Satish Garimella

Title: Mayor Pro-Tem

Municipality: Town of Morrisville

Position Interested In: Second Vice President

Tell us why you would like to serve in a leadership position at the League. In particular, specify goals you would like to accomplish as an officer or board member and indicate how, if attained, they will help to achieve Vision 2030 – the League’s future vision of how cities and towns will operate in 2030.

I have been fortunate to serve on the NCLM Board of Directors since 2020, first as the President’s appointment and currently as the District 6 representative. I have learned so much from my fellow board members and NCLM staff and am proud of the contributions I have made to this worthy organization. This past year, I was honored to be selected to serve as Legislative Committee Chair and have previously served as a member of the Governance Committee. Yet, I also recognize there is so much more to do and learn and I want to be a part of that as part of the Executive Committee. My years as a member of the Board have been formative to my both my personal and professional growth and development as a Council Member and as advocate for Vision 2030.

Community is important to me, and I recognize the importance of both intra- and inter-community relationships across the state. The relationships I have formed with various elected officials in North Carolina have allowed me to broaden my perspectives and understanding of the Vision 2030 platform and the six operating principles and five pillars.

Morrisville is a microcosm of many of the foundational aspects of Vision 2030 – the urbanization of communities, economic development and growth, and dramatic cultural and demographic changes. I have been a part of the changing landscape of municipalities and recognize the importance of collaborating with our surrounding rural communities through my work with the Central Pines (formerly Triangle J) Council of Governments. I understand the challenges and believe I can be a valuable contributor to ideas, collaboration, and communication to support Vision 2030.

If appointed to this leadership position, I would like to work together with the Board and NCLM staff to support all operating principles and pillars, with primary focus in two critical areas: (1) Recognizing the impact of the changing demographics in North Carolina and cultivating local government engagement and influence in all populations, with an emphasis on Asian-Indian residents; and (2) Using my information technology knowledge and experience to brainstorm and identify areas to help municipalities address critical information technology needs, provide accurate and transparent data, and establish cybersecurity programs and prevent cybersecurity attacks. Cultural awareness will continue to permeate all parts of North Carolina and attention to maintaining inclusive communities will continue to make us stronger. Cyber security issues can impact all communities… I have special concern about our smaller, rural communities that may not have access to the tools and support they need, making them even more vulnerable to this more frequent threat.

Tell us about your experience as a municipal official. You may want to include information on your service on the municipal governing body, other related boards and special areas of interest.

It is a privilege to serve the people of Morrisville on Town Council. I was elected to the Town of Morrisville Town Council in 2015 as an At-Large Member and was reelected in November 2023 for a 3rd term. In December, I was selected by my peer Council members as Mayor Pro Tem. I am humbled to have received their unanimous support and am committed to supporting and promoting strong and respectful council relationships amongst ourselves and with our excellent staff.

I have and continue to be actively engaged in local, state, national, and international advocacy and outreach. I also have strong working relationships with our County Board of Commissioners and Public School System Board of Education. I regularly talk with our national and state elected officials on both sides of the aisle. Areas of special interest and expertise include cultural awareness and diversity, youth programs and education, public safety, and intergovernmental relations. I have also become more knowledgeable and experienced in planning and growth issues, economic development, and community issues such as affordable housing, mental health, homelessness, and public art and non-profit connections.

Specific leadership roles include(d):

NCLM Board of Directors (2021- Present)
NCLM Legislative Committee Chair (2023-Present)
NCLM Governance Committee ( 2021-2023)
NCLM Board of Directors – President’s Appointment (2020)
WakeMed Hospitals Board of Directors (2022-Present)
North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Commission (2018- Present)
GoTriangle Transit Advisory Committee (2019-2022)
Triangle Trail Initiative Advisory Board (2021-Present)
PLANWake Advisory Committee (2019)
Wake County Fire Commission (2017- Present)
Friends of North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Board of Directors (2016- 2023)
Breckenridge HOA President (2014- Present)

I am also especially proud of my role as Morrisville’s coordinating liaison with the NC Department of Health and Eastern Carolina Medical Center during the COVID pandemic. I was integral in coordination of the vaccination of more than 17,000 members of our community. Given the large first-generation Indian-American population in Morrisville, I work closely with the Indian Consulate and Congresswomen Ross's Office on matters of personal importance to Morrisville residents.

Tell us about your educational background, professional experience, and/or community or civic activities.

Friday Fellowship for Human Relationship (2023-2025)
Public Leadership Credential (Kennedy School of Government) (2020 - 2022)
Harvard University – Cambridge, MA
Advance Leadership Corps (School of Government) (2020)
University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, NC
Master of Science (M.Sc.) Computer Science (1999)
University of Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
Bachelor of Engineering (B.Engr.) Electronics Engineering (1997)
Bombay University – Mumbai, India

Extensive 25 years of IT and data-analytics leadership experience in enterprise architecture to deliver best optimal solutions based on business requirements. Mix of infrastructure, development, and technical expertise. Consistent record of leadership in the planning, specifying, developing, and deploying high performance and robust IT products and solutions enabling business continuity on premise as well as public Cloud.

Read Resume

Have You Participated in Any NCLM Events or Committees?

CityVision Annual Conference
Town & State Dinner or Town Hall Days
Legislative Goals Planning Events or Process
Regional Meetings
Legislative Policy Committee
Technical Advisory Committee

Please provide any other information you would like the Nominations Committee to consider.

Addressing the problems and needs of individual residents and their families inspires me, and I recognize the value and positives I contribute. Moreover, there is nothing better than the feeling of making a difference in people’s lives when we cut the opening-day ribbon on a complex project that required months or years of focused and committed work inspired by the community’s input and their engagement. It is in that moment that you realize the importance of public service in cultivating and strengthening the bonds of community that so are vital to Morrisville’s residents. Communicating the value of municipal government to our citizens and residents is reward beyond measure.