A long-time Charlotte resident and UNC graduate with a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Urban Management and Policy, Christine Edwards is committed to helping communities through public service. She is a professional speaker, entrepreneur, and community leader who aims to foster more equitable civic engagement and growth opportunities for communities of color.
Taking the principles of her core message to heart, she founded Amplify Charlotte, a consulting firm that offers community engagement outreach, civic engagement workshops, and resources for small businesses seeking public contracts and expanding equity capacity among communities of color. In addition, she has served as community relations coordinator for Mecklenburg County and as an adjunct instructor for a course called Community Media Ecosystems at the James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte. She worked in government for a decade before starting Amplify in various capacities, including the City of Charlotte City Manager’s Office, Housing and Neighborhood Services, Charlotte Water, and as the only City Manager’s office intern for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, she launched the #AmplifytheVote campaign to address voter education and literacy in response to voter suppression and misinformation. Furthermore, she helped build bridges between the government and the community regarding Covid-19 awareness. Also, in 2021, she encouraged communities to reimagine public safety and policing by partnering with several North Carolina communities to reallocate millions of dollars from the police departments to other areas of city operations.
She is the recipient of the 2020 Crowns of Enterprise Minority Business of the Year Award from the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Government. Edwards also recently received a $25,000 Equity Capacity Building Grant from the American Cities Climate Challenge to develop community engagement strategies for the Charlotte Department of Transportation, allowing more Black and Brown communities to participate. She is also the grant recipient of the HUB Retool Grant, the City of Charlotte Open for Business Grant, the DigitalUndvided’s Doonie Fund, and has received funding from the Access to Capital Small Business Recovery Program from the Foundation for the Carolinas. In June 2021, Amplify Consulting won a multi-year contract to implement community engagement consulting services for the Charlotte Vision Zero Plan to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries in Charlotte, where communities of color have a disparate impact.
Edwards has a gift for translating complex government policy into actionable information and uses her gift to build bridges within the community and create opportunities for people to get their voices heard. She aims to create job opportunities through supporting Charlotte’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and aspires to become a better leader.
For inquiries, contact Jameka Whitten at jameka@jswmediagroup.com. In addition, Edwards is available for speaking engagements, panel discussions, and other appearances where her expertise can be utilized.
About Amplify Charlotte
Amplify Charlotte (Amplify Consulting LLC) is a minority-owned consulting firm located in Charlotte, NC, whose mission is to help communities grow with dignity. Established in 2018, Amplify specializes in community outreach planning and place-based outreach initiatives and has professional experience with priority-setting, stakeholder interviewing, public opinion polling, and internal engagement that improves the quality of life for community residents and stakeholders. www.amplifycharlotte.com
