THE INAUGURAL 2026 NC LEGACY AWARDS
Honoring Leaders in Ministry & Municipalities
A congressional luncheon banquet honoring leaders shaping the Greater RTP region—while the work is still being done.
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 12-2:30 pm
Location: Health & Human Services Building Durham, NC
Tickets: $100
WHY THIS EVENT EXISTS?
Leadership does not happen in silos.
Faith institutions guide and serve.
Government structures and funds.
Community organizations connect and mobilize.
When these sectors operate separately, progress slows. When they align, legacy is built.
The NC Legacy Awards was created to recognize ministries, municipalities, and public servants who are actively strengthening the Greater RTP region. This is not a posthumous tribute. This is acknowledgment in real time.
Hosted by Give It To The People, the awards are part of the Transformational Leadership Conference and reflect a commitment to honoring service, stewardship, and cross-sector collaboration.
What Makes This Event Different?
This is not a networking mixer.
This is not an awards show built for spectacle.
This is an intentionally curated congressional luncheon banquet designed to:
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Recognize leadership across faith, civic, and governmental institutions
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Bring cross-sector leaders into one room for meaningful dialogue
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Affirm collaborative leadership in action
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Document impact while it is actively unfolding
The experience is intimate, respectful, and focused.
EVENT EXPERIENCE
Guests will experience:
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Formal luncheon program
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Recognition of 30 honorees across ministries, municipalities, and civic committees
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Reflections on leadership and stewardship
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Intentional seating designed for cross-sector conversation
Featured reflections will be delivered by
Dr. Joe Shepard
and
Chisa Pennix-Brown.
The program is designed to honor leadership with dignity while reinforcing the importance of partnership across sectors.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This gathering is designed for leaders who understand the power of alignment.
You should be in the room if you are:
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An elected official or public servant
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A ministry or faith-based executive
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A civic or nonprofit leader
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A municipal department representative
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An economic development professional
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A philanthropic or community stakeholder
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An entrepreneur or business owner
If your work touches people, policy, or progress, this room was designed for you.
HOST REV. DR. JOE SHEPARD
Rev. Dr. Joe Shepard is a philosopher, community advocate, and transformational leader dedicated to advancing equitable opportunity and sustainable development across underserved communities. As Founder and Executive Director of the Transformational Leadership Conference, he serves as a strategic community liaison who brings together civic institutions, nonprofit organizations, entrepreneurs, and faith leaders to address the most pressing social and economic challenges of our time.
Rooted in his upbringing in New York City, Dr. Shepard’s leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to advocacy and service. His work explores the connection between interpersonal development and community restoration, informed by his expertise in anthropology and social migration. Through this lens, he develops initiatives that empower individuals while strengthening the social structures that support thriving communities.
With academic grounding in anthropology and social migration, Dr. Shepard has become a recognized subject-matter expert on the intersection of interpersonal dynamics and community development. His work emphasizes healing, leadership formation, and collaborative engagement as essential components of sustainable progress helping him leverage more than $1 million in funding and resources for initiatives serving marginalized and developing communities.
Recognized by the NAACP and respected as a curriculum developer and program architect within the nonprofit sector, Dr. Shepard continues to design leadership frameworks that emphasize healing, education, economic empowerment, and civic engagement.
Through the Transformational Leadership Conference and its global network of partners, he works to build bridges between organizations and communities, fostering collaborative solutions that elevate the human condition. His thought leadership and written contributions have been featured in publications including The New York Times, HuffPost, Essence, and Nerve Magazine.
Today, Dr. Shepard continues to champion initiatives that integrate faith, education, leadership development, finance, outreach, and culture—empowering communities advance the ecumenical renaissance of our time.
WHY YOUR PRESENCE MATTERS
Showing up signals support.
It communicates that leadership deserves recognition.
It affirms that collaboration matters.
It reinforces that legacy is something we build together, not later.
Seats are limited to preserve the integrity of the experience.
HOST CHISA PENNIX-BROWN, MBA
Chisa Pennix-Brown is a nationally recognized entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, and event curator dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, organizations, and communities grow through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic connection. As the Chief Experience Cultivator of Give It To The People®, she designs and leads conferences, summits, leadership convenings, and professional development programs that support entrepreneurs and the organizations that serve them across North Carolina and beyond.
With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, business development, and community engagement, Pennix-Brown has built a reputation for creating meaningful spaces where business leaders, policymakers, educators, and community advocates can come together to exchange ideas, access resources, and strengthen local economies. Her work focuses on the intersection of entrepreneurship, economic development, and ecosystem building, helping communities align their efforts to better support business growth and opportunity.
Through Give It To The People®, she has curated impactful initiatives including statewide summits, professional development training, and ecosystem-building events that connect entrepreneurs, economic development partners, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Her work emphasizes practical strategies that help entrepreneurs increase visibility, strengthen financial literacy, and build sustainable businesses.
Pennix-Brown is also the author of The 90 Day Focus: Your Action Plan for Success and the host of the Give It To The People Podcast, where she shares insights on business growth, mindset, leadership, and mental wealth. Known for her engaging speaking style and actionable guidance, she regularly facilitates workshops and keynotes on marketing strategy, entrepreneurship, capacity building, and ecosystem development.
A proud graduate of Elon University, Pennix-Brown’s leadership philosophy centers on the belief that thriving communities require strong networks, shared knowledge, and leaders who are willing to collaborate across sectors. Through her work, she continues to empower entrepreneurs, strengthen support organizations, and build environments where people and ideas can flourish.
Through her leadership at Give It To The People®, Pennix-Brown champions initiatives that expand access to opportunity, amplify community leadership, and foster sustainable economic growth across North Carolina and beyond.
SPONSORSHIP KIT
NC LEGACY AWARDS HONREE CONFIRMATION
AWARD RECIPIENTS COMING SOON.