Jennifer Watson Roberts

  • 58th Mayor of Charlotte
  • City of Charlotte

Jennifer Watson Roberts served as a four-term Mecklenburg County Commissioner, was next elected as the 58th Mayor of Charlotte, and then ran the Communities Program on climate solutions for a national environmental non-profit, ecoAmerica. She has long been a champion of issues related to education, equality, inclusion and environmental protection. She is the only person to be elected to serve as both Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Commission and later as Mayor of Charlotte.

Since the summer of 2021, Roberts has been the NC co-lead for the Carter Center’s Democracy Project. By working with a number of coalition partners, this initiative seeks to restore faith in established democratic norms and pave the way for fair, safe and secure elections in the coming years.

As Mayor, Roberts was recognized for her work on sustainability and equality. She introduced a 100% Clean Energy Resolution for the City of Charlotte and led the passage of a non-discrimination ordinance for the LGBTQ community. She is currently on the Steering Committee of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Climate Leaders, NC Climate Ambassadors, ecoAmerica Communities, and the Smart Surfaces Coalition. She is a lifetime member of the Sierra Club and the NAACP.

Before entering elected office, Roberts worked as a high school math teacher, a diplomat with the U.S. State Department, an international banker, and an adjunct professor at UNC-Charlotte. She currently serves on numerous community boards and commissions. In addition to her work with the Carter Center, she is the honorary chair of the Re-imagining America Project, a speaker and author, and a consultant on issues ranging from climate change to democratic engagement and leadership.

Roberts received her B.A. with highest honors in English from UNC-Chapel Hill, a Masters in European History from the University of Toronto, and a Masters in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC.

Sessions

  • From the Capital to Communities: Inside State and Local Climate Policy

     We’ll look at how state and local policies are evolving to address climate change in our communities and what impact do community members have in shaping those policies.   RESOURCES FROM THE PANEL: Jennifer Roberts Strategic Energy Action Plan (SEAP)- https://community.charlottenc.gov/pages/seap-dashboard Kirsten Lackstrom The Palmetto Air Quality Collaborative (PAQC)- https://scor.sc.gov/paqc The SC Solar For All […]

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