2024 BanquetSpeaker

Banquet Speaker


 

Doctor Monique Graves-Perry

Executive Director of Teach America North Carolina

 

Dr. Monique Perry-Graves is a transformative leader and board director with over 20 years of experience in business, non-profit, and higher education sectors. Her passion for education stems from her experience as a young mother graduating high school, supported by her family's unwavering belief in her potential. She is the only child and legacy of Tyrone and Carolyn Perry, granddaughter of David and Gladys Johnson, and Richard and Peninnah Perry. She is the mother of Terrence Perry and has been married to Preston Graves since 2020.

Dr. Perry-Graves grew up with a foundation of Christian principles, emphasizing family, hard work, and leadership. Born in the North and raised in the South, she attended Wake County Public Schools and completed her undergraduate studies at North Carolina Central University. She earned a master’s degree in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall University and a doctorate from the University of Florida.

In July 2021, Dr. Perry-Graves began serving as Teach For America’s first tri-region statewide Executive Director, leading TFA’s entire North Carolina footprint. As TFA’s chief executive for the state, she leads multiple teams across Charlotte, the Piedmont-Triad, Triangle, and Eastern North Carolina, along with its two advisory boards, to ensure every child has access to an excellent education. In her first two years, she successfully transitioned North Carolina from a multi-region portfolio to a unified statewide model, forged new partnerships with entities such as the Aspen Institute and the Center for Creative Leadership, and amplified the impact of TFA NC’s network of educators and alumni during the initial recovery from COVID-19.

Before joining TFA, Dr. Perry-Graves spent over a decade in leadership at York Technical College, starting as faculty and later leading the college’s student affairs/enrollment management divisions and its Chester and Lancaster County campuses. She received the State of South Carolina’s A. Wade Martin Innovator of the Year award during her tenure. In 2020, she was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in the Charlotte region by the Mecklenburg Times and was included in the Charlotte Business Journal’s Power 100 list in 2023. In Summer 2024, the Charlotte Business Journal named her one of the Most Admired CEOs.

Dr. Perry-Graves is an active community leader serving on numerous boards and advisory committees, including the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council (CELC) Education Working Group, Governor Roy Cooper’s task force for the recruitment and retention of diverse educators (DRIVE), WGU North Carolina, Education NC, Junior League, and North Carolina Central University’s College of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities. She also serves as a private company director on the board for the Circle In App.

Dr. Perry-Graves cherishes the legacy of her mother, grandparents, and ancestors who sacrificed to provide her with opportunities. She currently resides in Charlotte and enjoys reading, spa visits, and true crime shows in her free time.