Rowan County Chamber of Commerce

SALISBURY — Donnie Charleston will be the keynote speaker at the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce’s Power in Partnership (PIP) breakfast and Leadership Rowan graduation at 7:30 a.m. May 17 at Trinity Oaks, 728 Klumac Road.

Charleston is a native of Rowan County and spoke at the Growing Rowan kickoff in June 2017.

Duke Energy is the sponsor of the May breakfast.

Charleston is director of state and local fiscal policy engagement at the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute.

His work focuses on translating research for decision makers and translating the needs and priorities of state policymakers for Urban’s researchers, especially for Urban’s State and Local Finance Initiative in its Tax Policy Center. This program helps state and local policymakers improve their budget processes to meet the challenges of today’s economy.

Charleston also works with other Urban initiatives as the organization seeks to innovate its engagement protocols and approaches.

Charleston has extensive experience in state and local government. He previously worked in the North Carolina legislature and with local government agencies, including the North Carolina Association of Counties.

On the research front, he was the assistant director for a university research institute and an economic policy manager at the North Carolina State University Institute for Emerging Issues.

Charleston holds a bachelor’s degrees in sociology and psychology and a master’s degree in sociology. His doctoral work at North Carolina State University focused on economic sociology and industrial and organizational sociology.

This is the last PIP breakfast in the 2017-18 series. The program will take a break in the summer and resume in September 2018.

If you are not a Power Card holder, individual reservations are welcome; however, the reservation deadline is May 15 at 5 p.m.

The cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. The price includes the cost of breakfast and the program.

Contact the chamber for information on reservations or sponsorship opportunities at 704-633-4221 or info@rowanchamber.com.