About Me

I am a writer, economic development and policy researcher living and working in Charlotte, North Carolina. My work focuses on the economic development and vitality of urban areas in the Southern United States - past, present and future.

My articles and essays regularly appear in Charlotte Magazine and Our State Magazine, among other publications. My first book, A History of Lake Norman: Fish Camps to Ferraris traces the rapid transformation of a sparsely populated agricultural region into one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the United States on the heels of then-Duke Power Company's largest hydroelectric energy project. I am currently working on and seeking a publisher for a book exploring the recent history and economic future of small-to-mid-sized Southern towns. 

At my day job as the VP of economic research and data at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, I consult with local and international executives, site selectors and elected officials on demographic and economic trends regionally, nationally and internationally. International experience includes work with Irish tech companies and manufacturers considering U.S. expansion.  

I am available for consulting assignments, speaking engagements and freelance writing. Contact me here.