At the 2022 Student-Alumni Conference, Paarth Mehta was named the 2022 MPA Alum of the Year. Paarth (MPA ‘14) is a Senior Budget and Management Analyst at Wake County in Raleigh, NC. He has previously worked at Catawba County, Cabarrus County, and Mecklenburg County. He has worked in the local government budget and management profession since he started as an MPA student in 2011. throughout his time as a student, Paarth was known for creating opportunities, making connections, and bringing an energy impactful to the program. He was a graduate assistant, MPA Student Group President and helped start the ICMA Student chapter. As an alumni, Paarth has maintained his commitment to the program by providing Budget 101 courses, encouraging UNC Charlotte participation at NCLGBA conferences, and serving as a mentor and resource for current students. He is a leader in the state’s local government budget community, serving on the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association (NCLGBA) board for nearly seven years, most recently as President. Under his leadership of that organization, he has continued to build a culture of customer service, process improvement, and teamwork.