Program Staff

Clare Bradshaw joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation as a Fellow in July 2021. Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Clare received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2021. She was also a concurrent student at Duke University as a Robertson Scholar. While at UNC and Duke, Clare studied labor policy and future of work topics relating to the climate, public health, and education. In addition to her studies, she has worked in several community and research spaces centering worker equity and economic justice.

Darryl Childers comes to the Foundation with extensive experience working with underserved communities in North Carolina and abroad. Most recently, Darryl served as policy advisor for North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. During his time with the Governor's Office, he advised on policy issues ranging from prison reform and reentry to developing solutions to the opioid epidemic and gun violence.

Caitlin Burke comes to Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation with environmental research, teaching and nonprofit work experience at the national, state, and local level. Previously, she was associate director at the Conservation Trust for North Carolina where she oversaw the organization’s service programs, managed collaborative programs including sourcewater protection and climate change efforts, supported its community economic development partnerships, and co-led its racial equity efforts.

Nora Carr joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation as Assistant Director in August 2021. In this role, Nora promotes the mission and core values of the Foundation by overseeing All For NC: ZSR’s Framework for Grantmaking and Learning.

Shaheen B. Towles joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in February 2012 as its first director of communications. Shaheen is responsible for building awareness of ZSR’s mission, grantmaking and programs; providing appropriate information to stakeholders; and furthering the role of ZSR as a leader on issues of current importance to the state. Prior to this position, Shaheen worked as director of communications and outreach for the e-NC Authority, the state’s former broadband authority, established in 2000 by the General Assembly.

Tom Lambeth joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in 1978 as executive director and now continues to serve as director emeritus. Throughout his career, Tom has dedicated himself to the people of North Carolina in a variety of capacities. He has worked on the campaign staff of gubernatorial candidate Terry Stanford, served as assistant to the chair of the NC Democratic Party, and was administrative assistant to Governor Sanford. From 1965 to 1969, Tom was an administrator at the Smith Richardson Foundation in Greensboro, and from 1969 to 1978, he worked as administrative assistant to U.S.

James Gore joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in February 2009. Prior to coming to the Foundation, James served as a program director with One Economy Corporation, a Washington, DC based multi-national nonprofit that focused on efforts to bring broadband access, online content, and technology resources to low-income families. James also spent eight years with the Winston-Salem Foundation as a program officer and donor services officer. James has been active with numerous philanthropic efforts throughout his career.