Chamber Staff Profiles
Aaron Nelson, President and CEO | email
Aaron Nelson has been the CEO of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce
since 2001 and was appointed Executive Director of the Chamber’s partner,
the Foundation for a Sustainable Community upon its creation in 2004. Aaron
currently serves on the Board of Directors of The ArtsCenter and The Carolina
Club, the Steering Committee of the Regional Transportation Alliance, the
Advisory Board of Small Business and Technology Development Center and the
Board of Regents of the Northeast Institute for Organization Management. Aaron
is a 1997 graduate of UNC Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
where he also served as Student Body President. Prior to his service with
the Chamber, Aaron worked at UNC Chapel Hill holding several appointments
including Special Assistant to the Chancellor and Coordinator of Local Relations.
Aaron has been a resident of the Triangle since 1982 and lives in Chapel Hill
with his wife Sonja, son Maxwell Isaiah and daughter Atlee Elizabeth.
Meg Branson, Programs and Communications Manager |
email
Meg came to the Chamber as member relations intern in 2006 while completing
her degree in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating in 2007, Meg joined the Chamber
staff full time. She manages the Chamber’s publications – an annual
magazine, map and dining guide, and a monthly newsletter – and is responsible
for maintaining member relations and coordinating membership program and services
with Tracy Hager.
Tracy Hager, Vice President | email
Tracy joined the Chamber in April 2004 after working in community development
and outreach for a local nonprofit. Tracy graduated from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.
She has also received a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University,
is a graduate of Leadership Chapel Hill-Carrboro and is working on a certification
in organizational management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As Vice President,
Tracy is responsible for maintaining member relations and coordinating all
membership programs and services. Tracy works closely with the Chamber staff,
ambassadors and membership services committee to enhance the value of your
Chamber membership.
Rita Leadem, Consultant | email
After applying her experience to promote and develop the community development
projects of the Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation for a Sustainable Community
for over a year, Rita has created Leadem Consulting - Creating Sustainable
Solutions. She is now responsible for producing specific Foundation events
and programs relating to community sustainability and continuing development
of the Certified Sustainable Enterprise metric.
Adam Klein, Director of Government Relations and Community Development
| email
Adam came to the Chamber in August of 2007 after receiving his Masters from
UNC in Regional Planning, focusing on economic development. Adam has work
experience in the environmental field and sustainable business development
as well as research experience with small town economic development strategies.
His Masters Project, titled “Environmentally Accountable Economic Development”,
examines two communities and their path toward job creation and environmental
protection. A graduate of Denison University, Adam was a two-time Academic
All-American in golf and an Environmental Studies program senior fellow. In
his spare time, Adam enjoys spending time with his new wife Manda, as well
as reading, golfing and serving in the local community.
Anne McKune, Director, Institute for Sustainable Development
| email
Anne moved to Chapel Hill from Kentucky to complete a Masters in Social Work
at UNC and graduated in 2007 with a concentration in community practice and
a certificate in international development. A 2001 graduate of the University
of Richmond with a Bachelor of Arts in French and International Studies, Anne’s
personal and professional interests led her overseas, where she has worked
in development in West Africa and Central and South America. Anne joined the
Foundation in 2006 as a program assistant and, in August of 2007, began work
as the associate director of the new Institute for Sustainable Development.
Kimberly Pfirrmann, Foundation Program Assistant
| email
Kimberly is a Masters student from the School of Social Work at UNC. After
receiving her BSW from the University of Texas at Austin, Kimberly served
as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Austin. In 2005, Kimberly moved to North Carolina
to work at a small non-profit in the Triangle. Since joining the Foundation,
Kimberly has been working on Leadership, the Business in Education Partnership,
and the State of the Community Report.
Caroline Poole, Associate Director, Foundation for a Sustainable
Community | email
Caroline focuses on resource development, communications and key program management
and delivery for the Foundation. She has a Masters in Public Health (2007)
and a Bachelors degree in International Relations (1998 - Phi Beta Kappa)
from UNC Chapel Hill. Caroline played a leadership role in the non-profit
startup Touch Foundation (at McKinsey and Co. in New York), was a Peace Corps
volunteer in Togo, West Africa, worked for an internet marketing firm, and
served as the community development coordinator for the Orange County Partnership
for Young Children.
Randy Schmidt, Information Systems Manager | email
Randy came to the Chamber after moving to the area in 2003. As Information
Systems Manager, Randy supervises the membership database, Chamber finances,
and technology, website, and facilities management.