Commissioner Wendy Jacobs is currently serving her first term of office having been sworn in December 3, 2012. She is a graduate of Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in History, Magna Cum Laude. As a former educator she received her teaching certification from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and taught in the Durham and Caswell County Public Schools as well as Carolina Friends School. She most recently worked as a project manager for Unique Places, a conservation driven real estate company based in Durham.
Prior to elected office, Commissioner Jacobs was chair of the Erwin Area Neighborhood Group and led the campaign to create New Hope Preserve, a 100-acre multi-jurisdictional park. She also served as chair of the park master plan committee and six years as a county appointee to the Durham Planning Commission, as well as being an active Durham Public Schools parent volunteer, member of the Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee and other involvements.
Commissioner Jacobs currently serves on many boards and commissions representing the citizens of Durham at the county, regional, state and national levels. She is Chair of the Joint City-County Planning Committee, Vice-Chair of the Social Services Board, Vice-Chair of the Triangle J Council of Governments Smart Growth Committee, Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Poverty Reduction Initiative Jobs Task Force, Co-Chair of the Durham Directors Group, Chair of the North Carolina Association of Counties (NCACC) Environmental Steering Committee and member of the NCACC Board of Directors as well as a member of the National Association of County Officials Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee. She has helped lead the effort to create Durham’s first sports commission as a member of the Durham Sports Commission Advisory Committee Task Force.
Commissioner Jacobs also serves on additional boards and commissions including; the Durham Stadium Authority, the Animal Control Board, the Library Board of Trustees, The Farmland Protection Board, the Workforce Development Board, the Board of Trustees of the Durham Center for Senior Life and as a delegate to the Triangle J Council of Governments.
Current Boards, Commissions and Committees
- Durham Social Services Board, Vice, Chair
- Durham Sports Commission Advisory Committee Task Force
- Durham Library Board of Trustees
- Durham Stadium Authority
- Durham Director’s Group, Co-Chair
- Animal Control Board
- Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG)
- North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, Environmental Steering Committee, Chair
- Durham Workforce Development Board
- Farmland Preservation Board
- Durham Orange Chapel Hill Work Group
- Piedmont Food and Ag Processing Center
- Durham Center for Senior Life
- Adult Care Home Citizen Advisory Committee
- Holton Advisory Committee
- Joint City County Planning Committee, Chair
- TJCOG Smart Growth Committee, Co-Chair
- Mayor’s Poverty Reduction Initiative (PRI) Jobs Task Force, Co-Chair
- North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, Health and Human Services
- Steering Committee
- North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Board of Directors
- National Association of County Officials (NaCo) Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee
Education
- 1983 Graduate Duke University, Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude
- Duke University Study in China Program, Beijing Teachers College, Nanjing University 1983
- Teaching Certification, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Intermediate Education, 1987
- Advanced Leadership Corp Training, School of Government, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, September 2014
- Achievement of Master Level Status, Local Elected Leaders Academy, School of Government, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, August 2015
Work Experience
- Teacher Intern/Assistant Teacher, grades two-four, Carolina Friends School
- Teacher, fifth grade, Holt Elementary School, Durham Public Schools
- Teacher, Special Education, Grades K-5, Bartlett Yancey Elementary, Caswell County, Public Schools
- Teacher, fifth and sixth grade, Anderson Elementary School, Caswell County Public Schools
- Project Manager, Administrative Assistant, Unique Places, conservation driven real estate and land management company
- Durham County Commissioner, December 2012 to present
Previous Community Involvements
- Operation Breakthrough, St. Teresa Community, homework tutor, summer program counselor
- West End Community, summer Vista program counselor
- Founding member, Duke Coffeehouse
- Forest View Elementary School PTA Board, Site Base Committee, Chair
- Landscape/Outdoor Work Days Committee, Principal Selection Committee
- Rogers Herr PTA Board, Site Base Committee
- PTA member: WG Person Middle Magnet, Githens Middle School, Jordan High School, Jordan Band Booster Club
- Solterra Homeowners Association, Garrett Farms Homeowners Association Solterra
- Architectural Review Board Member, Chair, Solterra Common Lands Committee
Chair, Erwin Area Neighborhood Group - Chair, New Hope Preserve Campaign
- Chair, New Hope Creek Corridor/Hollow Rock Access Area Master Plan Committee
- New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee
- Durham-Orange-Chapel Hill Work Group
- Conservation Subdivision Ordinance Advisory Group
- Environmental Enhancements to the Unified Development Ordinance Committee
- Piedmont Conservation Council
- Prepared Meal Tax Committee
- Durham Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Commission
- Chair, Hollow Rock Store Renovation Project
- Durham Planning Commission (April 2005-June 2011)
- Superintendents Budget Advisory Committee
Awards
- Inter Neighborhood Council Neighborhood Hero Award
- SWOOP Sisters of Strength Award
- Village Pride Hometown Hero Award