Kimberly Owens

District 6 Representative

Council Member Kimberly Ownens

Term on Council:

December 2025 - Present

Education:

  • Juris Doctor (JD) with honors, University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, NC
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA), French with highest honors Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
  • Political Science (BA), with highest honors Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
  • Course work in French and Political Science, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

Professsional Experience:

  • Discovery Education,, Attorney
  • Nuveen Natural Capital, Global Head of Legal
  • Greenwood Resources, General Counsel
  • TIAA, Director, Real Estate Group
  • TIAA, Associate General Counsel, Commercial Mortgage and Real Estate Group
  • McGuireWoods, LLP, Charlotte, NC, Associate, Real Estate and Environmental Practice 
  • Kilpatrick Stockton | Petree Stockton, Charlotte, NC, Associate, Real Estate, Capital Markets, Bankruptcy, Workout
  • United States Bankruptcy Court, Charlotte, NC, Judicial Clerk to Chief Judge George R. Hodges
  • Research Intern, Consulate General of Canada, Chicago, IL

Civic Engagement:

  • Chair, Board of Directors, RAIN Inc. 501(c)(3)
  • Chair, Board of Directors, The Havens 501(c)(3)
  • Former Board Member, Lillian’s List 501(c)(4)
  • Established Olde Providence Elementary School Foundation, a 501(c)(3)
  • Established Douglas Springer Horizon Forensics Scholarship at Pekin Community High School
  • Member | Former Communications and Pro Bono Chair, Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
  • Former National Chair, LGBTQ+ Professionals and Allies, TIAA’s Alliance Business Resource Group
  • Member, Mecklenburg County and North Carolina Bar Associations
  • Former Rotary District 7680 In-Bound Chair for Youth Exchange Program
  • Volunteer Voter Protection Associate, Poll and Absentee Ballot Count Observer, Mecklenburg County
  • Campaign volunteer and canvasser, North Carolina House District 105
  • Volunteer supporting students facing expulsion or long-term suspension, Council for Children’s Rights

Key Achievements:

  • Emerge National Candidate Boot Camp Graduate, 2025
  • Project Management, Financial Accounting and Financial Management (MBA) coursework with Practicing Law Institute, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Boston University
  • Project 2040 City Planning Boot Camp Graduate, 2025
  • Advanced conversational in French, beginner in Swahili and Spanish
  • Trained and summited Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak with my sons in 2023
  • Trained and completed 65-mile Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu with my sons in 2025

Council Committee Assignments

Housing, Budget, Governance & Intergovernmental Relations

Platform and Goals:

  • Community-focused public safety
  • Attainable housing
  • Smart growth and responsive transit solutions

Awards and Recognitions:

  • Awarded TIAA Volunteer of Year for leading Pro Bono Expungement Program and Student Defense Project work with the Council for Children’s Rights