Page 3 of 4

"I wasn't part of the civil rights movement, but I understand what it was and how much people went through to give me this opportunity," said Counts, who said she wants the volunteer pool to reflect the diversity that also attracted her to this region. "We are here to truly present Charlotte to the world."

Not just during Black History Month but throughout the year, Counts' parents always made sure she and her brother read the stories of civil rights leaders. She especially admired Thurgood Marshall — an attorney like her father — as someone who "worked within the confines of the law to bring about change." Through those stories, she said, "I got the strength to realize that I could have the career that I wanted."

Counts is now reading Black Woman Redefined: Dispelling Myths and Discovering Fulfillment in the Age of Michelle Obama, by Sophia Nelson, and said the First Lady is "such a great example of what so many black women want to be," an affirmation that you can have husband, children and career.

Travis D. Dredd

When Democratic National Convention CEO Steve Kerrigan asked his chief of staff, "What's your management style?" Travis Dredd had his answer ready. The Marine vet said he told Kerrigan, "I bring it straight from my military days" when the goal was "to keep everyone focused on the mission first — what it is you want to accomplish." According to Dredd's rules, the next step is to keep troop morale high and to make sure the people who are part of the organization have the resources they need.