Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority:
- Phillip Feagan of Polk County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Feagan served as the attorney for Polk County Board of Education for 18 years until July 2025. His practice included representation of the Polk County Department of Social Services in Adult and Child Protective Services cases for nearly 40 years before his resignation at the end of March 2025.
- Commissioner Ronald Dean Wesson of Bertie County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Wesson retired after 12 years of service to his community as a Bertie County North Carolina Commissioner, and lives in Windsor, N.C. Ron served as Chairman of that board for many years. During that tenure, Ron also served on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners' Board of Directors, and in 2017-18 chaired the Tax and Finance Committee. He also previously served as Chairman of the association's General Government Committee
- Brady Cody of Graham County as a Representative of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 County. Cody currently serves as the Graham County Manager and was previously the founder of Cody Law Group in Robbinsville.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission:
- Robin W. Smith of Orange County as an Environmental Management Commission Representative. Smith is a licensed attorney who provides legal and consulting services through Robin Smith Law Office PLLC. Smith previously served as Assistant Secretary for the Environment at the North Carolina Department. of Environment and Natural Resources from September 1999 to December 31, 2012.
- Brian North of Wake County as a Mining Commission Representative. North is the Director of Environmental Services at Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
- Joshua Lee Heitman of County as a North Carolina State University Soil Science Department Representative. Heitman is a Professor of Soil Physics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at NC State University.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners:
- James T. Ahler of Wake County as a Public Member. Before retiring in 2016, Ahler served as CEO of the NC Association of CPAs for 28 years. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky State Board of Accountancy for 10 years.
- Tammy Coley of Mecklenburg County as a Certified Public Accountant. Coley is currently the Chief Transformation Officer at Blackline and has been a Certified Public Accountant for more than three decades.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Board of Podiatry Examiners:
- Dr. Gary Liao of Durham County as a Podiatrist Nominated by Board. Liao currently serves as Clinical Faculty in the Podiatry Section of Duke Orthopedics.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Commission for Public Health:
- Diamond Staton-Williams of Cabarrus County as a Registered Nurse. Staton-Williams is the Director of Outpatient and Community Care Management at Atrium Health. She is also a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2023-2025.
- Dr. Emily Collins of Forsyth County as a Licensed Veterinarian. Collins is an Associate Veterinarian at Reynolda Veterinary Hospital in Winston-Salem.
- Christopher Nathan Roberts of Gaston County as a Licensed Pharmacist. Roberts is a District Leader at CVS Health and has been in the pharmacy industry for more than a decade.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Licensing Board for General Contractors:
- Kevin Anderson of Orange County as a Public Member. Anderson was most recently a Senior Counsel for Consumer Protection and Multistate Litigation at the North Carolina Department of Justice, where he served in various roles for more than 25 years.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Statewide Independent Living Council:
- Alyssa Hampton of Alexander County as an Individual with a Disability. Hampton is a Life Insurance Agent at American Income Life.
- Brittny Jean Zenere of Wake County as an Individual with a Disability. Zenere is the Director of Operations at the Alliance of Disability Associates.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Veterans Affairs Commission:
- Michael J. Burns III of New Hanover County as a 7th Congressional District Representative. Burns is a former Navy SEAL Officer and current venture capital investor at Canapi Ventures. He also serves on the board of the Boulder Crest Foundation, an organization that supports veteran mental health and resilience.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Social Services Commission:
- Jill Austin of Yancey County as a 11th Congressional District Representative. Austin is a lifelong resident of Yancey County with a deep-rooted commitment to the people and families of her community. She has been a local business owner for more than 40 years and previously served on the Yancey County Board of Commissioners.
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Well Contractors Certification Commission:
- David Walton Hutson of Durham County as a Public, At Large, Not Engaged in Well Contractor Activities, or Employed by Well Contractor or Government Agency. Hutson is a retired water well contractor, most recently employed by Acme Well Co. He is also a Member of the North Carolina Groundwater Association and its Board of Directors.
Contact: Morgan Hopkins
Phone: (919) 930-5738 •
Email: govpress@nc.gov
