J. Christopher Heagarty

About J. Christopher Heagarty

I am an attorney and seasoned manager of not-for-profit organizations and have successfully guided start-up and emerging non-profits to positions of growth and stability. I specialize in organizational improvement, innovation, fundraising and development, communications and marketing, and building strong community presence and support. My past executive director duties have also included responsibilities for government relations and advocacy, public policy research and development, media production and copy writing, and staff supervision and management.I am also a licensed North Carolina attorney with a professional focus on administrative law (including professional ethics and licensing issues), election law, judicial administration, mediation and dispute resolution services. I have published several articles on judicial ethics, campaign speech, and election law and have planned, organized, and presented at numerous nationwide symposia and conferences on these topics.Prior to becoming the Executive Director of the City of Oaks Foundation, I served as Executive Director and Commission Counsel for the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission, managing the organization through a period of transition and change in its regulatory authority. In private practice, I frequently represented clients before professional licensing boards and state regulators and mediated Superior Court civil cases. I have successfully represented local governments and private citizens in the redistricting process. I have brought election law challenges and defended clients in election law matters. I am certified as a Superior Court Mediator by the NC Dispute Resolution Commission.In addition to the legal work experience cited in my profile I have previously worked as a summer associate, clerk, extern, intern, or contract attorney, for the NC Supreme Court, the UNC School of Government, Smith Moore Leatherwood, and the NC Department of Justice.Before attending law school I was the founding Executive Director and principal government relations advocate for the North Carolina Center for Voter Education from - 2007, and the Director of State Government Relations for the NC Association of Electric Cooperatives (after starting as a Legislative Specialist) from and was recognized as one of the most effective lobbyists in the state of North Carolina during that time.

Experience

1. Chief Executive Officer

   Ray Corollary Initiative

   Jan 2025 — Present

Education

• North Carolina Central University School of Law

  J.D., Law

  2007 — 2010

• North Carolina State University

  B.A., Multi-Disciplinary Studies

  1988 — 1992