Municipalities, 2013 - 2016
- President-Elect, Centralina Council of Governments, 2015-2017
- Secretary, Centralina Council of Governments, 2012 - 2015
- District 1 Representative, Charlotte City Council, 2013 - present
- Mayor of Charlotte, July 2013 - December 2013
- District 1 Representative, Charlotte City Council, 2003 - 2013
- At-Large Member, Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners, 1990 -1994; Vice Chair, 1992 - 1994
- Board Member, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners
- Executive Committee, Centralina Council of Governments (as a county commissioner)
- Human Services and Education Steering Committee, National Association of Counties
- North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force
- Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
- Mecklenburg County Alliance for Excellence in the Justice System
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Landmarks Commission
- City of Charlotte Historic Districts Commission
*Most recent positions listed first