Governor Cooper Appoints New Members to State Boards and Commissions | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper has appointed new members to serve on several state boards and commissions, including the NCWorks Commission, the North Carolina Medical Board and the Youth Advisory Council.

    "I'm grateful that so many experienced professionals are dedicating their time to public service," Gov. Cooper said. "North Carolina will benefit from these board members' knowledge and expertise to develop our workforce, safeguard our medical care, advocate for our young people and more."

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individuals to the NCWorks Commission:

• Christopher Gergen of Durham as Business Representative. He is currently the CEO at Forward Impact and works with the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. He is a Founding Partner at HQ Raleigh, Bull City Forward, and Think House. Gergen received a BA with honors from Duke University, a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the George Washington University, and his M.B.A. from Georgetown University
• County Commissioner Ronnie Smith of Robersonville as a local elected official. A Martin County Commissioner and a retired Air Force Officer, Smith was recently elected 2nd Vice President of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. He holds a BS in Intermediate Education from Fayetteville State University and graduate degrees from Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri) in Industrial Management & Human Relations.

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina State Board of Opticians:

• Dr. Derrick D. Jordan of Pittsboro as a public member. Jordan is the Superintendent of Chatham County Schools. He serves on the NC Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Board of Directors, the United Way of Chatham County Board of Directors, and the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors.
• Michael McKinney of High Point as a public member. McKinney is the Executive Director for Susan G. Komen of Northwestern NC. He serves on the High Point Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Medical Board:

• Dr. Michaux Kilpatrick of Greensboro as a Member of the Old North State Medical Society. Kilpatrick is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at High Point Regional-UNC Health Care System. She previously worked for the Neuroscience and Spine Center of the Carolinas. Kilpatrick is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the National Medical Association.

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individuals to the Youth Advisory Council:

• Veronica Butcher of Raleigh as an adult member and Chair. She served as Policy Advisor at the North Carolina Governor's Office and is currently President and CEO at Harmonizing Strategies, LLC. Butcher has more than seventeen years of experience in advocacy program evaluation and public policy. She was a former board President of NC Women United and a Coordinator for the NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
• Dr. Naveed Khalid Aziz of Spring Lake as an adult member. She is the owner and medical director at her primary care practice in Spring Lake. Aziz is the co-founder of Diabetes Education Day and a former advisor for the USDA North Carolina StrikeForce Initiative of Rural Growth and Opportunity.
• Siva Bodavula of Cary as an adult member. Bodavula is a principal at Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina and serves on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Project Manager Institute. He also works with youth programs as the Sunday School Committee Chair for CedarFork Community Center of Seldovia Village Tribe.
• John C. Easterling III of Charlotte as an adult member. Easterling is currently studying Political Science at the University of North Carolina- Greensboro. He is active in education and student government.
• Greg Moore of Raleigh as an adult member. Moore is a Deputy Clerk of Court for Wake County. He has extensive experience working with youth as a former teacher, senior case manager at Wake County Human Services and as lead instructor for Eat Smart Move More Weigh Less at NC State University.
• Beth Brody of Raleigh as an adult member. Brody is a mother of three and has thirty-two years of experience working with youth as a former teacher and a volunteer in public schools and with SafeChild, a child abuse prevention agency.
• Nathan Summers of Matthews as an adult member. Summers is the President at Bridge Builders Academy, Inc. He established a grass root non-profit organization, Novo Community Foundation, and is an experienced manager in the sales industry.
• Rhyan Breen of Wilson as an adult member. Breen is an attorney at Farris & Farris, PA. He is a board member for Y.O.U.T.H of Wilson and Methodist University Legal Studies.
• Dr. Todd Rosendahl of Charlotte as an adult member. Dr. Rosendahl is Equality NC's Director of Youth Policy. He works with K-12 school districts across North Carolina providing professional development for school staff, GSA support for middle and high school students, and policy/regulation guidance to better support LGBTQ students. He is a national facilitator of the HRC Foundation's Welcoming Schools program.
• Theresa Mathis of Wilson as a Local Youth Council Advisor. She is a Human Relations Specialist for the City of Wilson. Mathis serves as an Advisor on the Wilson Youth Council. She is also a festival coordinator at North Carolina Whirligig Festival.

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to North Carolina Board of Landscape Architects:

• Dr. Clay Gloster of McLeansville as a Public Member. Gloster currently serves as the Associate Dean in the College of Science and Technology at North Carolina A&T State University. He has also served on the faculties of NC State University and Howard University (Washington, D.C.).

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Agricultural Finance Authority.

• Phillip C. Farland of Raleigh as an at-large member. Farland spent his career with the USDA Farm Service Agency. He later received a presidential appointment as the USDA Farm Service Agency North Carolina State Executive Director.

    Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the Disciplinary Hearing Commission of the North Carolina State Bar:

• Ronald C. Brinson of Charlotte as a public member. Brinson was a Regional Manager with Bank of America, responsible for all Community Reinvestment Act​related activities in Virginia, North and South Carolina. Brinson currently serves on the Government Relations committee of the Beta Nu Graduate Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

• Contact: Ford Porter
•     govpress@nc.gov