Governor Cooper Announces State Boards and Commissions Appointments | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH: Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced appointments to boards and commissions.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Agriculture Finance Authority:

• Meghann Lambeth of Rockingham as a member at-large. Lambeth is the Executive Director for the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Arts Council:

• Chanavia A. Haddock of Fayetteville as a member at-large. Haddock is a volunteer with the Fayetteville Arts Council and has served on the City of Fayetteville Arts Commission. She is the second self-published author to be invited to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for her book, Miracle.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Commission for the Blind:

• Jennifer Jones of Fayetteville as a Workforce Development Commission representative. Jones is an Accountability Manager for the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions.
• Larry Woodard of Raleigh as a representative for blind disability advocacy groups. Woodard is a Peer Counselor at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers University.
• Brittany Cutshaw of Candler as a parent training and information center representative. Cutshaw is a Parent Educator at the Exceptional Children's Assistance Center.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Blue Ridge Community College Board of Trustees:

• Alfred F. Platt, Jr. of Brevard as a member at-large. He is an architect and the founder of PLATT Architecture. Platt has served as President of the Brevard Chamber of Commerce, the Brevard Planning Board, and as a member of the Brevard College Board of Trustees.
• Michael S. Hawkins of Brevard as a member at-large. Hawkins is the President of Pisgah Enterprises, Inc. Serving as a Transylvania County Commissioner from 2008 to 2020, Hawkins is the longest-tenured Chairman in Transylvania County history.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control:

• Dr. Nadine J. Barrett of Durham as a Duke University School of Medicine Cancer Control Program Representative. Barrett is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission:

• Teresa B. Batts of Surf City as a member. Batts is the Mayor of Surf City and runs her own Real Estate Firm, Teresa Batts Real Estate LLC.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board:

• Jeffrey J. Tracey, Jr. of Iron Station as a member who is a local government fire prevention inspector. Tracey is a Deputy Fire Marshal for Mecklenburg County.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Council for Women:

• Dawn Fisher Rookey of Black Mountain as a member at-large. She is the Assistant Principal of Enka High School. Rookey has twenty-five years of experience in public education as a teacher and school administrator.
• Fontella D. McKyer of Charlotte as a member at-large. She is the Director of Workforce Development for Dress for Success Charlotte. McKyer has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, philanthropy, community engagement and program development.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Courts Commission:

• Valencia A. Applewhite of Fayetteville as a member of the General Assembly. Senator Applewhite is in her first term in the North Carolina State Senate. She previously served three terms on the Fayetteville City Council.
• Todd M. Williams of Asheville as a District Attorney. Williams is the District Attorney for North Carolina's 40th Prosecutorial District in Buncombe County.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Governor's Crime Commission:

• Sheriff Willie L. Rowe of Wake County as the county government official. Rowe was recently elected Sheriff of Wake County after 28 years in the Wake County Sheriff's Office. He first joined the office as a deputy in 1985 after serving in the United States Army.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission:

• Spencer Noble of Raleigh as a representative from the Department of Adult Correction's Office of Staff Development. Noble is the Director of the Office of Staff Development and Training at the Department of Adult Correction. Noble has over 15 years of experience in the criminal justice field.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

• Neil H. Robinette of Southern Pines as a parent of a deaf child. Robinette is the CEO of C.F. Smith Property Group.
• Dr. Jennifer Woodard of Mebane as a representative from a facility that performs cochlear implants. Woodard is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Children's Cochlear Implant Center at UNC. She is the Site Coordinator for the NIH-funded study Childhood Development After Cochlear Implantation.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition:

• Dr. Deanna M. Didiano of Denver as a licensed physician. Didiano is a Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician for Atrium Health and former Medical Director of Atrium Health Primary Care Denver Family Medicine. Dr. Didiano also serves as a Sports Medicine Team Physician for Lincoln County High Schools and as the Team Physician for Queens University.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Edgecombe Community College Board of Trustees:

• John Batts III of Tarboro as a member at-large. Batts is the Facilities Maintenance Manager at Hitachi Astemo.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission:

• Dr. Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson of Raleigh as a member with special training and scientific expertise in hydrology and water pollution control. She is the Department Head and a Professor for the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University.
• Kevin Lee Tweedy of Cary as a licensed engineer with specialized training and experience in water supply or water or air pollution. Tweedy is the Principal Engineer at Ecosystem Planning and Restoration, LLC and has more than 25 years of experience in the water quality industry.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee:

• Elizabeth S. Winstead of Sanford as a member at-large. Winstead has volunteered in NC schools, with UNC Cancer Hospital and with historic properties in Raleigh.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Fayetteville Technical Community College Board of Trustees:

• Caroline Cowan Gregory of Fayetteville as a member at-large. Gregory is an attorney who practices law at Rand and Gregory Attorneys at law in Fayetteville.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Licensing Board for General Contractors:

• William J. Rakatansky of Charlotte as a public member. Rakatansky is the Principal Owner and Founder of the R & M Group, an architectural and construction consulting firm. He is a registered architect and certified building code official with over 33 years of experience.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Geographic Information Coordinating Council:

• Martin T. McCracken of Raleigh as the designee for the head of an at-large State agency not represented on the council. He is a Special Deputy Attorney General for the North Carolina Department of Justice. McCracken has been with the Department of Justice for more than 20 years.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Global Transpark Authority:

• Allen H. Wellons of Smithfield as a representative of banking and finance. Wellons is an attorney at Wilkins & Wellons Law Firm and a former member of the North Carolina State Senate.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Guilford Technical Community College Board of Trustees:

• Andrew L. Rodenbough of Greensboro as a member at-large. Rodenbough is a Partner at Brooks Pierce Law Firm in Greensboro.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Halifax Community College Board of Trustees:

• Larry B. Perkins of Enfield as a member at-large. Perkins recently retired after 22 years as the Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes/PNC Arena. He has more than 46 years of experience in leadership in public assembly, sports, and entertainment management.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Historic Murfreesboro Commission:

• Don Joyner of Ahoskie as a member at-large. Joyner has been a financial advisor for Edward Jones since 2016.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision:

• Spencer B. Merriweather of Charlotte as a District Attorney representative. Merriweather is the District Attorney for Mecklenburg County. Prior to becoming District Attorney in 2017, he spent a decade as an Assistant District Attorney in the same office.
• Bobby F. Kimbrough of Winston-Salem as a Sheriff representative. Kimbrough is the Sheriff of Forsyth County, a role he has held since he was elected in 2018. He has nearly 40 years of law enforcement experience.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the License to Give Trust Fund Commission:

• Delores B. Evans of Durham as a recipient of organ, tissue, or eye donation from the Coastal Region. She is a retired attorney. Evans is the first documented parent in the country to receive a kidney transplant from her own deceased child.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors:

• Marshall Bruce Garris of Leland, as a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Garris is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Clinical Supervisor at Bridge Builders Counseling in Wilmington.
• Dr. Nicole A. Stargell of Charlotte, as a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Stargell is the Department Chair for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke's Department of Counseling.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board:

• MaryJane Richardson of Lumberton as a public member. Richardson is an Assistant District Attorney in Robeson County for Prosecutorial District 20.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission:

• Warren Herndon of Durham as a member at-large. Herndon is the Founder and President of Social Justice Ministries in Durham.
• Jennifer E. Nehlsen of Asheville as a member at-large. She is a Regional Administrator for the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem program where she leads the program in the nine judicial districts in Western North Carolina.
• Tiffany C. Tuma of Raleigh as a member at-large. She is the Dean of Enrollment Management at St. Augustine's University.
• Catherine Renee Williamson-Hardy of Durham as a member at-large. Williamson-Hardy is the Deputy Director of the Durham County Department of Social Services.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Nash Community College Board of Trustees:

• Angela Watkins Gailliard of Rocky Mount as a member at-large. Gailliard is the Director of Programs for the Golden LEAF Foundation. She is also the Vice President and Chief Corporate Officer of Word Tabernacle Church at The Impact Center.

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

• Neeru Sarin of Durham as a public member. Sarin is a Research Program Leader for Duke University's Eye Center.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to be chair of the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority:

• Margaret J. Newbold of Vilas as chair. Newbold has served on the authority since 2019. She retired in 2018 after 20 years with the Conservation Trust for North Carolina.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Pitt Community College Board of Trustees:

• Kennis Earl Wilkins of Greenville as a member at-large. Wilkins is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Faith Works Community Services Inc. in Williamston and Raleigh.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to be chair of the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision & Parole Commission:

• Darren G. Jackson of Raleigh as chair. Jackson was appointed to the Commission earlier this year. Prior to his appointment, he was most recently a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, Jackson was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for 12 years, serving as Minority Leader for his last two terms. During his time in the legislature, he served on the North Carolina Sentencing Commission and the North Carolina Courts Commission. Jackson practiced law at Gay, Jackson & McNally for 24 years.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina State Commission for Public Health:

• Ruth L. Marler of Selma as a registered nurse. Marler is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at Johnston Health/UNC Healthcare.
• Jason Smith of Raleigh as a restaurateur. Smith is the Chief Proprietor of 18 Restaurant Group which includes Cantina 18 and Harvest 18.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board:

• Dr. Brent L. Hawkins of Wilmington as a therapeutic recreation specialist engaged in training. He is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington's School of Health and Applied Human Sciences. He previously taught at Clemson University and East Carolina University.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission:

• Ryan A. Carter of Charlotte as a non-governmental conservationist. He is a Policy Manager at Catawba Riverkeeper, where he oversees the advocacy and legislative priorities in the 26 counties in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Social Services Commission:

• Wixie Devone Stephens of Lumberton as the 7th Congressional District Representative. Stephens a member of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners, where she has served since she was elected in 2020. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Wixie's Insurance Agency, LLC.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board:

• Sean Ryan Estes of Wilmington as a licensed clinical social worker and educator. Estes is an Adjunct Faculty Member for the College of Health and Human Services at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He is also the Chief Operating Officer for Coastal Horizons Center, Inc.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Southwestern Community College Board of Trustees:

• Elizabeth Waldroop of Franklin as a member at-large. Waldroop retired after 30 years as an educator in Macon County Schools.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Southern Regional Education Board:

• Christine Chrysostom Manuel Kushner of Raleigh as a member at-large. Kushner served on the Wake County Board of Education for 11 years. She has more than 30 years of experience as a leader in education policy, nonprofit organizations, public policy, rural and public health, and human service delivery systems.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission:

• Marlowe Ivey Vaughan of Goldsboro as a member at-large. Vaughan was previously Executive Director of the Feed the Dialogue North Carolina Foundation before recently taking over her family farm in Wayne County.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Tri-County Community College Board of Trustees:

• Larry W. Kernea of Murphy as a member at-large. Kernea is the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Murphy Electric Power Board and has over 40 years of experience in the utility industry.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Tryon Palace Commission:

• Dr. Benny J. Andres, Jr. of Charlotte as a member at-large. Andres is an Associate Professor of History and Latin American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
• David W. Erdman of Charlotte as a member at-large. Erdman is an Attorney at Erdman Law PLLC.
• Elizabeth Saylors of Goldsboro as a member at-large. Saylors is a practicing psychologist and opened ENC Psychological Services, PLLC in Kinston in 2009.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Underground Damage Prevention Review Board:

• Eric E. Lochner of Florence as an adult member. He is Duke Energy's Business Support Manager, oversees locates in the Carolinas, Florida, and Midwest Regions of the Customer Delivery Business Unit.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Wilson Community College Board of Trustees:

• Savannah J. Story of Rocky Mount, as a member at-large. She is a Litigation Associate at Poyner Spruill, LLP in Rocky Mount.

    Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina State Youth Advisory Council:

• Brandon R. Combs of Rougemont as an adult member. Combs is a Legislative Assistant at the North Carolina General Assembly.
• Michael Cooper, Jr. of North Wilkesboro as an adult member. Cooper is the Senior Director of Advocacy for NC Child.
• Felisa J. Hunter of Rocky Mount as a Local Youth Council Advisor. She is the Senior Humans Relations Specialist for the City of Rocky Mount Human Relations Department. As the Youth Council Advisor for the City of Rocky Mount Area Youth Council, Hunter advises area high school students on how to carry out projects that benefit their community.
• Renee A. Potts of Fuquay-Varina as an adult member. Potts is the Director of Development at the American Heart Association. She is the Vice Chair of the Fuquay Varina Parks and Rec Advisory Board.
• Alexis N. Williams of Cary as an adult member. Williams is a joint degree candidate for a master's in business administration and a master's in public policy at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.
• Regina Gavin Williams of Knightdale as chair. Dr. Williams is an Adjunct Professor at John Brown University. She is also a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor.

    Contact: Sam Chan

    Phone: (919) 814-2100  •      Email: govpress@nc.gov