About
Much like the North Carolina state bird, the Cardinal, Rod Powell:
BACKGROUND
Rod Powell is a retired teacher, community volunteer, and Senate District 44 candidate who believes public service starts close to home.
Rod was born in Anderson, South Carolina, and attended Anderson District Five public schools, including T.L. Hanna High School. In 1978, his family moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he attended L.C. Ragsdale High School in suburban Jamestown and graduated in 1980. Rod went on to earn his degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later built a 30-year career as a public school teacher serving North Carolina students and families.
Rod taught at Lincoln high school in rural Vale, North Carolina and in suburban/urban Mooresville city schools. He knows what working families face because he has spent his life listening to students, parents, educators, neighbors, and small-town communities across this region.
Now retired and living in beautiful Casar, in upper northwestern Cleveland County, with his wife, Kim, Rod stays active in community work across Cleveland County. He volunteers with local food distributions, supports public schools, serves as Chair of the Cleveland County Democratic Party, and works with neighbors who are trying to make life better right here at home.
Rod is not a Raleigh insider or a slick politician. He is running for NC Senate District 44 because people from Shelby to Lincolnton to Cherryville deserve a senator who pays attention to everyday concerns: strong public schools, affordable health care, better roads and infrastructure, lower costs, and respect for working people, retired people, and families trying to get by.
This campaign is about practical service, plain talk, and putting our communities first.
Education
Rod Powell earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completed his teacher certification through Lenoir-Rhyne University, and later earned a master’s degree in education from Lenoir-Rhyne. He also achieved National Board Certification, one of the highest professional standards in teaching.
Rod’s education prepared him for a 30-year career in North Carolina public schools. His background is not theoretical. It comes from classrooms, students, parents, faculty meetings, school communities, and the daily work of helping young people learn, grow, and prepare for life.
That experience shapes how he sees public service. Rod believes strong public schools, well-supported teachers, and practical community investment are essential to the future of Cleveland, Lincoln, and Gaston counties.