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Democracy North Carolina: Executive Leadership Team
Impact Search Advisors by Nonprofit HR is proud to have partnered with Democracy North Carolina on this search that has successfully closed. Adrienne Kelly and Cheryl Carter were selected for the position.
Cheryl Carter has been Democracy NC’s Organizing Director since 2014 and has spent nearly 30 years in the organizing and activism world, advocating for racial justice and the dismantling of oppressive systems that impede collective liberation. Prior to joining Democracy NC, Carter taught in the public school system and worked in human services, where she saw the plight of those who were disenfranchised and committed her career to advocating for and working alongside marginalized people. She ascended through the ranks at Organizing for America/Action, starting as a volunteer and moving up to State Coordinator, where she led staff and volunteers across North Carolina. Carter’s contributions furthered OFA’s efforts in healthcare, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, climate change, women’s rights, minimum wage and Medicaid expansion. Carter has worked with The Women’s Center in Raleigh, Southern Wake Concerned Citizens and the NC Association of Educators, and is currently on the NCVCE and Our Voices of Change boards. Carter is a mother of three amazing humans and is a proud alumna of the University of Virginia, holding a BA in Sociology.
Adrienne Kelly has been Democracy NC’s Operations Director since 2018. Adrienne entered the nonprofit sector after working for IBM and Hewlett-Packard companies, and then owning a telecommunications business for two decades. Prior to her current position, she was Chief Operations Officer for an education nonprofit and has volunteered in numerous capacities for Wake County public schools as an advocate for public education. A long-time supporter of the arts, she has served as a volunteer and board member for United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County and for Raleigh Little Theatre. Active in grassroots organizations, Kelly has been a defender of voter education and advocacy, women’s rights and other issues that impact disenfranchised populations. She has been recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners, Greater Raleigh Chamber, YWCA Academy of Women, Wesleyan University, and others for her leadership, advocacy and community service. Adrienne has a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and an MBA from Harvard University. Read more about Adrienne and Cheryl.