Renaissance West’s Executive Director Laura Clark was selected as one of Charlotte’s 40 Under 40 in 2015! A ceremony was held at the McGlohon Theater on Thursday, March 12 to recognize all 40 successful individuals who are helping to shape the city of Charlotte. The event, orchestrated by Charlotte Business Journal, drew a large crowd to celebrate the city’s brightest, most talented young leaders. Each was asked to perform his or her hidden talent on stage…and Laura’s was tap dancing!

You can read her entire Charlotte Business Journal feature here. We share some highlights below:

Greatest business accomplishment of the past year: Successfully brokered partnership between Renaissance West Community Initiative and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for a $30 million school to be built at Renaissance.

The most important issue facing the region: The lack of social and economic mobility — if you are born poor in Charlotte, you are likely to stay poor throughout your life. This has significant implications for our education and social-services systems and also impacts work-force development.

One-word description of self: Dedicated.