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School of Government

Lead for North Carolina

Cohort 7

Jurisdiction: Foothills COG

University: UNC Chapel Hill

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Sophie Schaefer is a Lead for North Carolina Fellow for the Foothills Regional Commission. Sophie graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Political Science. She is an Honors Laureate with a background in disability advocacy, sustainable development, and community engagement. She has previous experience in public service working as a policy intern with the Autism Justice Center in Washington, D.C.

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Maria Cuenca-Romero is driven by a genuine desire to give back, turning her passion for public service into meaningful change for the communities she serves. After attaining a bachelor’s degree…

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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…

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