Culture of Creativity and Innovation

Creativity and innovation are the hallmarks of Dena R. Diorio’s leadership as she leads a team of 6,000 employees at Mecklenburg County. She is unafraid to be a champion for the needs of the community. She believes in excellence, accountability, and transparency. She creates opportunities for employees at every level and department to meet with her and to hear their concerns. She understands she does not do this work alone and always refers to “we” instead of “I.” She gives credit to others for a job well done.

These qualities have built a culture of trust and loyalty and give employees the confidence to create and innovate. Great things happen when an organization intentionally curates and harnesses the energy for innovation. This culture created a universal pre-k program for all 4-year-olds in Mecklenburg County. The data showed that the impact of a quality preschool experience can change a child’s trajectory over their lifetime. Dena was determined to provide that opportunity to every 4-year-old and did. “On a smaller scale, we instituted paid internships for high school students. We realized for some students, earning money in the summer was a necessity. We wanted to make sure the opportunity to explore government pathways was an option for all students,” she says. “What is amazing about young people today is that so many want to serve their community. I went to their end-of-summer ceremony and encouraged them to consider the County in their future, I hope they will.”

Dena sets a daily example of getting the work done to serve our 1.1 million residents. She has a keen eye for talent and works to give opportunities for professional growth and development through a mentorship mindset. Under Dena’s leadership, the County has instituted numerous leadership and professional development opportunities for County employees. Dena understands that human capital is the county's most crucial resource and invests heavily to ensure all employees are successful and feel valued. Her focus is on identifying high performers and nurturing talent for the future. She wants to ensure the County is a high-performing organization and able to address today's and tomorrow's challenges.

Dena is the first female County Manager that Mecklenburg County has ever had. She has held the post for ten years, indicating that women can be successful in this role. But even in 2023, there are instances when she goes to meetings and is the only woman in the room. The career of professional managers in local government is still predominately male. While it may be easy to feel intimidated, it should be viewed as an opportunity to shine. Women must represent well and demonstrate a leadership style that is uniquely theirs. Authentic leadership is the only way to be true to yourself and achieve great things.

With this innovative mindset, Dena has led the County to new heights. “Mecklenburg County’s vision is to be the best local government service provider, and our mission is to serve our residents by helping them improve their lives and community,” shares Dena. Every County service is aligned with its vision and mission. Mecklenburg County has served as a model for other municipalities across the country that are looking to innovate their service delivery. Mecklenburg County focuses on strategic planning and data analytics to demonstrate its successes and the value it adds to the community. “We also lean on our partners to help advance key initiatives, “ explains Dena. “We invested $130 million in grassroots organizations that serve people of color to expand services in affordable housing, behavioral health, and early childhood development to name a few. These organizations work at the neighborhood level and are keenly aware of the needs of their neighbors. It takes a village, and we need everyone to help us with achieving our mission.”

Since being appointed County Manager in 2014, Dena has focused on improving the County’s relevancy. “Mecklenburg County must always have a seat at the table when the important conversations are taking place. That requires being accessible, approachable and being a problem solver. Collaborating with others to achieve greater results will keep us at those important tables,” elucidates Dena. “We have done that in the area of affordable housing and homelessness. Working with other organizations in the community, Mecklenburg County has been able to leverage resources to serve more people.”

Important lessons are key and the County learned that progress can have unintended consequences; one example is urban renewal. Mecklenburg County lost many of its buildings and neighborhoods as a result. Under Dena’s leadership, the County now has a process to protect history and promote learning that is holistic in its approach. In studying gentrification in older neighborhoods, the County learned that corporate-owned housing, where a company owns more than 100 homes, is very real. You can imagine how one such owner can impact a neighborhood. The County addresses issues and solutions in big and small ways. Sometimes the efficiency model of business can demand that projects scale up quickly, but that’s not always possible. Dena adds, “Trusted and authentic relationships are key and that can take time. We always want to help as many people as possible, but it’s important to engage as soon as you can. Do what you can, when you can, with thoughts and plans for the future.”