Board of Directors

With more than two decades of leadership experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, Kristie VanAuken is a seasoned leader. Most recently, she was the Special Advisor to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction- Workforce Engagement. Before coming to DPI, she served as vice president of stakeholder engagement for Research Triangle Park (RTP), building a robust RTP community around shared goals. She facilitated the first Owners and Tenants Association strategic plan and helped attract new resources to support STEM education, diversity, communication, economic development and the environment. Prior to RTP, Kristie served as Vice President, Communications and Community Affairs at RDU airport. While at the Department of Public Instruction, VanAuken led the NC Portrait of a Graduate initiative and was pivotal in the passage of SB193, requiring a career development plan for every middle school student prior to beginning high school. She has served on the NCWorks Commission, the myFutureNC strategy working group, the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Commission and currently serves on the Carolinas General Contractors Association Foundation.