Governor McCrory Announces Appointments | Eastern North Carolina Now

For Immediate Release:

    Raleigh, NC     Governor Pat McCrory announced the following appointments today:

    North Carolina Holocaust Council

   •  Jonathan Wade (Jackson County) - Wade was selected as the director of programming for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. He oversees NCCAT's programming faculty in the research, development and implementation of intensive cross-disciplinary seminars and other center programs designed to provide the highest quality professional development for North Carolina public school educators. He is a reappointment for this board.

   •  Judi Strause (Mecklenburg County) - Strause founded the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Guardian Litem program for abused and neglected children, a model adopted by the NC State Legislature for its statewide Guardian 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.

   •  Melinda Stephani (Wake County) - Stephani is the senior administrator for social studies at Wake County Schools. She participates in the Voices of North Carolina Initiative. 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.

   •  Raymond L. 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.

    The purpose of the Holocaust Council is to work to develop educational programs to prevent future atrocities similar to genocide during World War II. Each term length is two years.


    Contact: Crystal Feldman
      govpress@nc.gov