RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) today announced that Greenville Mayor P.J. Connelly will serve on its new Advancing Municipal Leaders Advisory Committee, tasked with designing leadership training and professional development opportunities for municipal elected officials throughout their time in office. 

In this role, Connelly joins municipal leaders from across the state to identify the most pressing issues facing cities and towns and design learning opportunities for elected officials so they can address challenges and lead their hometowns effectively. “I am honored to serve on the Advancing Municipal Leaders Advisory Committee. Through our efforts, my fellow municipal elected officials will have access to timely, practical and affordable education that we can use back at home,” said Connelly.

The Advancing Municipal Leaders (AML) program is a dedicated course of study for elected leaders, covering a range of topics that are relevant, continuous, affordable, and accessible. Today’s municipal leaders face bigger and more complex challenges than ever before, and effectively addressing these issues requires targeted and continuous training and skill-building throughout the course of a leader’s time in office. Two AML courses are currently available: the New Mayors’ School and the Newly Elected Officials’ Academy.

“The world of municipal government continues to change and become more complex,” said Paul Meyer, NCLM Executive Director. “Staying ahead means not only being educated on the fundamentals, but also understanding a vast number of evolving municipal topics and issues. And doing it all in an affordable, accessible and practical way. It requires thinking differently. We are proud of this program and grateful to our leaders for serving on its Advisory Council.”

The full Advancing Municipal Leaders Advisory Council includes:

• Mayor Pro Tem Sharon Harker, Town of Beaufort, Chair
• Mayor P.J. Connelly, City of Greenville, Vice Chair
• Mayor Brenda Bozeman, Town of Leland
• Council Member DeDreana Freeman, City of Durham
• Mayor Darrell Hinnant, City of Kannapolis
• Mayor Vivian Jones, Town of Wake Forest
• Manager Anne-Marie Knighton, Town of Edenton
• Mayor Costi Kutteh, City of Statesville
• Mayor Steve Little, Town of Marion
• Council Member Nicole Stewart, City of Raleigh