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Theresa has a bachelor’s degree in community and regional planning from Appalachian State University.
WHO’S WHO
IN TOWN & COUNTY GOVERNMENT THERESA THOMPSON STEPS INTO HER NEW ROLE AS PITTSBORO’S PLANNING DIRECTOR BY CHRIS VITIELLO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON
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Planning Director and her husband, Bryan Thompson, moved to Chatham County in 2013 and live in Siler City with their daughters, Taylor Thompson, 13, and Alex Thompson, 9, their dogs, Mango, Boomer and Onchow, and their cats, Guster and ittsboro
Theresa Thompson
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CHATHAM MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022
What is your background? What planning work did you do before you came to Pittsboro? I have 15 years of experience in planning. After starting my career as the planning director in Montgomery County, North Carolina, [I also was] the planning director for Lillington and planning supervisor in Moore County, [both in North Carolina]. I’ve deeply enjoyed each of my prior positions, and I’m very happy to return to municipal planning, particularly within a growing and vibrant community here in Chatham County. What is a typical workday like for you? As you might imagine, with the rate of growth and development activity within Pittsboro’s planning jurisdiction, a “typical” workday isn’t always that typical. The types of issues that occur on a daily basis are both challenging and exciting. As I am still new in this position, a good amount of attention is given to reviewing, creating and updating application and workflow processes and building a planning staff that can help meet these challenges in the most effective and efficient ways possible. What kinds of civic needs concern you the most? Workforce/affordable housing is an ongoing community concern. The Pittsboro area is a highly desired