Governor McCrory Addresses Public Health Workers, Announces Appointments to Public Health Commission | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, NC     The Office of Governor Pat McCrory announced appointments to the North Carolina State Commission for Public Health after the governor addressed the State Health Director's 2014 conference meeting in Raleigh.

    During his remarks, the governor called public health workers unsung heroes and compared them to first responders who are charged with protecting and improving the health of a community.

    "You are the first line of defense against health threats, such as a flu outbreak or accidental contamination," said Governor McCrory. "You are proactively improving the health of the community by empowering people with knowledge so they can be personally responsible for their health outcomes."

    The conference was attended by county public health directors as well as representatives from statewide health organizations such as the North Carolina Hospital Association, UNC School of Public Health, North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians and the North Carolina Pediatric Society.

    The governor's appointments to the public health commission are:

   •  Felice Pete (Wake County) - Pete is a nurse anesthetist for Wake Medical Center. She earned her master's degree in nursing from UNC-Greensboro. Pete graduated from the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center School of Nurse Anesthesia. She will serve as chair of the commission.

   •  George Sweet (Polk County)  -  Sweet recently completed four years of services as the City of Saluda water commissioner. He previously worked as the vice president of customer and community relations at Nantahala Power and Light, and at Duke Power for more than 30 years. Sweet is a reappointment to the board.

   •  Dr. Bill Current (Gaston County) - Current is a dentist in Gaston County and former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He also completed a tour in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps after school and later returned home to join the family dental practice.

   •  Renee Russell (Buncombe County) - Russell is the director of telecommunication at Mission Health System. She has been with Mission Health for more than 10 years.

   •  Dr. Stephen Bolick (Wake County)  -  Bolick is an optometrist and the founder and CEO of Eye Care Associates. He graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and founded Eye Care Associates in 1978. Bolick is a reappointment to the board.

    The commission adopts rules to protect and promote the public health and is authorized to adopt and implement the public health programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. The term length is four years.


    Contact: Crystal Feldman
       govpress@nc.gov