After graduating from HBS in 1983, Adrienne Kelly Lumpkin worked for Hewlett-Packard Company in multiple marketing capacities and management for 10 years. In 1993, she co-founded Alternate Access, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Alternate Access provides hosted Voice-over-Internet Protocol phone systems to businesses primarily in the Southeast, enabling companies to increase operation efficiencies while lowering cost. Adrienne was responsible for marketing, finance, and human resources for the business until late 2013, when she began transitioning out of the company to follow her passion for public education.

Alternate Access has been recognized regionally with four Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle awards, three North Carolina Tech 50 awards, and as an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist. On a national basis, the company has been recognized with the Deloitte and Touche Tech 500 Award.

Today, Adrienne plays a background role in financial management for Alternate Access while working full-time as Chief Operating Officer of Communities in Schools of Wake County, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Adrienne has responsibility for finance, information technology, human resources, and administration. She is thrilled to be working for an organization that provides academic support and extended services to many thousands of K–12 students each year in Wake County, North Carolina.

Professionally, Adrienne has been an active member and sponsor of Greater Raleigh’s National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) for over 15 years. She served on the programs, education, communication and public policy committees in past years, as chapter president from 2004–2005, and on the national nominating committee in 2006. Adrienne was recognized by NAWBO as Public Policy Advocate of the Year in both 2011 and 2013, and Woman Business Owner of the Year in 2007.

Other recognitions include: The National Black MBA Association Chapter MBA of the Year (’94 and ’97), TBJ Women in Business (’98), NBMBAA H. Naylor Fitzhugh Award of Relevance (’99), Business Leader Impact 20 (’99) and Impact 100 (‘01), Enterprising Women of the Year finalist (’03), Business Leader Woman Extraordinaire (’03), Wesleyan University Distinguished Alumna (’04), YWCA Academy of Women Inductee (’05), Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year Nominee (’07).

Adrienne’s passions include the arts and education. She currently serves on the board of United Arts of Raleigh and Wake County and chaired their signature fundraiser, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, in 2013. She previously served on the board of Raleigh Little Theatre.

Adrienne is a volunteer contributor to NBC Universal’s Parent Toolkit, editing content and submitting articles that support parents and teachers of growing children. http://www.parenttoolkit.com/

She has served as a Wake County School Board Advisory Chair, a Board Advisory Representative for Wiley International Elementary and PTA president of William G. Enloe High School. She is an active member of Great Schools in Wake, a grassroots organization with the mission of ensuring that all children in Wake County receive a quality education. She is a member of Public Schools First NC and has been an outspoken parent and citizen for diversity, equity, and fairness for students and teachers in public schools. Adrienne served as the honorary chair of the YWCA Academy of Women 2011 fundraiser and volunteered with the YWCA’s Wake Help Initiative, assisting parents in advocating for their children within the Wake County school system.

Adrienne has been actively involved in politics at the local, state, and national levels, volunteering in GOTV efforts, working behind the scenes for candidates, and participating in Moral Monday protests in North Carolina. She is a 2010 graduate of the NC Women in Public Service program that trains women to run for office and work on candidates’ campaigns. She recently joined the board of the Women’s Forum of NC (womensforumnc.org) and is an active member of PoliticaNC, a community of progressive women activists engaged in year-round voter education and advocacy.

Adrienne graduated cum laude from Wesleyan University and earned her MBA at Harvard University. She and her husband reside in Raleigh, NC and are the proud parents of three grown daughters and a 12-year-old son.