February's Notable NC Woman is Hilda Pinnix-Ragland! She has long blazed a trail for women in both corporate and civic arenas across North Carolina. She has been recognized for this tenacity and success by many organizations including Cary Magazine with their Greater Triangle Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a senior corporate affairs and business executive who serves as an Executive Consultant with TVA. While she serves on multiple corporate boards, including Southwest Water Company and 8 Rivers Capital, she also lends her many talents to the nonprofit and academic sectors, with service on RTI International’s Board and as Chair of the Board of Trustees for NC A&T State University. She previously served 15 years on the Board of the N.C. Community College system and was its first woman and the first person of color to serve as its chair.
Always an advocate for women, Hilda currently co-chairs Wake Invests in Women, a workforce development initiative aimed at closing gender wage and representation gaps in STEM occupations throughout the greater RTP area. Her commitment to girls’ education runs deep. She created the Hilda Pinnix-Ragland Girls Summer STEM Academy that operates in partnership with Wake County Schools, community centers and faith-based entities to provide underexposed rising 5th grade girls with unique opportunities to participate in a free week of summer academy learning. Her recently co-authored book, “The Energy Within Us: An Illuminating Perspective from Five Trailblazers,” explores the barriers holding women and African Americans back from breaking through to the highest echelons of corporate America and provides guidance to young women navigating through its complex maze.
We are so pleased to highlight this extraordinary woman, learn from her work, and share her commitment to empowering all women with you.