Economic Development Program | UNC Innovation & Entrepreneurship

In March 2021, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Town of Chapel Hill announced the Carolina Economic Development Strategy, a new partnership to revitalize downtown and further economic development in Chapel Hill. The economic development strategy is a top-tier, Chancellor-level initiative and town-gown partnership that will revitalize and create an innovation district in downtown Chapel Hill. The initiative is led by Sheryl Waddell, interim director of economic development, and two committees.

“The Carolina Economic Development Strategy positions us to act as a catalyst to retain, attract and grow more innovation-oriented companies and talent in Chapel Hill and North Carolina.”

Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz

Chancellor’s Economic Development Council

UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz appointed a group of senior University leaders to serve on the Chancellor’s Economic Development Council. The role of the council is to recruit businesses and research entitites with UNC-Chapel Hill affinities and provide a set of servcies and programs that create more opportunities for startups and growth-oriented companies to locate in Chapel Hill.

Doug Rothwell

Chancellor’s Council Chair; Executive-in-Residence for Economic Development

Sheryl Waddell

Director of Economic Development and Innovation Hubs, Innovate Carolina

John Bamforth

Director, Eshelman Institute for Innovation, Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Christopher Clemens

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, UNC-Chapel Hill

Don Hobart

Associate Vice Chancellor for Research

Nate Knuffman

Nooreen McDonald

Department Chair, Thomas Willis Lambeth Distinguished Professor, Director of Carolina Transportation Program, Department of City and Regional Planning

Dana McMahan

Professor of the Practice, Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Mark Meares

Associate Vice Chancellor, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Gordon Merklein

Associate Vice Chancellor for University Real Estate Operations

Tanya Moore

Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus and Community Communications

Tyler Mulligan

Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Term Professor of Public Law and Government, and Director, Development Finance Initiative

David Routh

Vice Chancellor for Development

Taya Jackson Scott

Vice Dean and Interim HR Officer, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Albert Segars

PNC Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Kenan-Flagler Business School

Rick Steinbacher

Senior Associate Athletic Director, Capital Projects and Facilities

Andy Willis

Chief of Staff, UNC Health Care System and UNC School of Medicine

Anna Wu

Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Services

Downtown Together Taskforce

The Chancellor and Mayor of Chapel Hill appointed the task force to develop a strategy for creating a downtown innovation district that will result in retaining and attracting more innovation-oriented busiensses, residents and talent.

About: Economic Development Strategy