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GREENSBORO — April Harris could only stand being away from home for five years.

After returning to Greensboro from a Philadelphia banking job in 1995, Harris decided to work for her hometown.

She earned a master's in public affairs from UNCG, took a job with Downtown Greensboro Inc., and then in the city manager's office.

On Tuesday she was named executive director of Action Greensboro, a community development organization. She'll replace Bob Klepfer, who announced plans earlier this month to step down at the end of the year.

Harris, 43, will leave her post as special events manager for the city of Greensboro, where she dealt with the city manager, the City Council and the public since November 2005.

"I think the most important thing that people in our community want," she said, "is to be asked where they think the direction (of the city) needs to go."

Harris comes at a time when Action Greensboro will study ways to strengthen public education, better use local colleges and universities, and make the city more livable by gathering ideas in public forums and from officials. That means lots of time listening and culling ideas.

"We'll have some draft recommendations by March and some final recommendations by the end of April," she said of Action Greensboro's next mission.

Harris plans to draw on experience at the city manager's office for that plan, which Skip Moore, chairman of Action Greensboro's steering committee, also noted.

"She has got more of that kind of experience with agendas for boards and board projects," he said. "She brings good experience from working for us (with Downtown Greensboro Inc.), and then more recently she has more experience with the city government."

Contact Gerald Witt at 382-8522, or gwitt@news-record.com