Lead for North Carolina (LFNC) Executive Director Dylan Russell was honored with the 2020 Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award at a virtual ceremony on April 24, 2020. The Carolina Center for Public Service selected Russell as a recipient based on his work co-founding and directing the LFNC program through its inaugural year.

It was the week that felt like a year.

By March 9–13, the UNC-Chapel Hill community was bracing for local impacts from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As the University issued ongoing guidance to campus leaders and employees, every day forced a new set of decisions and determinations. Cancellations, building closures, and work-from-home orders began to flow into inboxes and social media feeds.

Lead for North Carolina (LFNC) is generating real-world impact in North Carolina’s communities. By placing promising young leaders in paid local government fellowships across the state, the program is helping to create the next generation of public servants.

This story was featured in the Winter 2020 issue of Coates Connection, a publication of the School of Government.

On January 17-18, 2020, Lead for North Carolina (LFNC) Fellows and representatives from their host governments convened in Chapel Hill for a winter training on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for our state’s local governments. The two-day event is part of LFNC’s ongoing efforts to provide training and growth opportunities for Fellows and jurisdictions participating in the program.