Candidate Biography (submitted by campaign):

Jaye Rao grew up in Charlotte, NC. Rao attended CMS, graduated from South Mecklenburg High School and UNC Chapel Hill.

Jaye Rao has political experience at the Federal, State and Local levels.  Rao served as an executive assistant to James C. Miller, III the former Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan at Citizens for a Sound Economy. Under her leadership as Finance Director, Rao raised thousands of dollars for Senator Richard Burr for his first campaign to U.S. Congress, Mayor Pat McCrory's Reelection Campaign and others.  Rao worked with Washington Public Policy Think Tanks and locally, the American Heart Association.

Jaye Rao was the Republican Nominee for NC Secretary of State in 2004.

Jaye Rao worked with her sister to successfully operate a celebrity services firm handling marketing, public relations, corporate development, special events, and interior design for professional athletes. With Jaye's efforts, the company organized many large special events handling conception to completion of the event, generating sponsorship dollars, aligning celebrities with the organization, vendor negotiations, and publicizing the activities.  Furthermore, Jaye and her sister set up a division of the company providing interior design services to professional athletes around the country.

Candidate Statement:

In a challenging economy, it is critical that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and responsibly.  I will champion for:  Strengthening Our Economy and More Jobs by championing proactive policies to assist people looking for work; Protecting Our Families and Neighborhoods by championing policies that direct funds towards more police on the streets; and Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability in Spending by reducing wasteful spending on programs that are no longer needed.

I will champion for businesses:

• Innovative Support Systems for New Entrepreneurs. Online tutorials and chat forums.
• Small business incubator centers are vital to the survival of fledgling small businesses. Proactive assistance creates stability and growth.

For over 2 decades, I have successfully worked as a businesswoman, in the political arena, and as a volunteer.  As a Childhood Charlottean, I am passionate about our Queen City. Now, I want to leverage my unique background and knowledge to serve the people of Charlotte.  The following 4 words describe who I am as an individual and why I am the best candidate. 

• Wisdom -- I take a moment to listen and understand people and issues.  I ask questions to seek clarity.  I weigh both angles of a problem.  Then, I come to a decision.  My approach is reasoned not quick because of passion.  This is how I approach all of my decisions in life.
• Energy --  I am enthusiastic, friendly and approachable. I am an open minded individual who works well bringing people together in a consensus.
• Dedication -- I work tirelessly to get the job done.  I persevere when others give up.  I find solutions. 
• Experience -- I can leverage more than 2 decades of political, business and volunteer experience to work for you.