Name: Ibrahim Nasmyth
Leadership Charlotte Class: 35, BCE
Title/Company: Relay Digital
Hometown: Charlotte is home now! (but I grew up sitting in Atlanta traffic)
Education: BA, Vanderbilt; MBA, Emory
Current personal or leadership goals: Serve well as husband, father, neighbor & entrepreneur.
What advice would you give to current Leadership Charlotte participants?
Ask the hard questions – of your speakers, your classmates and yourself.
What program day stands out in your memory and why?
Community Trusteeship Day. Paul Hanneman from Urban Ministry Center spoke about serving those who are living in poverty. His insights completely changed my perspective.
What would you like to see Leadership Charlotte alumni get involved in and why?
LC excels at creating space for candid, critical dialogue among Charlotteans who never would have met otherwise. It’s not easy to do, but it’s a special skill set that LC alumni share because of our program experience – I’d like to see us activate that for good across our community.
Favorite non-profit or community organization in Charlotte and why:
Besides LC, there are two Charlotte organizations that are really close to our heart. First, Christ Central Church on Central Ave near Eastway. We became members when we moved to Charlotte in 2008 and have really been blessed by the Lord’s work in and through our diverse, eclectic community. I’m also pretty fond of Adoption Support Alliance, which is committed to helping families prepare for & do adoption well with accessible, practical programs and counseling services. My wife Erin is one of the founders, but my bias isn’t self-serving – it really is a great org.
How has your life after Leadership Charlotte surprised you and why?
The friendships really are enduring! Initially, I was interested in LC because I wanted to learn Charlotte and get behind the scenes. I had no idea I’d be gaining all these great, lasting relationships.
What do you hope to be doing (differently) in five years?
Our sweet daughters will be entering their teenage years in 2022, and I’d rather not think about that just yet.