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Cohort 1

Jurisdiction: Fairmont

University: Appalachian State

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Ryan Fenton served as fellow for the Town of Fairmont, where he worked closely with FEMA, the state’s Sheltering Temporary and Essential Power (STEP) program, and NC Rebuild to help the town and its citizens recover from Hurricanes Mathew and Florence. His work contributed to the receipt of over $1 million in FEMA assistance funds for the Town to repair and rebuild infrastructure. Fenton also assisted on multiple Community Development Block Grants and helped plan for the upcoming census. During his fellowship, Fenton served as assistant code enforcement officer and joined the Fairmont City Fire Department.

Fenton attended Central Piedmont Community College and Appalachian State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in international and comparative politics with minors in Africana studies and history. While at Appalachian State, Fenton was president of the International Relations Association and treasurer of the National Association for Business Economics.

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The first cohort of Lead for North Carolina Fellows made a splash in communities across the state, launching meaningful projects with real-world impact.

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Fellow Nick Boyd’s work with the Community Rating System program earned recognition for reducing flood insurance premiums for county homeowners.

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The UNC School of Government furthers its commitment to serving North Carolina’s local governments through a course taught by William Rivenbark and Rebecca Badgett.

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