Durham Next Announces Board of Directors

For Immediate Release:

Inaugural Board of Directors to Determine Structured Approach to Long-term Growth Planning

[DURHAM, N.C.] January 17, 2025 — Durham Next, a visionary community partnership for the sustainable advancement of Durham over the next 20 years, hosted its inaugural board meeting with 18 influential members of the Durham community yesterday. Recruited for their proven experience in community engagement, cultural development and business investment, members of the board will collectively shape the organization’s priorities and guide the initial steps for pursuing projects proposed in Durham’s Destination Master Plan.

Stewarding a vision for the community, the collaboration and the investments made by Durham Next will drive positive change, enhance the visitor economy, support local businesses, drive job creation and promote experiences that increase Durham residents’ quality of life. The 501(c)3 organization is managed by Discover Durham, the county’s destination marketing organization.

“Moving these large-scale projects forward requires having expertise from across a wide range of industries and specializations at the same table, which is what we set out to achieve with this board,” said Susan Amey, president and CEO of Discover Durham. “But even more important than that, we wanted to assemble leaders who are passionate about values Durham holds dear, like planning for growth and prosperity in ways that benefit everyone in the community. This group includes some of Durham’s biggest champions — those who have always advocated for the success of the community and those within it — to help us break ground on this transformational work. We’re proud to now have that group in place.”

Board members represent agencies and groups from both public and private sectors across Durham County, an approach outlined in the Destination Master Plan that was first published last spring following months of collecting community input. The board’s perspectives and abilities to forge those necessary partnerships will help to further Durham Next’s mission to make Durham the best place to live, work and visit while thoughtfully honoring its history and people.

2025 Durham Next Board of Directors

• Farad Ali, Durham Next Board Chair & Co-founder of ALI HEIJMEN
• Susan Amey, President & CEO, Discover Durham
• Patrick Anderson, General Manager, The Streets at Southpoint
• Tucker Bartlett, Executive Vice President, Self-Help Credit Union
• William “Bill” Bell, Former Mayor of the City of Durham and President and CEO, UDI Community Development Corporation
• Patrick Byker, Real Estate Attorney, Morningstar Law Group
• E’Vonne Coleman, Arts Community Advocate & Former Chief Operations Officer, Discover Durham
• Lois DeLoatch, Musician & Senior Fellow, Self Help Credit Union
• Bo Ferguson, City Manager, City of Durham
• Geoff Durham, President & CEO, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
• Vicky Garcia, President and CEO, Latino Credit Union
• Claudia Hager, County Manager, Durham County Government
• Joe Milazzo II, Executive Director, Regional Transportation Alliance
• Carlos Rubio, Vice Chair, Durham Tourism Development Authority
• Bryan Scherich, Director of Real Estate, Measurement Durham
• Johnnie Southerland, Deputy Chief of Staff and Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Planning and Assessment, North Carolina Central University
• Nicole Thompson, President & CEO, Downtown Durham Inc.
• Mike Woodard, Former State Senator & Former Durham City Council Member

During the retreat, members of the board outlined the organization’s priorities for the upcoming year, including recruiting local voices to serve on Durham Next’s Community Advisory Council and launching a matching grant program later this year to partner with other groups to support efforts that increase vibrancy, accessibility, historic preservation and quality of life in Durham County. They also reviewed initiatives recommended in the Destination Master Plan and began discussions about prioritization and the pathways to implementation.

Board members discussed the group’s foundational guiding principles and values, community engagement pillars and organizational plans. Durham Next initiatives will be funded by a portion of the revenue from hotel occupancy tax that visitors pay during their overnight stays, as well as grants and other sponsorships or donations, leading the board to also discuss best practices to promote transparency throughout the development of the nonprofit, as well as the initiatives it works to accelerate.

Farad Ali, co-founder of ALI HEIJMEN, will serve as Durham Next Board Chair. Ali brings decades of experience in enterprise and community development on the local, regional and national levels and is skilled in starting and growing transformational organizations. His dedication to the Durham community is evident through his work, making him a clear choice to help lead Durham Next’s board.

“It is an incredible experience to sit at a table with people who have painstakingly invested their time, energy and passion into their community advocacy, public service, economic development work and plights for cultural visibility across Durham County,” said Ali. “Each of us has spent years taking differing, but necessary approaches to reach the same goal: making Durham a place where everyone can thrive. That shared drive felt like it generated real momentum during our retreat, and now we’re ready to start making some impact.”

To see the full list of Durham Next’s Board of Directors, along with their headshots, visit our Board of Directors page.