
Wilson Forward Executive Director Cameron Cochran never planned to move to Wilson. In fact, she’d never even been there until 2018.
“Eastern North Carolina was where we drove through and you didn’t stop until you got to the coast,” recalls the Greensboro native. “There was this whole part of our state I had not connected with.”
But after meeting her predecessor Paula Benson – a member of the Rural Center board of directors – everything changed. Cochran learned about Wilson’s initiatives and the willingness of the residents to create and support new ideas. Two months later, she became the associate director of Wilson Forward and put a down payment on a house.
As the daughter of a minister, Cochran grew up seeing how a community prospers with multiple organizations and people working together. Her father also started Peacehaven Farm, an 89-acre community in Whitsett with housing for adults with disabilities. Cochran’s first job at Joseph House, an organization providing end-of-life care to homeless people in Washington, D.C., prepared her for wearing many hats.
“I was doing bed baths, taking one person to get labs and then taking someone else to a methadone clinic, and some grant writing, all in one day,” she recalls.
She also served as the assistant director of the Cline Family Foundation in Charlotte. Cochran graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned her master of business administration degree from Barton College. She’s also a graduate of the Rural Center’s Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI).
“It’s easy to get hyper-focused on your own county when you’re working in rural North Carolina. However, thinking more broadly, across regions or the entire state, is crucial,” she said. “The network REDI provides is priceless — connecting with others who are deeply invested in making communities stronger and better. It’s an opportunity to share ideas, what’s working, what’s not working.”
The Rural Center’s people and resources are constant support as well.
“The Rural Center does an excellent job of bridging the urban-rural divide. They advocate for rural communities while connecting us with resources and partners who help address local needs,” she says. “Whether it’s through providing data, facilitating partnerships, or simply offering a fresh perspective on challenges, the Rural Center is invaluable.”