Leadership 2025
Building
Community Leaders
From the far eastern coastline to the mountains of western North Carolina, leadership development through the Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI) and Homegrown Leaders (HGL) has been shaping rural changemakers and strengthening communities across the state. These programs bring together diverse voices from rural towns and counties, offering training that not only builds skills but also deepens connections among leaders committed to advancing their regions. REDI and HGL provide enduring impact, equipping rural leaders to travel back to their communities with renewed purpose, stronger skills, and a collective vision for a more resilient North Carolina.
Key Leadership Metrics
1,749
Total number of Rural Center leadership alumni
80
Homegrown Leader Graduates in 2024-25
31
REDI graduates in 2024
3,460
Total Leadership Training Hours
Alumni Impact
The NC Rural Center has graduated more than 1,700 community champions from our leadership programs dating back to the founding of the Rural Economic Development Institute in 1989. This year, the Rural Center hosted three-day Homegrown Leaders trainings in Kinston, Albemarle, and Gaston in addition to our three-month REDI program in Raleigh. Our leadership alumni play key roles in economic development, education, nonprofits, and business. Visit our Alumni Network database to see who in your community has trained with us. Our alumni highlighted this year include David Jackson, president and CEO of the Boone Chamber of Commerce and a key player in the recovery from Hurricane Helene. We also featured foster care advocate Tisha Nicholson, nonprofit leader Nakiya Smith, and Pastor Jamie Thompson and her work with unhoused people in southeastern North Carolina.
