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Cohort 4

Jurisdiction: Foothills Regional COG

University: UNC-Chapel Hill

Hometown: Concord, NC

Izzy Norman served her fellowship with the Foothills Regional Commission, covering Cleveland, McDowell, Polk, and Rutherford Counties. four digital inclusion plans for each county within the Commission and assisted in the preparation of a farmland protection plan for Rutherford County. Her contributions extended to the creation of the Forest City Land Use Plan, which had a significant impact on regional planning efforts. Norman’s collaborative efforts saved the Commission $120,000 through her work on long-range planning initiatives within the region.

Norman graduated with highest honors from UNC-Chapel Hill, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She also spent a semester abroad studying food, sustainability, and the environment at the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy. Norman gained valuable experience as a summer intern at the Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

September 22, 2025

In Clayton, numbers show how resources support services and meet residents’ needs. Each figure in the budget provides insight into how departments operate and how programs are funded, creating a…

July 25, 2025

By Andy Bradshaw The School of Government is pleased to share the continued work of Lead for North Carolina Fellows. As the western region of the state continues to respond to the…

June 18, 2025

In August 2024, Paloma Garcia-Serrano stepped into the Foothills Regional Commission for her first day of work as a Lead for North Carolina Fellow. Lead for NC is a leadership development program…

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