April 8, 2026 — Centralina Regional Council (Centralina) recently announced the promotion of Lynne Hair, AICP, CZO, as director of Regional Planning and Katie Kutcher, MA, as director of Aging Programs for the Area Agency on Aging, effective April 1, 2026. The appointments reflect Centralina’s continued commitment to innovation and collaboration across the nine-county region, which includes Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Lincoln, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.
“Lynne and Katie are exceptional leaders with deep institutional knowledge and a genuine commitment to service,” said Centralina Executive Director Geraldine Gardner. “With their expertise, Centralina is well positioned to continue delivering meaningful impact for our member governments and the people they serve.”
As director of Regional Planning, Hair leads Centralina’s land use and transportation efforts, focusing on mobility, resilience, sustainability and healthy communities.
Hair began her career with Centralina in 1990 as an intern before becoming a planning technician. She then moved on to take roles in local government. She returned to Centralina in 2024 to serve as assistant planning director. With more than 25 years of local government planning experience, Hair brings deep expertise in land use planning, board training, development ordinances and community focused projects.
Hair is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, with a Bachelor of Science degree in geography. She is also a Certified Planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners and a Certified Zoning Official.
“It’s an honor to step into this role and continue supporting our local governments in meaningful ways,” said Hair. “When communities are empowered with the right planning tools, they can create lasting, positive change for the entire region.”
Kutcher is the Aging Programs director for Centralina’s Area Agency on Aging, which focuses on strengthening care options across the continuum, from home and community-based aging services to long-term care communities.
Kutcher brings more than 20 years of experience in aging services, including holding positions as senior community service employment program specialist, aging specialist and aging programs coordinator. In 2022, she was named assistant director of Aging Programs. In her new role, Kutcher will lead and oversee programs and support to older adults, caregivers and aging service providers across the Centralina region.
Kutcher is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. She is certified as a lead trainer for the “A Matter of Balance” program and a master trainer for the “Living Healthy,” “Living Healthy with Diabetes,” “Living Healthy with Chronic Pain” and “Building Better Caregivers” programs.
“I’m honored to champion the direct services Centralina offers,” said Kutcher. “Our team also supports a network of more than 30 funded aging service providers who work to improve the quality of life for those they serve in the region.”
The promotions of Hair and Kutcher follow the retirements of Director of Aging Programs Linda Miller and Director of Regional Planning Jason Wager, who each concluded nearly 30 years of dedicated service to Centralina Regional Council on March 31.
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