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May was Justice & Public Safety Day for Leadership Raleigh! We started out at the Legal Aid of North Carolina, which is actually the third largest law firm in North Carolina. They offer free civil legal services to vulnerable North Carolinians in all 100 counties. Last year they received nearly 400,000 calls and served over 55,000 individuals. Thank you to Ashley H. Campbell, Scheree Gilchrist, and all the employees that educated us and toured us around their facility.
 
Next, we put on our safety vests and hard hats as Barnhill Contracting Company toured the class through 400H, a 20-story, mixed-used tower in downtown Raleigh. The space includes office space, ground-floor retail, and 242 apartments. We were able to walk out on the ninth-floor sky hub, where the pool, fitness center, and lounge will be. 
 
We stopped for a delicious lunch at Centro before heading to Moore Square, where Ambassadors from the Downtown Raleigh Alliance gave us an overview of what they do and how they can help. If you ever forget where you parked, need help finding your way around downtown, want to report suspicious activity, or need dining recommendations, just call them at 919.368.7962.
 
Captain Baker greeted us at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for an informative session that ended with a high-speed chase and PIT maneuver demonstration, followed by two helicopter take-offs! Then we headed to Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP where Chief Stella Patterson, Chief of Raleigh Police Department told us about the priorities of the Raleigh Police Department and their 800 officers, including community engagement, violent crime reduction, and employee wellness and morale.
 
We finished the day with a refreshing drink and plenty of time for networking at Tap Yard Raleigh. Many of us felt so lucky to live in such a gorgeous place where justice and public safety are priorities. Thank you to our class sponsors Wake County Bar Association/Tenth Judicial District Bar and Brady Services.
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Those interested in the Leadership Raleigh program can now apply! Applications are due by June 9, 2023 at 5 p.m. for the Leadership Raleigh Class 47/48.

More than a 1,000 women and men joined us for the 2023 Women’s Leadership Conference presented by PNC, yesterday at the Raleigh Convention Center. Beginning with a poll to engage local leaders and highlight current labor trends, the day was full of interactive and inspiring sessions that helped us all envision our futures and prepared us all to achieve our goals. Breakout sessions included memorable moments with several powerful female leaders and male allies. Look at just a few of the inspirational quotes shared at the event:
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• “Seek opportunities that you may not think are there!” – Emily Gray, Professional Athlete for The NC Courage, in the Courageous Mindset breakout session.
• “Constantly we have to pivot and reevaluate and that’s okay, don’t get hung up on the timeline its not about the when, its about the why.” – Valerie Currin, President and Managing Director of Boon Edam, Inc., in The Art of Actively Managing Your Career breakout session.
• “You should already be talking to leadership about what your goals are and where you want to go…if you are in that conversation hopefully it’s because you raised your hand and want to grow!” – Nadiyra Walker, Head of Drug Product and Finished Goods Manufacturing for FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, in the “Quiet Hiring” breakout session.

​Attendees at this year’s conference also heard from keynote speaker Sally Earnshaw, Managing Director of Culture Change Practice for Gallagher. Sally shared specific tools and expertise to help us “Make It Happen” including the famous Accountability Ladder. She guided attendees through several collaborative prompts that could help them understand not only what they want but also why they want it and which direction to go in for it. If you missed Sally’s presentation you can find some of the data, tools, and expertise she shared in her presentation here.
 
You can also find more quotes, takeaways, and images from the 2023 Women’s Leadership Conference by searching for our social hashtag #RaleighWLC23.

​We are thrilled to share that Raleigh Chamber President and CEO Adrienne Cole has been awarded the TCREW 2023 Impact Award for her significant contributions and achievements in the Triangle’s commercial real estate industry! Watch above as Harvey Schmitt, President Emeritus of the Raleigh Chamber, announces Adrienne’s big win and honors her achievements over the years. You can also learn more in Wake County Economic Development’s latest blog here.
 
Adrienne was also recently named to BusinessNC’s Power List 2023 for Economic Development, a testament to her dedication to the Chamber and the Triangle community. Learn more about her distinguished career and discover Adrienne’s best advice for industry newcomers here.