RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. [May 20, 2020] —The Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, stewards of Research Triangle Park, today announces the addition of two new Board members: Pamela J. Norley and Brooks Bell. The Board unanimously approved these new members at their May 7, 2020 meeting. Brooks and Pam will join the Board in its oversight and guidance of the Research Triangle Foundation at a pivotal point for the evolving Triangle business community.
“We are thrilled that Brooks and Pam are joining the Board of the Research Triangle Foundation,” says Jud Bowman, chair of the RTF Board of Directors. “Brooks’ entrepreneurial energy, both with her own firm and as a co-founder of the startup community HQ Raleigh, will be especially helpful in guiding RTF, and Pam’s national reputation and perspective as the President of Fidelity Charitable® will help us maximize RTF’s impact within the Research Triangle and across North Carolina.”
Pam Norley joined Fidelity Investments in the corporate legal department in 1996 and held leadership roles throughout the company, including in legal, product, strategy, client relationship management and talent, before she was appointed President of Fidelity Charitable in 2016. With primary operations in Durham, the charity is the largest grantmaker in the United States, with over $7 billion donor in recommended grants made by nearly 230,000 Giving Account holders in 2019 alone. Her deep understanding of the nonprofit sector, combined with her legal and leadership experience, will make her an asset to the Foundation as it seeks to increase the effects of its work. “The work done by companies, academia and nonprofits every day at the Research Triangle Park is an engine for an incalculable amount of good locally, nationally and internationally,” says Pam. “I’m honored to join this distinguished group of leaders to support the continued growth and success of this major global innovation hub.”
Brooks Bell founded her eponymous firm in 2003 with a focus on data-driven digital marketing through consulting and experimentation. “Research Triangle Park has been the foundation for our region’s economic and workforce growth for decades, and will continue to be a driving force in the decades to come,” says Brooks. “I am honored to help shape our region’s future.” Brooks currently serves as executive chairman at Brooks Bell, informing the strategic direction of the company. She is also a strong advocate for those living with colon cancer, dedicating herself to educating the public about young-onset colon cancer and the importance of colonoscopies after her own stage III diagnosis in 2019.
The Foundation’s Board of Directors is composed of 23 community leaders with expertise in the real estate, economic development, and nonprofit sectors. Jud Bowman serves as board chair, Jack Cecil is vice chair and Barbara Mulkey is secretary.
About the Research Triangle Foundation
The Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina serves The Research Triangle Park in its mission to facilitate collaboration among our region’s industries, universities and workforce, and create economic impact for the citizens of North Carolina by attracting the world’s most innovative companies and top-tier talent to North Carolina. Situated centrally among Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, RTP contains 7,000 acres, 55,000 employees, and over 300 companies and national labs, including Biogen, EPA, GlaxoSmithKline, Cisco Systems, Credit Suisse, NIEHS, Fidelity Investments, IBM, BASF and RTI International.