Born in Rochester, New York, Renée Price was raised in a family and an environment that valued education, the arts, equality, civil rights, and justice. Her mother was a talented beautician, and her father was the first African American police officer in the city. She and her sister attended both public and private schools — as her father said, “Knowledge is one thing they can’t take away from you.”

Renée earned her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Tufts University with a major in urban affairs, and she earned a Master's of Regional Planning degree from Cornell University with concentrations in city development planning as well as environmental planning and design. She also studied at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in the Master of Arts program.

From New York to North Carolina to Alabama and back to North Carolina, Renée has focused on urban and rural life as well as resource preservation and conservation. Her positions have included housing director for an inner-city neighborhood, assistant project manager for an office of environmental impact, grant writer for a pro bono law firm on Black land loss, coordinator for a conservation council, director of a forestry program for underserved farmers and landowners, and manager of government relations for a mentoring program.

Renée was first elected to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners in 2012 and reelected in 2016 and 2020. As commissioner, she served on various local and regional boards. During her tenure she has supported community members in closing a landfill, paving an access road, building affordable housing, improving school facilities, and preserving farms and agriculture. Renée continues to advocate for small businesses, artists, crafts-makers, and entrepreneurs, and for issues such as climate change mitigation and broadband expansion. She served as vice chair of the BOCC from 2018 to 2020 and served as chair from 2020 to 2022.

Renée was active in the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) and served as the chair of the Legislative Goals Committee and as a member of the board of directors. She served four years as president of the North Carolina Association of Black County Officials (NCABCO) and as a board member of the North Carolina Black Alliance. In 2020 Renée received the M.H. Jack Brock Outstanding County Commissioner Award from her NCACC colleagues.
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At the national level, Renée has been active in the National Association of Counties (NACo) and served as chair of the Arts and Culture Commission, a vice chair of the Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee, and a member of the Rural Action Caucus. She also is a member of the National Association of Black County Officials (NABCO) and on the board of directors of the National Organization of Black County Officials (NOBCO).
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Renée and Michael enjoy life residing at the edge of Hillsborough, along the banks of the Eno River.