William Munn, PhD - Founder & Principal Strategist
William Munn is a strategist, researcher, and advisor working at the intersection of rural economic development, clean energy policy, and political strategy in North Carolina.
His work focuses on building equitable pathways to prosperity in small towns and historically disinvested communities—particularly across Eastern North Carolina's Black Belt.
William has partnered with several rural based organizations, and has advised municipal leaders, nonprofit executives, and political candidates on strategy, capacity building, and narrative design.
Prior to founding Pine Strategies, William worked with Vote Solar and the North Carolina Justice Center. He holds a PhD in Leadership Studies (Civic and Community Engagement) from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
William is also the founder of The Alluvial, a rural clean energy economic development consultancy focused on energy sovereignty and grid modernization for small municipalities.
Based in the Sandhills, he serves clients across North Carolina and the rural South.
Mission & Approach
Pine Strategies was founded on a simple belief: rural North Carolina deserves the same quality of strategic thinking, technical expertise, and political attention as our urban centers. We partner with communities, organizations, and leaders who are building more just and prosperous futures.
Narrative clarity
We translate complexity into compelling stories that move funders, voters, and policymakers
Partnership over transactions
We build long-term relationships, not one-off deliverables
Systems thinking meets lived experience
We understand how policy, finance, politics, and community intersect
Equity as design principle
We center historically disinvested communities in every strategy