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OUR BOARD MEMBERS
The strength of N.C. For The People Action comes from the dedicated leaders who guide our work. Our Board of Directors brings deep expertise, passion, and commitment to the fight for a more just and representative democracy. Together, they help shape our strategy, hold institutions accountable, and ensure our work remains rooted in the needs of the communities we ser
LOGAN SMITH, CHAIR
Logan Smith is the former Media Relations Manager at Bend the Arc and the former Communications Director for Progress North Carolina and has worked in progressive politics in Raleigh since 2013. During his time in North Carolina, he has helped coordinate campaigns against the 2013 voter suppression law, racial gerrymandering, partisan court-packing, and the ongoing attacks on our state’s judicial system. Logan is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he studied journalism and political science.
Carolyn Smith, Vice Chair
Carolyn Smith has 30 years of work experience as a Seasoned political, campaign, and grassroots operative with extensive statewide and national experience in leadership positions that have capitalized on skills in organizational management, strategic planning, legislative advocacy, training, coalition-building, fundraising, large-scale organizing, and community outreach. Before coming to work with Democracy North Carolina, she worked with the National League of Conservation where she served as the Vice President of Building Grassroots Power, Organizing Together 2020 NC, where she serves as Political Director, Chief of Staff with the National Black Worker Centers Project, Strategic Campaigns Director with Working America Community Affiliate AFL-CIO, Deputy Treasurer with the North Carolina Office State Treasurer, Deputy District Director for Congressman Etheridge and Director of Community Affairs with Passage Home. Serves on Progress NC Board and the Governor’s Complete Count Commission. She has a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University.
Cheryl Carter
Cheryl is a mother of three: Charles, Eric and Kayla plus their husky pup Miley. She’s the Co-Executive Director at Democracy NC, with responsibility and oversight for the programmatic teams: advocacy, communications and organizing. Prior to her interim role, she was the Organizing Director at Dem NC, where she trained and led the statewide Organizing Team. In addition, Cheryl oversaw and developed implementation of Organizing Team’s, base building, and voter engagement work, in the fight for voting rights across NC. Through this work and her day to day commitments, Cheryl advocates for racial justice and the dismantling of oppressive systems that impede our collective liberation. In the two decades prior to joining Democracy NC, Cheryl taught in the public school system and worked in human services. It was during those experiences where she saw the plight of those who were disenfranchised and often forgotten. After continued exposure to these inequitable systems, Cheryl committed her career to advocating for and alongside marginalized people. In 2008, Cheryl channeled her energy into the healthcare reform movement. Her conviction for healthcare reform was catalyzed by her personal experience, having a son be denied critical health coverage. She ascended through the ranks of multiple leadership positions in Organizing for America/Action, starting as a volunteer and moving up to the position of State Coordinator. In the State Coordinator role, Cheryl led staff and volunteers across North Carolina into a new era for OFA. Cheryl’s contributions furthered OFA’s efforts as a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, working on multiple issues: health care, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, climate change, women’s rights, minimum wage,and Medicaid expansion. Cheryl has a range of experience in community engagements, including serving as a volunteer peer counselor for The Women’s Center in Raleigh leading initiatives as a member of Southern Wake Concerned Citizens and member of the NC Association of Educators. Cheryl is a proud alumna of the University of Virginia and holds a BA in Sociology. She loves cooking for her family, gardening, fishing when she finds time and is an avid college sports fan! She’s affectionately called Mama Cheryl or Auntie by many and believes in leading with love.
Chavi Koneru
Chavi Khanna Koneru is co-founder and current Executive Director of North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) and, the affiliated organization, NCAAT in Action. Chavi leads the NCAAT’s efforts to remove barriers to civic participation and to increase visible representation for the AAPI community in North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina for college and later for law school, where her concentration was in voting rights law. Her prior professional experience includes stints at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, the DOJ Civil Rights Division, and Naral NC.
Ann Webb
Ann Webb joined Common Cause North Carolina in 2023 as the organization’s policy director. Ann’s work includes leading policy advocacy efforts across the state and in the legislature to protect and expand our democracy. Prior to joining Common Cause, Ann lobbied on civil rights and civil liberties issues with the ACLU of North Carolina and served as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Labor. Ann is a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and American University Washington College of Law.