Cris Charbonneau serves as the Director of Advocacy and Engagement. She leads the organization’s efforts in planning and orchestrating outreach, partnerships, and advocacy activities that will inform, rally, and equip civic and business leaders, economic developers, educators, parents, faith-based communities and policymakers in support of myFutureNC efforts to dramatically improve postsecondary readiness, access, and attainment. Previously, Cris was the Vice President of Communications for KnowledgeWorks, a national education nonprofit that partners with PreK-12 educators, policymakers, and communities to prepare each student for future success through personalized,  competency-based learning and early college opportunity.

As Chief of Family and Community Engagement for the Wake County Public School System and as the Director of Marketing for Participate Learning, she worked to develop school networks and engage families, businesses, and communities. Cris has nearly 25 years of experience across private, public, and non-profit sectors in communications, marketing, PR/media relations, and digital media. Her career also includes corporate brand and marketing communications roles for companies like Microsoft, Sony Ericsson, and AT&T Wireless. She is a national speaker and workshop leader on branding, communications, and community engagement.

A mom of four and engaged community leader, Cris currently serves as a board member of Wake Education Partnership, an independent non-profit committed to improving public education. Cris is a proud first-generation American, whose parents immigrated from the Philippines. She was the first in her family to attend college in the United States as a journalism major at the University of Oregon.