As Director of Business & Community Affairs, Sacks will report to the City Manager and spearhead initiatives ranging from economic development, marketing, communications, urban redevelopment, neighborhood improvement, and community education and outreach. As a part of her role with the City, Sacks will also coordinate the activities of the Kannapolis Planning and Community Development and Communications Departments as well as oversee the City's Federal Lobbyist relationship.
"In addition to her professional qualifications, Irene possesses unique life experiences that make her the ideal person for this position," said Kannapolis City Manager Mike Legg. "She has lived in three major urban areas – San Francisco, Atlanta, and Los Angeles – acquiring a unique perspective that will be critical as our city transitions with the development of the NC Research Campus."
Prior to joining the City of Kannapolis, Sacks managed the creation of economic development strategies for communities and regions through her work as a Project Manager for Market Street Services. Projects in the Charlotte region included the Small Business and Entrepreneurial Development Action Plan for Cabarrus & Rowan Counties, the Cabarrus Regional Chamber Strategic Plan, and the Economic Development Strategy for Advantage Carolina. She has also worked on projects for Johnson City, Tennessee and the Piedmont Triad Region.
"The NC Research Campus is a unique opportunity that will transform the Kannapolis community," said Sacks. "I'm very much looking forward to my role in the city and being a part of that positive change."
Prior to joining Market Street Services, Sacks worked for the Economic Development Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She was also co-founder of Gemdrop, Inc., a software firm that created a web-based application to assist clients in administering job applications and hiring tests electronically.
Sacks holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology and a Masters in City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She and her husband Matthew are expecting their first child in December.
