Crista Cuccaro is an Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government at the University of North Carolina School of Government within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined the law and finance division in June 2022 as a teaching assistant professor, focusing her instruction and advisory services on procurement, contracting, property disposal, and ethics and conflicts of interest related to contracting for local governments. Cuccaro serves as the designated liaison for the North Carolina Association of Governmental Purchasing and the North Carolina Minority and Women Business Enterprise Coordinators’ Network, facilitating connections and resources for professionals in these fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law. In 2019, she achieved recognition as a Local Government Fellow from the International Municipal Lawyers Association, standing among the first municipal attorneys in North Carolina to receive this designation.

Cuccaro's professional career demonstrates a strong dedication to public service in municipal law. Prior to her appointment at the School of Government, she held the position of senior assistant city attorney for the City of Durham, where she provided legal advice on community development, municipal finance and procurement, state legislative issues, and economic development initiatives. Earlier in her career, she worked as a staff attorney for the City of Knoxville, Tennessee, handling matters of land use and redevelopment, and she served as vice president of the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association. Cuccaro also instructed Contract Drafting as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee School of Law. Drawing from her extensive practical experience, she assists North Carolina's local governments in navigating complex legal challenges, including supply chain disruptions and labor shortages in procurement and contracting, to ensure efficient and economical use of public dollars for the benefit of taxpayers. Through the School of Government's programs, she upholds a tradition of delivering non-partisan, comprehensive legal education and resources to diverse municipalities statewide.

Professional Email: cuccaro@sog.unc.edu