Governor McCrory Announces Appointments | Eastern North Carolina Now

 Raleigh, N.C.     The Office of Governor Pat McCrory announced the following appointments today:

North Carolina Partnership for Children, Incorporated

• Martha Eblen (Buncombe County) — Eblen is the corporate secretary at Biltmore Oil Company and is the owner of Eblen Short Stop Store in Asheville. In 2011, Martha received an Outstanding Volunteer award from Governor Hunt and was awarded the Buncombe County Woman of the Year. She earned a Masters from the University of Tennessee in Anthropology and a B.A. in Anthropology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. She is a published author and a fourth-generation native of Asheville.
• Dr. Melissa Johnson (Wake County) — Dr. Johnson received her bachelor's degree from Duke University and completed her PhD in clinical psychology at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980. Her clinical, teaching and research activities have all focused on infant mental health and development, as well as on children with medical issues and their families. She has also been published on the use of play and imagination in children's coping. Since 1986, she has been employed at WakeMed and Wake Area Health Education Center as a pediatric psychologist. She provides clinical services to children from birth to age three and their families, as well as serving as an educational resource for professionals in the region and as instructor and mentor for medical and graduate students.

 The board ensures that all children have access to high quality early childhood education and development services, develops a comprehensive, long-range strategic plan for early childhood development, and provides high quality early childhood education and development services for children and families through public and private means.

North Carolina State Water Infrastructure Authority

• Johnnie Carswell (Burke County) — Carswell is the Chairman of the Burke County Board of Commissioners. He is also a Correctional Training Specialist at NCDPS.

 The purpose of the Commission is to identify the State's water infrastructure needs, develop a plan to meet those needs, and monitor the implementation of the plan.

Underground Damage Prevention Review Board

• Christopher W. McGee (Johnston County) — McGee has been appointed chairman of the board. He is the Transportation Field Services Manager for the city of Raleigh. He also serves as President of the Streets Division Board for the American Public Works Association and holds a Professional Engineer license.

 The Board shall review all reports of alleged violations of the Underground Utility Safety and Damage Prevention Act and accompanying information. If the Board determines that a person has violated any provision of this Article, the Board shall determine the appropriate action or penalty to impose for each such violation.

North Carolina Radiation Protection Commission

• Diana Hart (New Hanover County) — Hart is the Senior Vice President of Environmental, Health, Safety and Security for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. She and her team focus on driving nuclear safety culture, risk reduction, EHS compliance, remedial projects management and other key EHS initiatives across the business. Her previous experience includes 16 years in the nuclear industry across the EHS function, quality, and operations. She was the General Manager of Hydro Facilities for Exelon, where she spent nine years in a variety of roles, including Radiation Protection Technical Support Manager at their Limerick Station and Director of Environmental Operations for all Power facilities. Hart began her career with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a Radiation Specialist. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. She has a Master's of Science degree in Radiological Health Physics from San Diego State University in San Diego, California, and a Master's of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and Science from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Dr. David Tobin (Wake County) — Dr. Tobin is founder of Carolina Foot and Ankle Specialists. As a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, Dr. Tobin specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all foot and ankle conditions. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and earned his Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine from the Dr. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in 1983.
• Dr. Paul Davis (Mecklenburg County) — Dr. Davis is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He has been practicing Chiropractic Physical Medicine for 10 years. Dr. Davis received his undergraduate degree in Biologic Science from Virginia Commonwealth University. He also attended Virginia Commonwealth University graduate department where he pursued an interest in clinical physiology. He is a graduate of the Life University School of Chiropractic, where he completed his internship. He is an active member of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association, The NCCA Political Action Committee and American Chiropractic Association.
• Jack Cowsert (Wake County) — Cowsert is a State Materials Quality Engineer at NCDOT. He manages asphalt, chemical, physical testing and soils laboratories, as well as structural members section. He attended North Carolina State University where he earned a BSCE in Civil Engineering.
• Melanie Butler (Wake County) — Butler is a Chief Existing Buildings Code Consultant and Chief Rehabilitation Code Consultant.
• Roger Sit (Orange County) — Sit is an Adjunct Assistant Professor Environmental Sciences & Engineering and Radiation Safety Officer at the UNC Department of Environment, Health and Safety. Sit received his Ph.D and Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of California-Berkley.

 Commission duties include advising the Department of Health and Human Services in the development of comprehensive policies and programs for the evaluation, determination, and reduction of hazards associated with the use of radiation and to adopt, promote, amend and repeal rules, regulations and standards relative to radioactive materials.

North Carolina Pesticide Board

• Dr. W. Benson Kirkman (Wake County) — Dr. Kirkman is a Principal at W. Benson Kirkman. He has been on the NCPB since 1995. He is also a former Raleigh City Councilman. This is a reappointment.
• Dr. Thomas "Allen" Scarborough, Jr. (Wake County) — Dr. Scarborough is the current Vice-Chair of the NCPB. He is the Trade Flow Manager for North American Regulatory Affairs at Bayer CropScience, where he has been employed for over 30 years. This is a reappointment.
• William S. Harding (Beaufort County) — Harding is the owner of Southside Farms in Chocowinity. This is a reappointment.
• Don F. Rogers (Johnston County) — Rogers in the owner of Neuse River Home Inspection Service in Clayton. This is a reappointment.

 The Pesticide Board is the governing board for the programs of pesticide management and control set forth in the North Carolina Pesticide Law of 1971.

North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority

• W. Neal Lewis (New Hanover County) — Lewis has been appointed chairman of the board. Previously, he was the New Hanover County parks department director. He received a B.S. in parks and recreation administration from North Carolina State University.
• Lewis R. Ledford (Wake County) — Ledford is the executive director for the National Association of State Park Directors and the former North Carolina state parks director. He worked in the N.C. state parks system starting in 1976 and was named director in December of 2003.

 The Parks and Recreation Authority receive private and public donations, appropriations, grants, and revenue for the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Members work to allocate funds for land acquisitions, repairs and improvements.

North Carolina Holocaust Council

• Jonathan Wade (Jackson County) — Wade is the Senior Digital Learning Specialist for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. He was selected for the post in order to increase and expand digital learning opportunities for North Carolina teachers through NCCAT. He is a reappointment for this board.
• Raymond Holder (Lenoir County) — Holder is a former North Lenoir High School history teacher. His classroom focus shifted when he met Holocaust survivor Gizelle Abramson. He received the 2010 Irena Sendler Award for "Repairing the World," and he is regarded as one of the world's leading Holocaust educators. He is a reappointment for this board.
• Judi Strause (Mecklenburg County) — Strause founded the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Guardian ad Litem program for abused and neglected children, a model adopted by the N.C. Legislature for its statewide Guardian ad Litem program. Her concern for the welfare of children led to the formation of the Children's Law Center, a nationally known organization that represents children in the legal arena. She has served on the boards of directors for the Family Center, Charlotte Drug Education, Children's Law Center, and Community Link. She is a reappointment for this board.
• Mitchell Rifkin (Mecklenburg County) — Rifkin is with the Hobart Financial Group team of retirement and 401(k) specialists. He will serve as a retirement consultant with a focus on asset protection through life and legacy planning. He is a reappointment for this board.
• Pamela Pate (Orange County) — Pate is a retired public school teacher in Orange County. She is active in the community in addition to her duties of outreach and education on the Holocaust Council. She is a reappointment for this board.
• Luceil Friedman (Chatham County) — Friedman is a former professor at UNC Chapel Hill in the Department of Asian Studies, Hebrew Language Lecturer. She has also worked at the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro. Friedman has a Masters from Indiana University and Bachelors from Rutgers University.

 The council works to develop educational programs to prevent future atrocities similar to the genocide during World War II.

North Carolina Perfusion Advisory Committee

• Laura Mavretic (Wake County) — Mavretic has been a certified mediator since 2000. She graduated cum laude from Furman University and earned her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law. She was a Commissioner of the N.C. Industrial Commission from 1995 until she retired in 2011. After retirement, Laura began a mediation practice limited to workers' compensation cases. Her work experience includes one and a half years as an appeals referee at the N.C. Employment Security Commission, over six years as a local government attorney, two years as a law clerk for the N.C. Court of Appeals, and several years of private practice. Laura is a past council member for the N.C. Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Section. This is a reappointment.

 The committee adopts rules, requirements and standards that the North Carolina Medical Board uses to license and regulate the practice of perfusion.

North Carolina Private Protective Services Board

• Larry Proctor (Guilford County) — Proctor is a retired business owner in Greensboro. He was co-owner of Sedgefield Lawn and Garden as well as Sedgefield Outdoor Equipment from 1974 until his retirement. Proctor has also been active on several local and state boards. Locally, he has been co-chairman of the Equalization and Review Board, Chairman of the Boards of Trustees for Pleasant Garden United Methodist Church, and a board member for his local fire department and crime stoppers. At the state level, he currently serves on the alarm system licensing board and is a former member of the Governor's Crime Commission.

 The purpose of the board is to approve, deny, suspend, revoke or take other disciplinary action against applicants and licensed members under its control. The board also administers the licensing and sets educational and training requirements for people, firms, associations, and corporations.

Roanoke Island Historical Association Board of Directors

• Carole A. Warnecki (Dare County) — Warnecki has been appointed Governor's designee. She worked for 30 years in the life insurance industry and has resided in Dare County for 20 years. Warnecki currently serves as Secretary of the Dare County Board of Elections and is the Corresponding Secretary for the Outer Banks Woman's Club. She also holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt and helped start Kym Rock's "Fight Like a Girl" National Women's Self Defense Program.

 The mission of the Roanoke Island Historical Association is to commemorate the history of the first English colonies in North America on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. This mission is primarily accomplished by the annual production of the symphonic outdoor drama The Lost Colony, and through educationally engaging events and programs.

North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners

• Dr. Jessica Benningfield (Iredell County) — Dr. Benningfield was raised in Greensboro. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and her chiropractic education at Palmer. Jessica comes from a family of over 40 chiropractors spread over three generations. These chiropractors have spent their lives serving the chiropractic needs of those in their communities all over the country. Dr. Benningfield enjoys working with children and maternal patients. She uses much of her expertise through nutritional and dietary counseling as well as many pregnancy related concerns.
• Dr. Bruce Hilton (Burke County) — Dr. Hilton came to Hickory in 1981 after graduating from what is now known as National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, III. Through the years, he has made a name for himself in the chiropractic world. He has a postgraduate degree in orthopedics, making him a diplomat to the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists, as well as being a Fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists. Additionally, he is president of the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners, and a member of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association. This is a reappointment.
• Adam Bridgers (Mecklenburg County) — Bridgers is an Associate for Fisher and Phillips Law in the Charlotte office. Bridgers has practiced for over five years and represents businesses and business owners across North Carolina faced with business and employment related disputes. He regularly practices in the areas of business and employment litigation. He has experience at both the state and federal levels, including several cases before the North Carolina Business Court. During law school, he was Editor-in-Chief of the Charlotte Law Review and a member of the moot court team. He spent two summers at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, where he gained significant business litigation experience. He also gained invaluable legal experience as a summer law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Frank D. Whitney and as a judicial extern to U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler, both judges in the Western District of North Carolina. This is a reappointment.

 The board regulates the practice of chiropractic in the state to determine the qualifications of individuals seeking to practice chiropractic, authorizes persons who have met the statutory requirements the privilege to so practice, and enforces the statutory provisions governing the practice of chiropractic.

North Carolina 911 Board

• Robert N. Yarborough (Guilford County) — Yarborough is Senior Director of Government Relations in Greensboro. He is the primary contact for all local government relations activities for the state. He supervises two government relations directors and a department coordinator and is responsible for all state and local franchise regulatory functions for over 360 franchises including renewals and state-issued franchising. He provides support and expertise to the state and national cable telecommunications associations on legislative issues. He is Vice President of the N.C. Association of Workforce Development Boards.

 The board develops the 911 State Plan, administers the 911 Fund and the monthly 911 service charge, distributes revenue in the 911 Fund, establishes policies and procedures to fund advisory services and training, and investigates revenues and expenditures.

• Contact:
•  Crystal Feldman
•  govpress@nc.gov