Staff Spotlight: Olaunda Green, Director of Leadership Training

By Sandy Cyr, NC Rural Center Communications Manager

There are some people who shine so brilliantly from within that their smile, or even just their presence, can light up a room. Olaunda Green is just such an individual, seemingly bringing joy with her wherever she goes.?

A self-described people person, she gains so much energy from people. "I strive to present the best version of myself knowing that one small act of kindness can brighten someone’s day,” she explains.

Olaunda grew up in Bunnlevel, a small township in Harnett County. She received her undergraduate degree in health education from North Carolina Central University and her master's degree in counseling from Liberty University. After finishing her studies, she began her career at the Governor’s Institute in Raleigh, where she worked with advocacy groups, communities, and legislators to help prevent tobacco use and underage drinking.

When she came on board at the Rural Center in March 2020, Olaunda worked in collaboration with the Golden LEAF Foundation on its Community-based Grants Initiative. For the past two years, she’s served as the rural internship initiative program manager, providing training, oversight and support to the foundation’s Golden LEAF scholars and to internship site supervisors. The program provides students the chance to explore employment in rural North Carolina related to their field of study with the hope that they will return to their rural community upon graduation.?

“There are great opportunities in rural North Carolina,” says Green. “I wish I had an opportunity like the Rural Internship Initiative when I was in college to help me see what life could look like if I decided to return.”?

Bunnlevel, like many parts of the state, is a very rural area. Growing up there gave Olaunda a first hand understanding of the challenges many rural communities face, such as the lack of opportunities and limited resources. While she knows Bunnlevel is a great community where everybody knows each other, the messaging she consistently received throughout her youth was to go off to college. No one was there to show her what it could be like if she stayed.

Although she hasn’t moved back to Bunnlevel, Olaunda has returned home in a different way by sharing her unique gifts with rural communities through her work. This summer, she was promoted to director of leadership training at the Rural Center, where she will oversee the Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI) and Homegrown Leaders programs. In this expanded role, she hopes to reimagine what the Rural Center can accomplish with its training.

Her passion for connecting with people in a manner that is caring and genuine allows Olaunda to not only shine, but to shine the light on all that is great about rural North Carolina.

“Being able to interact so directly with the community feels great. Every day, I pray that I live out my purpose meaningfully and leave an indelible imprint wherever I go. I want others to feel better when they leave my presence than when they came.”