Marcus A. Kimbrough

About Marcus A. Kimbrough

I’ve spent my career working in spaces where decisions are complex, stakeholders don’t always agree, and the consequences are real. What’s always motivated me is helping organizations bring clarity to that complexity; connecting strategy, accountability, and execution in ways that endure. This perspective shapes how I approach board governance and underpins my leadership in the healthcare sector. As the Local Government Affairs Lead for the Carolinas Market at Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health, I build and lead the organization’s local government affairs function across North and South Carolina. My work supports a multi-state healthcare footprint representing roughly $16B in regional business activity and has included advancing a $1.5B healthcare innovation district, an academic partnership with Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and stakeholder strategies that helped pass a regional sales tax referendum projected to generate $19.5B over 30 years for workforce access and infrastructure. Earlier in my career, I built a foundation in strategy execution, negotiation, and resource development through leadership roles across nonprofit, consumer, and partnership-driven organizations. That path included senior roles in advancement and corporate partnerships, as well as co-founding a venture focused on youth athletics and access to opportunity. Across these experiences, I worked closely with boards, executives, and external partners, learning how strategy, capital, and governance decisions translate into operational performance, community trust, and long-term impact. Board service has been a consistent and intentional part of my leadership journey. I currently serve on several boards, including Rhodes College, the Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and the PBS North Carolina Foundation, as well as education- and youth-focused nonprofits. I’m especially drawn to board roles where organizations are navigating growth, regulation, and accountability. At the board table, I aim to be a steady presence; bringing sound judgment, asking the right questions, and helping unite cross-sector leaders around shared goals.

Experience

1. Independent Director

   Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

   Apr 2023 — Present · Charlotte, NC, US

   The Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) manages the sale of distilled spirits by promoting excellence in customer service, fiscal responsibility, operational effectiveness, compliance with laws that govern the sale and use of alcoholic beverages and creating community partnerships to improve public health and safety with a budget of $280 million annually- As an independent director we are responsible for helping the CEO develop and shape the strategic guidance for the organization. Provide expertise with financial literacy, retailing experience at the management level, and board governance are required- Annually access and appraise management performance.

Education

• Rhodes College

  BA, Business Administration

• Xavier University - Williams College of Business

  MBA, Business Administration and Management, General