School + Community Partnerships = Powerhouse; Part 2 of 4

In this special four-part series of Lead, Lift, Inspire, Dr. Tracie J. Metz explores how school and community partnerships create powerful impact across North Carolina.From elevating student voice to reaching across sectors and taking bold, sometimes unconventional risks, these conversations highlight what happens when educators and partners build trust, stretch beyond the familiar, and work together for lasting change.This episode features Emily Nicholson.Emily Nicholson is the Executive Director for the Land of Sky P20 Council, serving the Counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania in Western NC. Formed in 2021, the Land of Sky P20 Council facilitates collaboration between stakeholders in education, community, government, and business to ensure Western North Carolina’s students and jobseekers are getting the knowledge, skills, credentials, and support they need to be successful in the region’s most high-demand jobs. Emily’s creed parallels with one quote from Benjamin Franklin in that “Well done is better than well said.” With three daughters of ages 13, 9 and 6, she’s a mom who treats solo grocery trips like tropical vacations and her hobbies include pretending to fold laundry so she can listen to podcasts in peace. Emily is a former Workforce board director, high school teacher and NC legislative candidate.