CHARLOTTE — A lot has changed since December 31, 2013, when Dena Diorio was sworn in as Mecklenburg County’s manager.
She made history in that moment as the first woman to run the county. For 11 years she’s been at the helm, guiding the county through growth and pandemic protocols. As she gets ready to retire, she sat down with Channel 9 to share what helped her successfully break barriers.
“I showed up in a way that was respectful and that people respected how I showed up. I don’t know that men necessarily have to think about that as much as women do. So even now, over the course of my career, I can still go to meetings where there’s very few women in the room. So i’m always very mindful of how i show up and how i interact with the group to make sure that I continue to be respected,” Diorio said.
She rose through the ranks in Mecklenburg County, starting as the chief financial officer in 2007. She believes staying true to herself has been one key to her ascent.
“You have to be authentic, because you have to be able to live with yourself. I never want to be somebody that I’m not. So I think my authenticity people either like it and appreciate it or they don’t, but I have to be myself,” Diorio said.
As she reflected on her career, Channel 9′s Deneige Broom asked what she’d say to a younger Dena Diorio.
“I think I would tell my younger self it’s okay to listen more and talk less. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room all the time and again, just be your authentic self,” Diorio said.
And she’s confident that authenticity has left Mecklenburg County in a position of strength.
“I think overall, I can walk away and feel like I’m leaving it to the next person to be able to continue on the great work that we’ve done,” Diorio said.
(VIDEO: Diorio to hit the ground running as new county manager)
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