Mary Ann Baldwin logo

Bio

Government

  • Five-term at large Raleigh City Councilor, elected Mayor in 2019
  • Advocate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Affordable Housing / Homelessness, and Transit
  • Served as Chair of the City's Law & Public Safety Committee and Transportation Committee
  • Served for nine years as City’s representatives to GoTriangle, our regional transit authority
  • Former member of the Budget & Economic Development Committee, Public Works Committee, Comprehensive Planning Committee, Healthy Neighborhoods Committee, and Technology and Communications Committee
  • Former representative to the Metro Mayor’s Coalition and liaison to the NC State Legislature

Professional

  • 30+ years experience in communications, marketing, branding, and business development
  • Former Executive Director, Holt Brothers Foundation / Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Holt Brothers Inc. (founded by NFL and NC State football stars Terrence and Torry Holt)
  • Current Director of Business Development for the Triangle Region at Barnhill Contracting Company
  • Founded Baldwin Communications, a communications consulting firm, in 2008, working with clients in the areas of higher education, innovation, and economic development
  • Previous employment includes: Director of Marketing at Stewart Engineering; Assistant Branch Manager at Mulkey Engineers & Consultants; Director of Corporate Communications & Community Relations at the NHL Carolina Hurricanes and Executive Director of the team’s Kids ‘n Community Foundation; Director of Communications at the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; Director of Public Relations at Carolina Physicians Health Plan
  • Started career as journalist and newspaper editor

Community

  • Member, Governor's Council on Entrepreneurship
  • Co-founder / Chair of the Advisory Board, Innovate Raleigh, a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in our region
  • Member, Board of Trustees, William Peace University
  • Member, Board of Directors, Wake Tech Foundation
  • Campaign Committee, Oak City Cares
  • Former Chair of the Business Friends Council for the NC Museum of Art; Former member of the board of directors of Artsplosure, Communities in Schools of Wake County, and the American Lung Association; Former advisory board member, Triangle Family Services
  • Former PTA volunteer

Personal

  • Married to Jim Baldwin; daughter, Lauren, and son-in-law Sebastian
  • Raleigh resident for 30 years
  • Dog mom to a 10-pound Morkie, Jack Bauer, named after the star of the TV show, “24," and rescue dog Charlie Brown
  • Interests include skiing, golf, reading, cooking for family and friends, staying in shape at FlyWheel, and walking / hiking with my dogs