RALEIGH — Kannapolis Mayor Darrell Hinnant will serve on the new Advancing Municipal Leaders Advisory Committee of the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM), tasked with designing leadership training and professional development opportunities for municipal elected officials during their time in office.  

In this role, Hinnant joins municipal leaders from across the state to identify the most pressing issues facing cities and towns and design learning opportunities for elected officials so they can address challenges and lead their hometowns effectively.

“I am honored to serve on the Advancing Municipal Leaders Advisory Committee. Through our efforts, my fellow municipal elected officials will have access to timely, practical and affordable education that we can use back at home,” said Hinnant.

The Advancing Municipal Leaders (AML) program is a dedicated course of study for elected leaders, covering a range of topics that are relevant, continuous, affordable and accessible. Today’s municipal leaders face bigger and more complex challenges than ever before, and effectively addressing these issues requires targeted and continuous training and skill-building. Two AML courses are available: the New Mayors’ School and the Newly Elected Officials’ Academy. 

“The world of municipal government continues to change and become more complex,” said Paul Meyer, NCLM executive director. “Staying ahead means not only being educated on the fundamentals, but also understanding a vast number of evolving municipal topics and issues. And doing it all in an affordable, accessible and practical way. It requires thinking differently. We are proud of this program and grateful to our leaders for serving on its Advisory Council.”

Joining Hinnant on the council are: 

• Mayor Pro Tem Sharon Harker, Beaufort, chair
• Mayor P.J. Connelly, Greenville, vice chair
• Mayor Brenda Bozeman, Leland
• Council member DeDreana Freeman, Durham
• Mayor Vivian Jones, Wake Forest
• Manager Anne-Marie Knighton, Edenton
• Mayor Costi Kutteh, Statesville
• Mayor Steve Little, Marion
• Council member Nicole Stewart, Raleigh

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is a member-driven organization representing the interests of cities and towns in the state.

For more information, visit www.nclm.org.