Mark Gabriel Little is the executive director of NCGrowth, an initiative building shared prosperity through applied interventions, research and policy. In this role, he leads a multi-state initiative to help communities and business create jobs and equitable opportunities; and co-chairs Black Communities: A Conference for Collaboration, an annual international convening of scholars and leaders across the African diaspora. He previously served as managing director of the UNC Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise supervising operations, research, external affairs and student-facing activities. Mark has served as an AAAS congressional science fellow to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs and worked in renewable energy development and the earth and environmental sciences. He is also a musician and composer.