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Raleigh’s 30-somethings are bossing up, leading the charge as tomorrow’s leaders already shaping today’s world. Meet our cast of Millennial Mavericks—across sectors from media to arts, hospitality to real estate, business to government and beyond—who are totally crushing it, promising to be names you’ll hear for decades to come.
Harvey’s journey is one of resilience. Spurred by a former teacher’s claim that “people like me don’t go to college,” the passionate plant lover and vice chair of the LGBT Center of Raleigh Board of Trustees accepted that challenge and ran with it, opening a greenery business that too provides a space “where people can connect with nature, develop new skills and find small moments of joy in their lives,” he says. Now, five years and two locations later, that little boy whose abusive father destroyed his and his mother’s budding garden attributes his success to “years of learning, adapting and recognizing a need—then taking action to meet it.” At the root, he’s committed to fairness and creating meaningful and lasting positive change throughout the community both through his business and advocacy—and in everyday small moments.
Go-to book: I’m currently reading Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler.
Whose brain you want to pick: RuPaul Charles because they are a force within the queer community. They took something they love—something uniquely queer—and brought it into the mainstream despite the pushback.
Passion pursuit: I hope to write two books, a memoir and a children’s book.
Total flop advice: I should never feel too satisfied with what I’ve accomplished because someone might take it from me. I’ve learned appreciating both my successes and setbacks is important—growth comes from both.
A force to be reckoned with, Kane’s biggest passion is bringing people together. And she does just that at Raleigh’s pay-what-you-can nonprofit cafe A Place at the Table. In serving up a space where diversity vibes and thrives, she noticed something was missing—a place that fed and welcomed everyone in a dynamic safe space—and bridged that gap to national acclaim (think not one, but two appearances on The Kelly Clarkson Show). But ever humble, the NC State alumna doesn’t bask in the limelight—nearly declining this honor. “Community has shaped me in every way,” she maintains, “and any impact I’ve had is a direct reflection of the incredible people I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside. This award should go to everyone!”
Random tidbit: I have a twin, and she is the coolest person ever. She married a twin too.
Top tip: A friend told me a quote similar to Frederick Buechner’s: ‘Your passion meets halfway with the world’s greatest need.’
Guidance to others charting a similar course: Celebrate the small wins and remember the mission. It will be hard, but so worth it. Keep going and lean on the community around you—what you’re building
is important!
A catalyst for change, Patton’s plunge into city government hinged on having a foot in two worlds—with a mother relocating to Raleigh to age in place with dignity, and as a mother herself hoping her own daughter can one day call this city home, whether as a sanitation worker or surgeon. “I really wanted to have an impact on making Raleigh a city that works for everyone,” explains the broker of compromise and connection. Now in her second term—and driven by her mantra to “go hard on systems and easy on people”—she’s leveraged her time as a former elementary school teacher, factory manager and gun-sense community advocate to propel her platform to amplify the city in such a way that benefits us all.
Top tip: ‘You’re always going to drop the ball sometimes. You just have to know which are rubber and which are glass.’
Fur babies: I have two terribly trained fur babies at home, Huxley (a Yorkie) and Fitzgerald (a mini Aussie).
Whose brain you want to pick: Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Passion projects: When I’m not doing City Council work, I’m a suburban homesteader. I love gardening, sewing and baking bread.
A lifelong Raleighite, McLean has “always believed in the power of intentional connections and community building to make our city a better place.” At every phase of her life—from moonlighting as a The Flourish Market stylist to marketing and communications management at The Green Chair Project to a decade of volunteering with + serving as current board member for Band Together—her goal to foster meaningful relationships, bridge gaps, strengthen communities, and create spaces where people feel welcomed and engaged remains. But it was through Holt Brothers Foundation she knew she could create real change—giving back while building something impactful and fulfilling. “I hope to be remembered as someone who brought people together, helped others feel seen and valued, and made a lasting difference,” stresses McLean.
Who fueled your passion? My mom. From an early age, she showed me what it means to truly give back and build community—she didn’t just talk about service, she lived it and made sure we did too.
Passion pursuit: Less than a year ago, a group of connected 30-somethings got together to talk about ways to foster real in-person connections. That conversation led to Singles Pitch Night, where friends take the stage to ‘pitch’ their incredible single friends.
Guidance to others charting a similar course: Lead with intention, build genuine relationships and always look for ways to contribute. Every opportunity is a chance to make an impact. Say yes to getting involved, show up for your community and don’t be afraid to connect with new people.
Local leisure: Catching live music Downtown—I’ve been hanging out at Lincoln Theatre since I was a teen.
A longtime LGBTQ+ community advocate, the five-year at-large member was the first openly gay person elected citywide, and one of the youngest council members voted in at that time. “Representation matters,” says the board-certified family law specialist, “and I’m proud to have earned a seat at the table.” A founding board member of LGBTQ+ and ally community-based nonprofit sports org Stonewall Sports and co-founder of Stonewall Sports Raleigh, Lambert-Melton aspires to be remembered for making a positive impact in the community and on the lives of others, like through his service as former board member for TLC. “If you see a void and you feel called to serve, believe in yourself enough to raise your hand and try,” he says. “Our city is structured like a nonprofit, and I felt it was time for new leaders to step forward to build a city that works for everyone.”
MO: ‘Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.’
—Conan O’Brien
Fave food spot: So many—but Centro and Gallo Pelón hold a special place in my heart.
Who fueled your passion? Two people opened my eyes to the idea that younger folks should run for City Council: Matt Tomasulo, who ran in 2015; and Nicole Stewart, who ran in 2017 and served two terms.
Default binge: Breaking Bad
Since 2021, Harrell has helped serve over 7,000 individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness and crises via The No Woman, No Girl Initiative. Ensuring local females and families have access to basic necessities like soap, toothbrushes, tampons, shampoo and the like, the nonprofit most recently expanded statewide in response to Hurricane Helene. “I’m simply trying to raise awareness about a global issue impacting many women and children that is invisible yet so desperately needed,” she says. But, most importantly, the Nashville, NC-native hopes to be remembered not just as a leader who positively affects the lives of vulnerable community members, but “a force that solves problems with tangible solutions, leading to sustainable change for populations who are forgotten about.”
MO: ‘Leaders eat last.’ This is a driving force for my compassion each day to lead others—a concept of true servant leadership that reminds me to always seek the well-being and welfare of any team.
Whose brain you want to pick: Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to be elected to Congress. She helped create WIC, was an advocate for education reform and a beacon in helping impoverished communities.
Fave bar: Vita Vite is my place to catch up on emails or with friends, enjoy a glass of wine, or host an event—all in one place!
The 20-year-old life hack you wish you had: Girl, take up the space. You’re not too much. You’re enough. Follow your dreams. Shake tables. Get folks uncomfortable. Walk with your head up. Never let anyone tell you who you are. You are destined for great things. You are a force. Change lives. Leave the legacy.
“It only takes one”—one idea, one opportunity, one connection to change everything for the better. Such is the mantra behind this multihyphenate media maven who flipped the script on adversity when an encounter with septic shock and an induced medical coma gave her a 1% chance to live. Survive and thrive mode activated, she turned limitations into aspirations, building a platform to inspire others as author, keynote speaker, content creator, and founder of the diverse and inclusive powerhouse Women Empower X movement for women in business—garnering the attention of Forbes, among others. Fueled by an innate drive to be present for her twin boys, she launched A.Rose Media, merging her passions for content creation, strategy and impact while demonstrating—alongside WEX—how storytelling and community drive success. In short, Carlin is living proof that “collaboration is more powerful than competition.”
Guidance to others charting a similar course: Your authenticity is your greatest asset—lean into it.
Total flop advice: Stick to one thing and don’t deviate.
Whose brain you want to pick: Spanx founder and twin mom Sara Blakely—she’s proof you don’t need all the answers to succeed, you just need the determination to start.
Surprising revelation: I once spoke at Taco Bell HQ and got to make a taco in their test kitchen—with some very questionable ingredients!
Securing presidential appointments by Obama and Trump commands attention. Ignited by paying forward the leg up NCDHHS gave his own family as a child and fully invested in making the behavioral health system work better for more people, the 2018 Raleigh transplant did just that: fighting for Medicaid expansion (read: record pace 600K+ enrollment gain); negotiating a historic $4B medical debt relief bill; securing ~$1B to broaden mental health and substance-use service access; and unlocking greater access to resources in schools, communities and homes the state over. Committed to the notion that “what matters most is getting stuff done for people,” he says of his fulfilling public service: “The work of making health care and government work better for all people is far from over, and I have so much more work to do.”
Guidance to others charting a similar course: It’s hard work—someone will always not approve of your efforts, and you’ll never have all you need. Listen well. Bring folks along. Be patient and focused. Our communities and country need your talent more than ever.
Who fueled your passion? Gov. Roy Cooper… I had the honor of working closely with him through some of the lowest points for our state’s health. … No matter what was in front of us, his guidance was clear. He centered the people of NC, and he always had a dad joke ready to go.
Fave food spot: Trophy Pizza:The vibe. The wings.
How you want to be remembered: I’m not interested in being remembered. I’d rather help people forget—forget health care was too expensive and only available to some, forget too many people died from preventable diseases, and forget public services didn’t work well and were too complicated to navigate.
Since the sandbox, Hager has had an affinity for big buildings and architecture. “I wanted to be part of an industry that influenced the landscape of a city—and be part of discussions on where and why buildings are built and why companies, restaurants and people, etc., would want to be there,” says the NC State alumna. That drive to level up the local community has played out in spades—from roles on Dress for Success of the Triangle, National Association for Industrial and Office Parks, and Blue Ridge Corridor Alliance boards—to name but a few—to her portfolio of ~2 million square feet in 20+ Raleigh office buildings. Outgoing, competitive and determined, Hager relishes every win while relentlessly pushing to shape a better future for Raleigh.
Guidance to others charting a similar course: I’ll steal a line from the singer Aaliyah,
‘If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.’
Passion project: Playing guitar—I started taking lessons when I was 12, and it’s continued to be a great outlet for me.
Fave food spot: Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen
Fur babies: Curlie is my 15YO dog and very best friend. I adopted him when he was 8, and he changed my life forever.
A trailblazer in the design-build field, Patrick has amassed great recognition since founding full-service federal prime contractor Achuti in 2016—from being among the select business leaders the SBA invited to the White House for the Entrepreneur & Innovator summit to earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row. Also part of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe of NC, the driven, resilient and collaborative ECU grad has successfully partnered with nearly every federal agency across the U.S. But if there’s one thing he hopes to be remembered for, it’s being a changemaker right here in Raleigh.
MO: Do it well or don’t do it at all.
Your ultimate meetup—living or dead? Prince
Who fueled your passion? My grandmother was a leader who encouraged and inspired me to follow the path to leadership and entrepreneurship.
Fave food spot: Brodeto is my absolute favorite restaurant. The flavors are unmatched.
Ignited by the 2016 election and the driving force to have “regular, good people run for office,” the concurrent economist for the NC Sea Grant and NCSU College of Natural Resources faculty member sees Raleigh as a “bright spot in the government landscape—and the work we do shapes our region for years to come.” Carving out a legacy for repping Raleigh on all fronts—from preserving democracy to making it safer to bike and walk as a bicycle commuter herself—the PhD scholar was inspired to aim higher and pursue her educational path by her stepdad, soil chemist and professor Dr. Terry Logan. “It’s all hands on deck right now,” she says. “I love my District D neighbors and am thrilled to serve them as long as they’ll have me.”
Fave bar: Neptunes—best place to dance any night of the week. We all need a release!
Guidance to others charting a similar course: Experience as much as possible and look people in the eye. Spend time in nature. Listen without judgment.
Total flop advice: You have too much heart.
The 20-year-old life hack you wish you had: Go with grace.
Go-to retail spot: Logan’s Garden Shop—I love native plants and Logan’s has a good selection.
Deeply committed to fostering creativity and opportunity, Raleigh-bred Jones has dedicated her life’s work to her MO of “creating fearlessly, uplifting others and leaving every space better than you found it.” Having done just that via former roles with NC Arts Council and Arts Together, and board seats from DRA to Dix Park and beyond, the gregarious multihyphenate witnessed the transformative power of creatives firsthand as a budding performing artist. “I’m dedicated to serving the community that raised me and working every day to make my city better,” she says. “My approach emphasizes pushing boundaries; collaboration; and creating lasting, positive change for those around me.” Laser-focused on mastering the complexities of arts funding, structure and community integration, Jones is hellbent on ensuring more access, support and opportunity for artists of all kinds, from every walk of life. “The diversity of artistic voices is what makes communities thrive, and I knew I wanted to be a part of creating spaces where every artist could find their place.”
Top tip: ‘As a working mother and an artist with a creative practice, you can absolutely have it all—just not all at once—when you embrace the journey, not perfection.’
Legacy you hope to leave: A catalyst for change in my community: bold and unafraid—who redefined how we sustain and value the arts, ensuring they remain a vital, transformative force in our world… accessible to all. Everything I do is rooted in honoring those who came before me—my family, my ancestors—by building something lasting and meaningful, ensuring their sacrifices and stories continue to shape a better future.
Random tidbit: I am a classically trained singer and a complete nerd for opera and musicals! I make up songs for everything in life.
Default binge: Insecure is my favorite show on the planet and Issa Rae is my hero; SNL is a classic and gives me some levity when I need it; Succession, The White Lotus, and I am a sucker for a good period-drama show like The Crown or Bridgerton.
A mover and shaker—plain and simple—the three-time Emmy-nominated producer and Telly Award-winner traded Hollywood for the “people business” as a “Rising Professional” at CBRE. “Helping others find their best next chapter in the Triangle community is the most fulfilling aspect of my role,” emphasizes Collins. Building on that dedication, the commercial real estate power-player is also a steward in the community, having served on industry/leadership boards—and now on the board for Caring House, a nonprofit providing Duke Cancer Institute patients with affordable housing and other support; and as a founding member/volunteer of First Tee of the Triangle’s Game Changers Council, which supports youth development through the game of golf. Ultimately, “serving the interests of others above myself is more than a moral platitude, it’s a fiduciary obligation with my clients—and it’s leaving the world a better place for my daughters.”
Local leisure: Running the trails of Umstead State Park (I ran the Umstead 100 last year) and attending shows at our local music venues
Random tidbit: I played the love interest in Taylor Swift’s music video for “Tim McGraw.”
Top tip: ‘It’s not all about who you know, but who knows you. In a relationship business, you have to be relatable first, and there’s no better way to refine your narrative and your gameplan than through building relationships with others.’
Go-to retail spot: Unlikely Professionals has a big-city vibe, unique gifts, cool clothing—and there’s something new to see each time you visit. The koozies they sell are a riot (iykyk)!
A self-described firebrand, Laws’ passions run deep, showcased through her MO to shine a light on the community’s talents by “elevating the work of others and empowering artists to reach their fullest potential.” Through her professional work, she’s connected creatives with opportunities that further their artistry and careers—even putting these pursuits above her own. “I find it rewarding to see so many thriving in part because of connections I’ve facilitated,” she says. Nevertheless, Laws is a creative in her own right, turning her own artistic vision into impact and honing in on subjects she sincerely cares about—including large-scale festivals like Artsplosure and First Night Raleigh, Sleepy Cat Records’ annual Sleepy Fest, and numerous DTR artistic activations.
Guidance to others charting a similar course: Always make life choices that make you feel truly fulfilled instead of what
feels strategic.
Fave food spot: Stanbury will always have my heart. They have nailed the art of high/low, elegant but casual.
Fur babies: Most recently I became a dog mom to Norma Jean. We found her on the side of the road after the first 19-degree night of the winter, skin and bones and truly on the brink of death.
Random tidbit: You have never met a person better at Super Mario.
Homeless to hospitality titan, Rapillo is the poster child for his driving mantra: Failure is not an option. From setting his sights on the restaurateur life while bussing tables in the family restaurant at 14 in Queens to rising to one of Raleigh’s most prolific hospitalitarians behind such palatable powerhouses as V Pizza, Flask, The Side Door, Flour & Barrel, La Taqueria—and more on the way—the grateful gastronome has clawed from rock bottom to reinvention, even including time as an officer for V for Victory. But his driving force isn’t simply launching culinary ventures: “I aspire to be remembered as a mess-up who worked incredibly hard to rewrite their story. A homeless kid from Queens, living in his Nissan Altima in his 20s, shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here.” But here he is—because beyond necessity, hard and consistent work are the mother of invention. And, clearly, can change your life.
Who fueled your passion? My late mother, Layla. She taught me the value of hard work and empathy in both life and in business. I pray she’s looking down on me—and that she’s proud.
Legacy milestones? We’ve awarded sweat equity to partners solely through hard work—100% of our managers have been promoted from within, and we employ 125+ NC locals.
Guidance to others charting a similar course: Embrace every failure. Let it fuel you. Hope for the vision to see life will bring you losses that will eventually—through hard work—turn into wins.
Passion pursuit? The speakeasy I’ve been trying to open on Fayetteville Street for two years
Indiana Jones first sparked Kellerman’s museum aspirations—namely one that celebrates local history. Now, less than a year into her position as director, it’s COR Museum’s motto, “Then, Now, Next,” that serves as her main inspiration: “I hope my vision and leadership will lead the COR Museum in a positive direction that embraces our city’s history and culture, and inspires us as a community to think about what we want for the future.” While dedicated to preserving the past, the Pennsylvania native hopes her success will pave the way for future generations. In short, her mission is to ensure the DTR attraction is one where everyone belongs—newcomers, Raleigh lifers and curious tourists alike
Guidance to others charting a similar course: It’s so important to build relationships before taking action. At the museum we understand, in order to engage our community and [offer programming] that is interesting and relevant, we first need to truly understand our community and listen to their thoughts, interests and needs.
Top tip: ‘You can’t pour out of an empty cup. You’ll always be faced with challenges and negativity, but you need to learn what fills your cup.’
Fave food spot: Two places with good history and good food: Mecca and Players Retreat
Default binge: Like a true millennial, my favorite way to destress from work and life is to come home and watch terrible reality TV—current obsessions are Love Is Blind and Love Island.
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